Consistent handwashing and five other ways COVID-19 is altering our daily lives

The continuous rise in the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria and across the world is altering the usual routines of people.

Here are some of the ways coronavirus is affecting daily lives in Nigeria:

Consistent Handwashing:

To some people, the practice of handwashing is part of their daily lives, while some are just adapting to the new life because health officials have advised consistent that hands should be washed more consistently and carefully to prevent the spread of germs. Some are still finding it difficult to cope with the new life.

Streaming events from home:

The ban on mass gatherings in some states in Nigeria forced many churchgoers to sit at home and stream services online. Many churches and mosques across the country that are typically crowded with thousands of worshippers have become nearly empty as people stayed at home to stream events. Regular cinema goers have also settled for online video streaming platforms like YouTube and Netflix.

New style of greeting:

COVID-19 has forced people to adopt alternative greeting styles since healthcare officials are advising against direct contact with other people. People are now resorting to tapping elbows and shaking feet instead of the usual shaking hands. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, in an address at the weekend, demonstrated to his citizens how to do the elbow greeting.

Cashless policy:

Handling cash is being frowned upon at this time and financial institutions as well as service providers are advising their customers to adopt cashless transactions to limit their contact with cash which is also a major carrier of germs. Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) has waved charges on transfer from N5000 and below till March 31 to encourage customers to adopt cashless transactions.

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Online communication/hangout:

Many people are now very cautious of embarking on their regular quick trips to visit friends and family. Online communication is now taking the place of physical visitation and meetings as many people now prefer to stay at home instead of driving through the city or getting on a bus or cab.

Working from home:

Some organisations already saw that the safety of their workers might not be guaranteed by commuting to work and have asked them to start working remotely from home. BHM Group leads the pack and other Nigerian companies as well as some states have also asked employees to work from home till the situation gets better.