The Coronavirus and BJJ - Personal Hygiene
The impacts of the coronavirus have suddenly hit home here in Connecticut, to the point where it’s easy to feed into the panic caused by media sensationalism. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, put down that 30-pack of toilet paper, and focus on these friendly hygiene reminders instead!
Wash Your Hands
Using clean, running water (warm or cold), wet your hands and apply soap. Lather up by rubbing your hands together, and scrub for at least 20 seconds, making sure to wash your palms, backs of your hands, underneath your nails, and between your fingers. Rinse well, and then dry with a paper towel. The CDC suggests washing your hands before, during, and after food preparation; before and after treating a cut or wound; after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; after using the toilet, etc. Let’s all get into the habit of doing washing our hands before and after stepping onto the mat.
Always Wear Shoes or Socks in the Bathroom
Since we’re going to be entering the bathroom often in order to wash our hands…
Never, ever step into the bathroom with bare feet, even if the floors have just been cleaned and are literally sparkling. And never step onto the mats while wearing your shoes or nasty bathroom socks. Acting otherwise is equivalent to placing your face - and everyone else’s face - directly onto the bathroom floor. I don’t think a vote is required to conclude that nobody wants that.
Cover Open Wounds
If you have an open wound, please cover it completely and securely. Band-Aids tend to fall off when we start sweating, especially when placed on the hands or feet, so make sure you tape over them. If you don’t have tape, ask to borrow some. And if you realize that you or your partner is bleeding during a roll, stop immediately, disinfect and cover your wound, and then identify and disinfect any areas where you have bled.
Trim Your Nails
Covering open wounds is cool, but let’s also try to prevent them as much as possible. One way we can do this is by keeping our nails nice and short. That includes fingers and toes. Germs are easily passed from one person to another via scratches, and long nails - real or fake - tend to scratch exposed skin. I personally keep a set of clippers in my bag, since my nails grow quickly, and you should too!
Wash Your Gear
This includes your Gi, belt, rash guard, spats, headgear, and anything else you choose to wear to class. Even if you attend multiple sessions in one day, please show up in a clean, dry uniform at the beginning of each one. As Coach Daniel says, “Your belt does not contain any magic”, so please wash it. If you’re worried about your stripes falling off, use a little bit of superglue on the ends to keep them secure. Wash your gear, and wash it as soon as possible after each and every training session, even if you think you “didn’t sweat”.
Wash Yourself Too
After class, change into clean clothes and take a shower as soon as possible. Don’t let your body marinate in those germs! If you have any length of hair, wash it every time you train, and if you’re one of those people who doesn’t soap up their legs because “the water will clean them”, I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t work that way.
The best news is that if you run out of soap, we sell some at our front counter, and it’s specifically formulated to get rid of all sorts of nastiness.
Don’t Feel Well? Stay Home
If you even have a feeling you might be coming down with something, please stay home just in case! Our sport obviously involves a lot of close contact, and we all need to do our part to keep each other healthy. I understand the disappointment that comes with skipping a training session, but no one is going to congratulate you for powering through any sort of sickness only to pass it on to others. Rest, recover, and come back when you’re feeling 100% again.