How do you deal with risk groups in the closest family environment? The coronavirus pandemic and related precautions are always raising new questions.
- Your boyfriend or girlfriend is chronically ill and therefore belongs to the Covid 19 risk group, in which infections can be dangerous?
- Or do you live with your parents who are already retired?
- Especially in these cases, there is great concern that one could become the carrier of the novel coronaviruses and thus the lung disease Covid-19.
How do you behave when you live in a household with people who belong to the risk group ? The Federal Government's catalog of measures and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) as the federal authority for infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases provide recommendations that should minimize the risk of infection.
The most important rule: keep your distance - but how should that work if you live in a household?
"Can I sleep in the same bed?" or "What do I have to consider when cooking": People who live with people at risk * ask themselves similar questions. This includes not only older people, but also people with autoimmune diseases or smokers.
The official rules, announced by Chancellor Angela Merkel on March 22, 2020, stipulate strict exit restrictions and the avoidance of social contacts. According to the federal government, the primary goal is to slow the spread of the coronavirus as much as possible. " The most important rule is: KEEP YOUR DISTANCE! " Says the information sheet of the Federal Ministry of Health on the uniform contact rules in Germany. At least 1.5 meters should be kept away from other people and meetings outside the living space are only possible with one other person at the same time - with one exception: Family and shared apartments are exempt from this rule. However, you should take special safety measures for sick and old family members.
Read also : What is the risk of coronavirus infection from doorknobs or money ?
Living with people belonging to the coronavirus risk group: you should be aware of this
Social contacts should largely be discontinued - if necessary, even into the family environment *, said Merkel in one of her last weekly video messages. The Federal Ministry of Health also advises: " Visits to older people and people with pre-existing conditions are currently discouraged . Retirement and nursing homes follow an often very strict visiting rule to protect their residents. Out of consideration, contact with the older generation should be limited to telephone calls "The grandparents shouldn't take care of the children either."
Avoid risk groups: This is possible if you live separately. If this option is not available, the generally applicable protective measures with regard to the coronavirus pandemic should be observed more carefully .
If you live with one or more people at risk, you should take the following precautions:
- Pay attention to regular and thorough hand hygiene *.
- Ventilate your living space regularly.
- Avoid physical contact .
- If possible, stay at home and only leave the house and apartment to do the necessary shopping, to see the doctor or the place of work. If home office is possible, use this option. The aim is to reduce the situations in which the virus could be transmitted to a minimum and thus protect your relatives.
- Especially if you have tested positive for Covid-19 *, you should keep your distance from people at risk. This should ideally be combined with a temporary move out of the shared apartment.
- If this is not possible, you should use a face mask * when you are with your relatives.
- Raise awareness among your relatives who belong to the risk group: They should also heed the hygiene and distance rules.
- In its measures to reduce contact, the Robert Koch Institute recommends : "Determine how to deal with sick people in the household (sleep and stay in separate rooms; take meals separately; separate children from siblings)" and "Avoid close greeting rituals (kissing, shaking hands)"
Virologist Alexander Kekulé also advocates that hugs and cheek kisses should only be given to the (healthy) partner or one's own children, "because family members living in a household sooner or later infect each other anyway". However, physical closeness should also be taboo within the closest family if someone is chronically ill or due to old age belongs to the risk group.
Read more : Therapist gives crucial advice on how to survive the coronavirus pandemic.
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* merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network .