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5 Unusual Habits We Got From COVID-19
A lot of our unusual habits came from our fear of COVID-19.
Because COVID-19’s so infectious, we’ve developed habits to keep ourselves clean. Years ago, some of us wouldn’t have even thought of doing this. We all thought that COVID-19 would go away like the flu but Ate Rona demanded we take her seriously. Lockdowns, embargos, and isolations later, we still live with the trauma that COVID-19 dealt us with through these five strange and unusual habits that kept us safe during COVID-19.
1. Bringing our own disposable utensils
Some of us brought our own utensils before but not many of us brought disposable ones. A lot of times, restaurants and stalls leave their utensils exposed to the air which makes us paranoid. Since our kids are starting to go out with a lot of them being partially-vaccinated, we developed the habit of bringing our own. Some of us moms would even recommend eating in S&R not only to get our groceries in bulk but to collect their disposable utensils since they’re less prone to breaking.
2. Dragging our own water jug
Hydroflask and Klean Kanteen are probably happy this year since we bought their water jugs to keep our water cold and clean. Some of the more paranoid ones don’t trust how restaurants clean their water. And then there are those of us who like to be extremely sure by filtering the water through a 2-stage filter and then boiling it for 25 minutes and then simmering for 20 minutes to ensure whatever is in the water is dead now. It’s a habit that we may find a bit bulky to bring around but it’s for our peace of mind to prevent diarrhea and COVID-19.
3. Quick-draw alcohol sprays
Quick-draw is a term normally used for guns but we moms learned how to do that with an alcohol spray. The moment we heard COVID-19 could be killed by ethyl alcohol, people bought them in bulk and started loading their empty spray bottles with them. We have them hanging on our bags like a keychain. Some of us have it stashed in our pockets. Or when we’re driving, it’s sitting in the cup holder! And when one of our kids sneeze, we shoot at the air right away.
4. Reheating all our food again (even if it’s freshly cooked!)
Hot and fresh food is always welcome but some of us more paranoid mamas developed habits that demand we reheat our food even though it’s new. Although it might mess with the consistency of the food, we’d prefer the meat be a little tough than our kids getting COVID-19 from their favorite chicken nugget. Besides, cooking is tiring. There’s so much ready-to-eat food out there that just needs a microwave.
5. Intensely washing vegetables (or anything for that matter)
Veggies are healthy and we want to make sure our kids eat them. But then we start thinking about the pesticides, the dirt, and the COVID-19 virus that’s possibly infecting it. So, some of us moms find it frustrating to serve veggies because we end up spending 2-3 hours cleaning them. First, wash and then soak in salt and water for 15 minutes. We then rinse it with regular water before soaking it in vinegar, salt, and water for another 15 minutes. Then, we repeat this around a good 4 times. Although it’s extremely clean, we’re left frustrated wondering why veggies take that much effort to prepare to begin with.
Habits to keep COVID-19 away
Although it’s strange and funny for some people, a lot of us moms developed these habits to keep our families safe. People have died of COVID-19 and while some of us may not personally know them, they still have families that do. We also keep these habits to keep our kids safe as we bring them out again for exercise and sunlight. For as long as COVID-19 hasn’t been beaten by vaccines, Paxlovid or Molnupiravir, these habits are going to stick around for a while.
Looking for more stories? Find them here:
Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine While Pregnant
COVID-19 Vaccination for Kids: Here’s How to Register
COVID Lockdown Levels Guide For Kids
