Again - for everyone's context - my goal here is to work out processes whereby folks in safe(r) zones can get some of their daily life back on track. It is about close process study and atomically analyzing it. I'm sure the immensely talented BHPian set can help improve processes to far beyond my initial post.
I strongly believe housework can be resumed, which will not only be for my personal comfort but help reinstate millions of livelihoods since let's face it - many folks may not be charitable and continue paying their maids to stay at home for long. We are not fully representative of the masses and the earlier we can evolve COVID proof workflows, the earlier employment comes back, economy wide.
At the same time, I have no delusions that other businesses like physiotherapy or dentistry have been dealt a mortal blow. I am not getting into all processes - merely solving processes which could help MOST of us.
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Originally Posted by v1p3r I admire your intent. In reality, as someone pointed out using their neighbour's car as an example, this will wear off soon.
Besides, if you're standing around waiting for your cook to make a roti before you toss it in a casserole, you're essentially wasting time. The point of having domestic help is that you do other things instead. |
Fully agree - the reason I am putting this on a public forum is to make the process robust and minimize post-work.
Believe me, the idea is exactly the same. Move back into a position of trust so that we occasionally eyeball the maid(s).
The idea isnt to wait around the maid to pop each roti into a casserole - it is to allow her to leave the freshly cooked rotis on a plate and then we put it ourselves. To minimize non-sanitized contact.
Our cook has gone away but the idea is that we should be prepared to use her services. After all, food delivery has worked safely as an industry delivering millions of meals in this crisis - why can we not learn from their processes?
https://twitter.com/RiyaazAmlani/sta...35145094533123 Quote:
Originally Posted by msdivy From a COVID-19 positive person, to get infected, sufficient virus load had to enter the body via mouth, nose.
If the helper is cooking, you might use different sets of serving cloth & spoon than those used by the cook. |
Thanks for your detailed answer. Yes - we are exactly on the same page.
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Originally Posted by theMandarin Speaking strictly in terms of defining an SOP, do you envision this as a short term requirement or something standard for the foreseeable future? |
Foreseeable future - i.e till an effective vaccine is found! Frankly otherwise, COVID cases are on an unstoppable upward trajectory and I have no hope of things getting better in winter.
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Originally Posted by theMandarin How does it work out while switching maids/house-hold workers and by extension for specialized short term jobs such as services of a plumber/carpenter/electrician etc. |
Same principles:
- Hand sanitisation + mask upon entry plus we immediately wear masks and everyone else moves away as far as possible
- 2m+ distance at all times, even if it is a plumber showing me leakage from the house above - I ask him to get off the step ladder, go out of the bathroom and then I get in.
- Windows open / exhaust fans run for a few minutes till after they leave
- Anything they give us - such as used tubelights, is spray sanitized before I touch it
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Originally Posted by RYP Not out of context, just an index to compare upon |
arre boss. That's just like my mother imagined me going off on a death march when I attempted to ride solo to Leh in 2006/07. She was truly distraught thinking I was putting my life in danger, when In fact I had thought through the entire process and taken the cowardly planned way out all through such as waking up at 5am at More Plains to cross the nullahs with least water flow.
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Originally Posted by RYP Again you missed the point by a mile. It is about the MINDSET!
Please don't get all worked up, we all here in this community vary by belief but get together by love for automobiles. |
Limitations of the written medium plus my gut reaction to the strong language. Let's move on. Thank you for this thoughtful post that dives deeper.
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Originally Posted by RYP 1. How you deal with water spillage onto her clothes or herself while doing dishes? Gloves may protect until wrist or upto elbow. Aprons don't give complete frontal protection |
Maids are excellent at avoiding this case. But even if a bit of soapy water hits her clothes, it doesn't cause any risk to her or us.
The purpose of gloves is merely to minimize transmission of viruses from her hands to our dishes.
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Originally Posted by RYP 2. Except medical N95 masks, our regular masks are not that effective against prolonged exposure |
Precisely - that's why we will be supremely socially distanced from her only checking in every 15-20 min with windows open etc.
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Originally Posted by RYP Why not buy a dishwasher and avoid all this at the root level itself? |
Alas - answered earlier. I was dead serious when I suggested FHDDTL should start a DIY thread about the equipment / workflow much like some American friends:
- Dishwashers
- Mopping / Cleaning robots
- Food freezers for batch prep
- Bigger utensils for batch cooking
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Originally Posted by itwasntme After reading articles like these, I really wonder if we can ever let domestic help into our house again.
Cannot imagine how we can keep chauffeurs either. Even with all windows down, the wind flow will come back to the back seat naturally. |
Agreed - HENCE this thread. The natural instinct is to retreat into a shell, buy technology and fire support staff. BUT - can we do better?
https://ridesharesafetypartition.com/ is what I am thinking when I bring back my driver. Thank God I have a Yaris which has proper rear AC vents.
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Originally Posted by turbo I'm sorry to say this, but the only person who's being immensely hostile, caustic, and unwilling to reason is you. |
Hey - I'm just stating the obvious.
