Our new language
The world seems a little turned upside down right now. With Covid-19 (aka: coronavirus) wrecking havoc all over the world, new terms have entered our vernacular:
- Social distancing
The two first, as outlined in the links, are for those confirmed or suspected cases for Covid-19 and there is a plethora of great medically based sites for refernce.
The latter is one that hasn’t been one that most of us have encountered much less had to act upon for the safety of ourselves, our families and the community at large as a way in controlling this pandemic.
With organizations cancelling or postponing sports events, theatre & live TV schedules, workplace remote working mandates, and schools extending their spring breaks for several weeks to name a few, it’s a challenge to muddle through what exactly is safe in regards to social distancing.
There is still so much unknown about the virus, there are things that we can collectively do to prevent the spread.
Here are a few social distancing guidelines to keep in mind. Though, given your personal situation, they may be difficult or impossible but limiting wherever and however you can will be good for you, your family and community:
Avoid:
- Concerts
- Theatre outings
- Crowded retail stores
- Workouts in gyms/classes
- Play dates
- Sleepovers
- Group gatherings
- Non-essential workers in your home
- Athletic events
- Travel
Use with Caution:
- Visiting your grocery store
- Getting take out ( sorry Ubereats/Skipthedishes L )
- Restaurants
- Church/religious services (the almighty will understand & you can still be devoted regardless of locale). Many churches are offering streaming services so check!)
- Public transit. Be aware of distances and all high ‘touch’ points: rails, hand straps, doors.
Safe to do:
- Take a walk or go for a hike. The fresh air and open spaces will do you a world of good both physically and mentally.
Photo credit: pixabay
- Clean out your closet (no eye rolls please! ). It’s a dreaded chore, but if you are keeping your distance from others, getting this off your “to do” list means that when things settle down and life returns to a sense of normalcy, the very last thing you’ll want to do is organize your clothes, linen closet or pantry.
- Have you been one of those getting your pantry, fridge and fridge stocked for the inevitable? Why not try a new recipe? Also, if you are limiting your trips to the grocery store, figure out how you will use the fresh produce you bought.
Loads of bananas? In 3 days they may go soft so why not make banana bread.
Lots of bits n bobs of vegetables? Why not try a great soup or throw it into a Chilli recipe?
Read a good book. There is something delightfully decadent about reading a good book on the couch (or wherever!).
A Gentleman in Moscow ranks in my top 10 favourite books of all time. It’s simply exquisitely written and a beautiful story. For more book suggestions check out our Winter is Coming post for more great reads.
If you are looking for a distraction, inspiration or information…try listening to a podcast. I am a huge fan and have a myriad I listen to when cooking, running, in the car or walking the dog. Search for your particular areas of interest. Listen to old favourites or discover something new.
Keep connected with family and friends (especially the elderly) through the many available video conferencing apps. Being out of the social loop can make you rather wacko at times and given all the options for staying connected without face to face contact I do believe this is vital to keep your sanity. You can Facetime, Zoom, Skype easily.
It also works well for “virtual cocktail” hour (I can personally attest to that!), so rather than gathering at a restaurant or bar it can be easily done (in your pyjamas) and with no Uber costs.
Social distancing… a new term and our current new normal for the short term at least.
Wherever and however this current situation finds you, stay safe my friends. If we collectively maintain cool heads with a generous heart to the community at large, I truly believe we can get through this.
Xoxo – Sandra
Sources:
cdc.gov
psychologytoday.com
Cidrap.com
cdc.gov
