It takes a devastating pandemic to shed the spotlight on the much-maligned, overlooked, and undervalued National Health System (NHS). There is much to be said about its hospitals, clinics, equipment, and, yes, people. But above all else, the NHS is about its people, the staff—doctors, nurses, administrators, paramedics, and even the cleaners. Social media has been swamped with images of NHS staff sharing photos with signs that say, “We stay at work for you. Please stay at home for us.” Indeed, the least we can do is stay safe at home to save more lives. As long as the COVID-19 pandemic is a threat, and a considerable number of people are still getting infected with the deadly virus, it is crucial to keep our guard up against virus transmission and other ways to make the “new normal” a healthy and safe one.

So, we did our part, and we stayed safe at home, practised social distancing whenever we could, and washed our hands as frequently as possible. As the government campaign says, “We all must do it to get through it.” And, now that we are staying safe at home for most of the time these days, what more can we do? We are to be more concerned about our home safety. According to many studies, home is where most accidents take place. According to a 2013 Telegraph article, households in the UK are twice as deadly as its roads. The Guardian also published an article in 2014 that reported that accidents cost A&Es an estimated £1bn annually. With these in mind, we must become aware of the dangers at home and take the necessary steps to lessen the possible accidents that could happen inside our very homes.

The first thing to do is to find out the risks and dangers around the house. It is an excellent practice to start checking for hazards and risk one room at a time, from the living room to the laundry room. To paraphrase an expression, don’t leave any room unturned. Even the smallest, most common detail may pose as something life-threatening, particularly if there are young children involved. For example, a simple curtain cord can be a cause for accidental strangulation for children under-fives. Another one could be a freshly brewed cup of coffee left unattended, and a curious child reaches for it and accidentally scalds himself with the hot drink. Or, the obvious ones, like hazardous heat sources in the kitchen that could easily cause burns and even dangerous fires.

As you can see, it is essential to know home safety rules as we continue to shelter and stay safe in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Start being safety conscious today and download the HomeSafety app now to know more about keeping your home safe from health hazards. At the same time, you will also be protecting the NHS from getting overwhelmed during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pledge to protect the NHS now and download the HomeSafety app for free.