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Originally Posted by turbo How many times, and to how many members are you going to tell people to stay out of this thread? On a public forum, no less. |
It is precisely because it is a GIANT public forum is why we must hold ourselves to higher standards and uphold signal to noise ratio i.e stay on thread, like its a constitutional duty. Let's back up with numbers.
Right now, there are 351 members and 9737 unregistered folks online. 96.5% of users are NON members - on 22nd April 4pm when 1.15L people were on TBHP, that ratio would've been 99% or even higher.
It is therefore ideal that each thread stays on point and that we can take the "you should/shouldn't" debate to the mega threads. Wouldn't it be kinder if those who opened this thread to find actionable workflows found exactly that instead of
your utterly pointless all or nothing post which did not even acknowledge that it is NOT about trust but that our past ways of working would need a relook post COVID.
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Originally Posted by turbo If Doctors wearing full PPE kits are getting the virus, our measly washing hands and putting on disposable masks dont stand a chance. |
For the last time - doctors are exposed to supremely symptomatic patients and have to help them in non-socially-distanced ways in AC environments. How is that the same as our maid washing dishes 5m away from me?
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Originally Posted by turbo Again, your ridiculous idea as to making roti with tongs. |
It is common practice atleast up north that
rotis are handled on an open flame with tongs ("chimta").
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Originally Posted by turbo What if the maid happens to sneeze while preparing the dough. Are you going to throw the dough outside? And the utensil? |
She's wearing a MASK!
Alas, it would've been so much nicer had you pointed out pertinent questions like RYP.
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Originally Posted by Engine_Roars 1. What happens if her mobile rings? She takes of her gloves, pick up the phone, talks, keep it somewhere and then wash her hands & wear the gloves again and go back to work. I doubt I can make her do this without being murdered. |
Good point. Thus far our maids normally don't take calls during the time they are working for us. If it is urgent, then so be it. Sanitization repeat!
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Originally Posted by Engine_Roars 2. What happens if she chose to take off her mask because of suffocation and we are not around? |
We gave her good quality masks that we found comfortable - which we take walks/runs in. Atleast our maid understands she's jeopardizing her own health by taking it off. She's aligned. But technically if we're well distanced, does it matter? I doubt.
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Originally Posted by Engine_Roars 3. What happens to her sweat drops? |
No idea yet - so far its not been an issue but will update once we solve it.
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Originally Posted by Engine_Roars 4. What if her eye or nose itches while washing utensils and we are not around? |
Same as #2
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I get it, not everyone has to think the way I do
|
I truly am grateful. Thanks
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Originally Posted by srishiva It all depends on where she lives etc. |
Sure - if her area has an outbreak, our society will anyways bar entry.
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Originally Posted by roy_libran just do not see the value in the procedures, even when they have been meticulously coached and trained. They revert back to their own old, random ways the moment you turn your back.
So whatever SOPs you come up with, which are all very good, do think of how you are going to address this human angle consistently, because these people aren't robots. |
Very valid point. Maids who refuse to match up to my wife's micro level standards anyways never last long. The idea is twofold - she believes it is for HER health (vs garbage segregation which most maids think is an artificial rich people problem) and to make it frictionless enough that its easy to comply. (such as the stick mop).
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Originally Posted by reignofchaos All these suggestions of the OP are a joke. Any epidemiologist will roll on the floor laughing listening to these suggestions. |
If you are done with your disbelief - PLEASE help. This is not just about me but a large section of society. Connect me with a real epidemiologist if you know one. I am happy to learn the bitter truth - if I did not want to face harsh criticism, why would I have posted it here?
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Originally Posted by Miyata I have a UV-lamp that I had got from the US, but have not used it yet. Will dig it out if I feel the need for it. |
THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your points! I am procuring a UV sanitization wand as soon as I can. That will make everything so much simpler.
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Originally Posted by msdivy There have been cases where only one person is infected even though many live in the same house (without PPE). The likely explanation is unless somebody has prolonged exposure in proximity to the infected person, they are unlikely to catch this virus. What do you say?
This is the most practical approach seen on this thread. |
Bang on - if not every family member of an infected person got COVID - surely we can manage housework with extreme distancing and thoughtful SOPs.
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Originally Posted by bluevolt Nothing is COVID proof, but these are good precautions to take if one is willing to have support staff enter their house. Though, it is quite tough to assure that your support staff is following guidelines laid by you. |
Thanks
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Originally Posted by Samurai You may have just 1% chance of getting infected because of all your precautions. But I may have 2% or 3% chance because I am treating them normal. At least I get to live normally, can't put a price on that. |
Very thoughtful and realistic. To each their own - I do know I could still get COVID from a supermarket checkout counter and an inadvertent dig in my nose, but I sleep better knowing I did what I could.
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Originally Posted by manjubp Specially my son has learnt few good habits as bonus. We have learnt to appreciate our maids work. |
Kudos!
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Originally Posted by HTC But having 10 month baby at home, we dont want to take risk. It means i have to do the sweeping, wiping and other chores. Wife takes care of cooking and baby. With no start and end timing for WFH- its becoming taxing to manage office work and house work both |
Stay strong man - you two are truly stretched and have limited options. My best wishes.