New Delhi: The outbreak of the novel Coronavirus pandemic has left all of us hanging, with unrest and lots of uncertainty. During the lockdown, some of us are panicking at the rate of daily increase in the number of COVID-19 cases around the world while some are successful at coping with a situation like this.
Here are some important tips on maintaining good health in the midst of this crisis.
Sanitise your hands – this is the first and the foremost step to stay safe. As advised by doctors, make sure you wash your hands with soap each time you come back home after stepping out to eliminate the virus. Keep in mind that a quick scrub won’t do the trick. Make sure to scrub the back of your hands, in between your fingers and under nails for at least 20-30 seconds. The same is applicable for hand sanitizers (make sure it has alcohol content of at least 60%) as well. Rub the hand sanitizer for at least 20 seconds, covering all parts of your hands.
Stay active: The gyms may not be open, however, there are lots of safe alternatives to getting physical activity without going against the preventive best practices recommended by the CDC like social distancing and avoiding large crowds. Aerobics can be done successfully at home. Another important point to consider is that avoiding crowds does not mean avoiding nature. Going for a brisk walk or jog outside in uncrowded areas outdoors is still considered relatively safe. Push-ups, sit-ups, jumping-jacks and more exercises are great ways to stay fit away from the gym.
Disinfect your groceries – all the groceries that come with hard packaging could be disinfected using soap and water. Make sure you wipe down every single packet before shelving them. For cleaning fruits and vegetables, you could let them sit in hot water for a couple of minutes before using them. Taking the above mentioned precautions will help eliminate the deadly virus.
Maintaining social distance and building virtual connections – needless to say, virtual connections have become the new cool today. Try to reduce physical contact with your friends as much as you can. Social distancing cuts off the spread of viruses in a rapid way. Hence reduce close contact. Instead, build and grow relationships virtually. Catch up with your friends and colleagues over video calls and set up your own workspace at home.
Work on your immunity and eat healthy – eating healthy is one of the most important things you need to do currently. The novel Coronavirus makes one susceptible to it if he or she is physically weak. Hence chart out a diet and include nutritious fruits and vegetables, seeds, and nuts and build your immune system. Avoid junk food as much as you can and most importantly, avoid outside food.
Stay connected: Talking with loved ones while in isolation can help reduce the anxiety and instances of feeling down. Take time to utilize the multitudes of technologies and apps (many free) that can help you stay in touch with those you love. Our busy lives before the COVID-19 may have limited how often we connected with distant loved ones, now’s the time to fully exploit these modern capabilities for fellowship, companionship, and camaraderie.
Embrace virtuality – we all know that ‘work from home’ is the new norm. Many of us have started getting regularised to this way of working as it’s been a few weeks. Try to make your working environment as comfortable as possible. Make sure to take regular stretch breaks to improve your productivity.
Don’t forget to wear masks – whenever you step out, make sure you wear a mask to protect yourself. Always keep one in handy. You could also make your own mask using DIY videos and make wearing a mask a habit.
