The Mayfair offers bright and comfortable amenities minutes from UF Health and the University of Florida perfect for social distancing.
Social Distancing in Gainesville Apartments
As you probably know, the state of Florida hasn't been doing well in terms of coronavirus cases. As we continue to see the number of cases climb, it is so important for you to take the necessary precautions to help keep yourself healthy and limit the spread of the disease. Similar to frequent hand washing and wearing a mask, social distancing in your Gainesville apartment and apartment near UF is key to help all of us get through this quickly and healthily.
However, social distancing at home can be tricky. As the CDC shares, "Shared housing residents often gather together closely for social, leisure, and recreational activities, shared dining, laundry facilities, stairwells, and elevators and may have challenges with social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19." So how do you practice social distancing in your Gainesville apartment? There are two areas you should address: social distancing within your apartment and within your apartment complex.
Social Distancing in Your Gainesville Apartment
If you live by yourself, congratulations - you're done with this part! However, for those of you living with family or roommates, there are some important discussions that need to be had. You should definitely discuss…
- A visitor policy. Does your Gainesville apartment have restrictions around visitors right now? That is important to factor in, though you should evaluate your own comfort with bringing new people into your space. How do you feel about friends visiting? Family members? Significant others? Consider how much exposure the potential company is likely to have, like if they've been working and studying entirely from home, or if they have been working a customer-facing job.
- Create a shared space schedule. You may not always be able to be six feet apart when in your Gainesville apartment, but that doesn't mean you can't limit your interactions. If you stagger use of the common areas, like your kitchen or laundry room, you can help everyone keep their distance. As well, you'll want to discuss other approaches for these shared spaces. Should you wear masks when in common areas of the apartment? How often will you clean these shared spaces, and who will clean what?
- Update your habits. In the time you've lived in your Gainesville apartment, you've probably developed some habits - with everything going on, those could use a refresh. For example, everyone should wash their hands for 20 seconds upon entering the apartment. You will also want to avoid leaving personal belongings in shared spaces, whether that means your backpack in the living room or your toothbrush on the bathroom counter. Determine what works best for your household.
Social Distancing in Your Gainesville Apartment Community
Social distancing measures can't stop once you step outside your apartment's doors. You want to make sure you're taking these with you to the shared spaces within your Gainesville apartment complex, including amenities such as…
- The pool. Hey, it's summer in Florida - the need to cool off is real. Before changing into your swimsuit, check if the community rules on pool use have changed, such as limiting the number of people who can use it at one time. Be sure to clean yourself off with a shower before and after using the pool, and if you are sharing the space with other people, be mindful of your distance; try to keep at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and others.
- The gym. Before looking to the gym, which may or may not be open right now, depending on your Gainesville apartment's guidelines, explore workouts you can do from your apartment or outside. If those don't work for you, you need to be vigilant in your gym cleaning approach due to the shared equipment. Wear your mask. Bring a small towel to limit the spread of your sweat, as well as cleaning wipes to wipe down any equipment before and after use. Definitely wash your hands or shower after you're done.
- Study spaces. These can be a great way to get out of your Gainesville apartment and focus, but they also tend to be more contained than many other amenities. Wear your mask while inside the study space and wipe down your study area with cleaning wipes. Try not to move around the space too much to limit your exposure and maintain at least a 6-foot distance from other people in the space. If you find it's crowded when you go, try to adjust your schedule to come at slower times.
- The mailbox. Originally, it was thought that mail could be a major threat for spreading the virus; however, as the CDC states in their FAQ, "... it is unlikely to be spread from domestic or international mail, products or packaging." When checking your mail, do your best to do so quickly while maintaining your distance from others in the area. Wash or sanitize your hands after touching the shared mailboxes or handling envelopes and packages.
Social distancing can be frustrating, but if we can all do our part to mitigate the spread of the virus, we shouldn't have to do it for very long. Stay safe (and healthy) out there!