Deadly Disease
This year started with a blast, not a fun blast, but flames. Wildfire in Australia. Then we almost had a WWIII when the USA-Iran tension increased. Finally, when everything was settling down and the world was breathing normally, something very dangerous started in Wuhan, China which soon became an epidemic and now a pandemic.
Yes, the Coronavirus or Covid-19 has reached in every corner of the world.
Now before we start, our heartfelt condolences to everyone who lost their family and friends. We pray for the fast recovery of everyone. We shall overcome!
The coronavirus is defined as below in Wikipedia.
“Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The disease was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, China, and has since spread globally, resulting in the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic. Common symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Muscle pain, sputum production, diarrhoea, and sore throat are less common. While the majority of cases result in mild symptoms,[14] some progress to pneumonia and multi-organ failure.”
As there is no cure found for this disease, we can only treat the symptoms and support our immune system to fight it. The best we can do is to avoid getting the virus in the first place.
As we always do, we will give you our suggestions to avoid the deadly virus while you use your vehicles to travel. Yes, India and many countries are under temporary lockdown but still, you are allowed to go out and by necessary items like food and medicines.
We will help you with the techniques which will prevent any virus from getting into your body and vehicle.
Why travel in a car during an emergency and not on a bike
One way to keep the distance from people is to travel in your private vehicle and avoid traffic; which is rare at this time.
When we say the vehicle, we car talking about the car. A car with all windows closed and properly cleaned inside and outside. I guess you are not stupid enough to drive an open convertible at this stage.
Those who don’t have a car still need to read this and take the required precautions. We decided to write this article as we come to know about the ability of the Covid-19 to stay on open spaces and materials like steel, plastic, wood etc. in many items it can stay up to 1 to 3 days.
How to clean your car/bike
To start with, wipe your interior with sanitizer after every ride to make the spread impossible. There are many places in a car where the virus can stick to and those are frequently touched places like door handles, door latches, lock buttons, seat belts and buckles, window-buttons, the mirrors, radio & climate control buttons etc.
It is not a good idea storing a large bottle of hand sanitizer in your vehicle. The heat may cause the alcohol in the sanitizer to “boil,” which causes an expansion of the sanitizer’s bottle.
This, in turn, might result in the leakage and a mess that will require an extensive cleaning effort. It is a better idea to carry a small bottle, which is near you, whether in the home, office or on the road.
Other methods are; alcohol can clean your vehicle’s cabin. It is mostly used by manufacturers of most automotive interiors for a long time. A quick wipe to clean most germs and fingerprints. Soap and water will work, too.
Extra time on the steering wheel is a good thing. Using disinfecting wipes to clean all the surfaces on the steering wheel will work. There are many more places like the redundant controls for radio, voice control, cruise control, navigation, and paddle shift levers. And most importantly the gear selector lever or the turn indicator stalks.
Cleaning the door and centre console armrests, display screens, cupholders, cubbyholes, air conditioner vents and even the door “grab handles.” is important. You touch them more than you realize & are loaded with bacteria and could also carry coronavirus.
Don’t forget the toys and aesthetic stuff you keep in your car and gadgets like tablet, mobile etc.
For two-wheelers, you know the same places, like handles, all switches, key, helmet, jacket, and other parts you usually touch. Same methods and techniques shall be applied here too.
What not to use to clean your vehicle
We strongly warn you not to use any type of bleach or hydrogen peroxide on the vehicle’s interior. Both will kill the coronavirus, but they will also cause damage to the vinyl and plastics used in most vehicles.
Vehicles are not affected by the virus, but, if you ignore to cleanse the vehicle, it may become a hotbed for viruses. Keeping your car clean has become imperative at this stage of the virus outbreak.
Stay Indoor Stay Safe
We all have to go outside to buy food and medicines, which is the only items allowed at this moment by the government. To go out is dangerous but it is necessary. Many local authorities are providing door to door food supplies to elders and poor. But everywhere it is not the same case. Stay at home as much as you can and go outside individually and only buy the required items and return home. And please don’t hoard the items as it will create ruckus and panic among locals.
Everyone stay strong and keep hope up high as our Government, police, paramedics are working day and night to save the world from this pandemic.
Wish you all good health and strength to survive the coming days.
Wish you all the best
