The coronavirus is sweeping across the globe, shutting down economies, and putting millions of people at risk. Due to the severity of this rapidly spreading virus, people are being forced to quarantine at home to help flatten the curve and defeat this virus once and for all.
In order to get through these trying times, you need to stay healthy and do your part to keep those around you healthy, too. Below, we’ll go over five health tips for navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. Do your best to stay home
If you’re not a nurse, doctor, sanitation worker, food delivery driver, grocery store worker, or any other essential worker, do your best to stay home. Staying home is the best way to prevent the coronavirus from spreading to larger populations. In fact, states that enforced quarantine orders, such as California, have lower cases and fatalities resulting from COVID-19.
While staying home can be difficult and cause you to go stir-crazy, there are ways to make the most of your time to avoid contracting the coronavirus. You can try learning a new hobby, spend more quality time with your family, or complete home renovation projects you’ve been putting off.
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2. Maintain social distancing
In some cases, you will have to go outside, such as going to the grocery store, getting some physical activity, or taking care of a loved one. Whatever the case, make sure you’re adhering to social distancing guidelines and staying at least 6 feet away from other citizens. As a reference, a twin size mattress or a refrigerator are around 6 feet in length.
Along with social distancing, make sure to wear a mask to cover your mouth and nose. This can help prevent the spread of coronavirus by blocking droplets through coughing, sneezing, and breathing from landing on surfaces.
Resources
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html
- https://kiin-athletic.com/collections/all-without-variants/products/masks
3. Keep things clean
When you step out into the world, you come in contact with a variety of germs left behind by other people. The coronavirus can live on the surface of other objects for hours or even days, which means you can easily contract the disease. The best way to prevent getting sick, besides staying home, is washing your hands and not touching your face.
When you wash your hands, the soap is able to break the lipid membrane of the coronavirus, which then kills it. Whenever you go into a public area or touch something outside of your home, make sure to wash your hands for at least 30 seconds. If you don’t have soap and water nearby, hand sanitizer is a great alternative.
Additionally, make sure you keep commonly used objects, such as your cell phone, doorknobs, light switches, wallets, and other items clean by wiping them down with antibacterial wipes.
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4. Protect your mental health
Your mental health is extremely important during times like these. Being stuck in isolation can cause an increase in anxiety and stress, especially if you’re already suffering from a mental health disorder. To protect your mental health, try or best to refrain from reading the news, statistics, and symptoms. Doing so can cause you to become hyper-focused on the pandemic, which can lead to stress and anxiety.
There are plenty of remedies that can help you maintain your mental health. Practicing yoga, meditation, and mindfulness can help you focus and understand your thoughts and emotions. CBD oil can be taken to help calm your nerves and help you sleep at night—many cannabis retailers are open just for this purpose. Or, you can talk to an online counselor to maintain social distancing while still getting the help you need.
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5. Maintain your physical health
Along with your mental health, it’s important to maintain your physical health, as well. Although gyms, studios, and classes are closed and canceled, along with park, beach, and boardwalk bans, there are plenty of ways you can get exercise even during stay-at-home orders. Some options include:
- Going for a walk, run, or bike ride in your neighborhood, as long as you go alone and social distance
- Watching yoga videos on YouTube
- Signing up for virtual fitness classes
- Doing at-home exercises
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Wrapping up
During these unprecedented times, health and safety are more important than ever. With these five health tips, you’ll be able to keep you and those around you safe and do your part to get rid of the coronavirus.
