MOVING DURING THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK

Coronavirus also known as COVID-19 is what is on everyone’s minds lately. This rapidly spreading virus has raised a lot of concern all over the world, and one thing is for certain – no one wants to get the virus or spread it. 

Research is still limited when it comes to understanding all of the ways that the virus spreads, and there is not yet a cure. For that reason it is important that everyone takes precautions. 

If you have to move to a new home during this time, it’s important that you and your moving company of choice take the appropriate precautions to avoid the spread of COVID-19. In this article we will go over what steps you should take and what you should look for in your moving company to help everyone stay safe and healthy. 

Precautions to take if you are moving:

Watch Your Health Before the Move

If you or your anyone in your family are experiencing symptoms of illness, alert your moving company prior to the move. It is also important that you call 811 to determine if you should get tested for COVID-19, or if you or your loved ones have another illness. 

Some symptoms of COVID-19 are:

  • Cough
  • Fever
  • Sore Throat
  • Difficulty Breathing

Even if you and your family are free from COVID-19 but are experiencing illness such as a cold or flu, please alert your moving company. Catching an illness means that your immunity is compromised, and a compromised immune system may have more difficulty fighting off COVID-19 if you do come in contact with it. By spreading germs, such as cold or flu, it also puts others at risk. Be very aware of how you and your loved ones in your home are feeling and don’t be afraid to communicate with your moving company. 

Please note, if you have recently come back from traveling it is recommended that you quarantine yourself for 14 days prior to interacting with the public. This is because symptoms may take 2-14 days to show up after the point of contamination. If you are planning a move soon after you have gone traveling, make adjustments to your moving date. Although it may be inconvenient, self quarantining is the most ethical step that you could take. 

Practice stress-management techniques

Moving can be very stressful, and unfortunately stress is a major immune-suppressor. You want to try your best to stay as healthy as possible to protect yourself from any illness, let alone COVID-19. The spread of COVID-19 has also been igniting a lot of fear into the public, but this fear is not beneficial when it comes to your health. Focus on taking care of yourself and those around you, not only physically but mentally too. 

Some great stress management techniques are:

  • Exercise 
  • Yoga
  • Meditation
  • Spending time outdoors if you can
  • Watching your favourite movie
  • Taking a hot bubble bath
  • Listening to positive podcasts
  • Reading a good book
  • Listening to relaxing music

If you would like to learn about other ways to reduce your stress levels around moving, we recommend that you read our article 5 Tips for Moving Stress-Free.

Use Sanitation Techniques While Packing

As we have heard time and time again from the health experts, washing your hands frequently is essential. Frequently washing your hands before and during packing will reduce the amount of germs transferred to the boxes. As many people don’t actually experience symptoms of COVID-19 despite having the virus, this step is very important. Even if you or your family seems healthy, you never know who could be a carrier. 

It is also very important to disinfect all areas that have been coughed on, sneezed on or anything similar. If you are using hand sanitizer for yourself or your loved ones, make sure that it contains above 60% alcohol. It is only then that the hand sanitizer will tackle viruses. The same principle goes for cleaning products, make sure you are only using strong cleaning products for your home and items to keep everything disinfected. 

What Your Moving Company Should be Doing

Have a Policy in Place for Sick Staff

An important thing that you should look for in a moving company is a policy in place where anyone who is experiencing symptoms of illness will not be allowed to come into work. It is important that any sick staff stay home for the safety of themselves, the other staff, the customers involved and everyone else along the way. 

Use Proper Disinfection Techniques

Similar to customers, the moving company that you choose should focus on proper disinfection techniques. This means that they should be consistently washing their hands and disinfecting their moving equipment. It is essential that they take the cleanliness of their staff and their equipment very seriously to avoid any contamination of the customers or their items should they be a carrier of COVID-19 or any other illness. 

Be Adaptable

COVID-19 has hit the world rapidly and with it comes frequent changes and recommendations from the government and health professionals. Moving companies should be adaptable to the changes that are occurring and keep up to date with the latest recommendations. As the virus spreads, the moving company should adapt their policies to the most current circumstances for the wellbeing of everyone involved.

All in all, it is important to remain knowledgeable and conscious of the situation that is currently unfolding. As the situation changes, so will the necessary precautions. We at Sparta Movers are committed to staying on top of the latest updates regarding COVID-19, and we are focused on providing a safe and clean service for anyone who requires help moving. We would also like to send our well wishes to everyone who is currently impacted by COVID-19.

If you would like to inquire more about our services or make a booking, you can do so here.

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