Should You Get Your Car Serviced During COVID-19?

Should you get your car serviced during COVID-19? Many people are unsure of what it is okay to do and where it is okay to go during this time as the novel coronavirus sweeps the globe. 

If your car is in need of service or repair, keep reading to learn everything you need to know about getting your car serviced amid the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Are Car Dealerships Open During COVID-19? 

Any business that offers auto service and repairs is considered essential amid the COVID-19 outbreak, which means that the on-site service centers of most car dealerships remain open even amid widespread closures of non-essential businesses. 

It is important to note that car sales are not considered essential during this time, so the sales branch of your local car dealership might be temporarily closed. However, if a car dealership in your area has an on-site service center, that center is likely open for business amid the COVID-19 outbreak. 

Give your local car dealership a call to determine for sure whether or not their service center is open and to verify their current hours, as many car dealerships are operating with limited hours during this time. 

Is it Safe to Take Your Car in for Service During COVID-19? 

The question of whether or not it is safe to take your car in for service during COVID-19 is difficult to answer. Every time you leave your house to go out in public and be around other people, you take a risk of getting exposed to or exposing someone else to the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

However, there are risks to putting off getting your car serviced as well. Deciding whether or not to take your car in for service amid the COVID-19 outbreak is all about 

weighing those risks to determine which option is safer for you and for those around you. 

In most cases, if your car is in need of maintenance services or repair, it is safer to go get it serviced than to drive it in unsafe condition and risk causing a car accident and injuring yourself, your passengers, or others on the road. 

How to Stay Safe While Getting Your Car Serviced During COVID-19 

There are many ways to stay safe while getting your car serviced amid the COVID-19 outbreak in order to help protect yourself and others from the novel coronavirus. Of course, there is no way to stay 100% safe while you are outside of your house and out in public around other people. 

However, following key social distancing guidelines while you are getting your car serviced—and any time you are outside of your home and out in public—can significantly reduce your risk of getting exposed to or exposing others to COVID-19. 

First off, it is important to always maintain a distance of at least 6 feet between yourself and anyone who is around you in your immediate vicinity. Most car dealerships and auto service centers have markers set up inline areas, waiting rooms, and other places where there are a lot of customers at one time to designate where each customer should stand to maintain that crucial 6-foot distance. 

When you leave your house, wear a facial covering at all times in order to protect yourself and others from virus-containing particles that can be emitted in saliva and mucus via your mouth and nose. A mask is the preferred facial covering, but a shirt, scarf, or bandana is better than nothing. 

Also, always wash your hands and face before you leave your house to go get your car serviced and after you return home from your local car dealership or auto service center. Almost everyone knows how important it is to wash your hands regularly to protect yourself and others from COVID-19, but not everyone is aware of how to wash your hands most effectively. Wash your hands with soap and water for a duration of at least 20 seconds to rid your hands of any virus-containing particles that may spread the novel coronavirus to you or those around you. 

It is also important to wash your face regularly as well. Virus-containing particles can live on the surface of your skin and make their way toward your nose, mouth, and eyes, which allows them to enter your body and infect you. Washing your face regularly—especially when you have recently been in a public place—helps get rid of these particles from the surface of your skin and prevent them from entering your body. 

Tags: COVID-19, service
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