“Calm in the Time of Corona: A Website Roundup to Ease Your Mind”

I know, that was a cheesy take on Gabriel Garcia-Marquez’s “Love in the Time of Cholera,” but I couldn’t resist. So, I had a completely different blog idea that I was going to write about for this weekend, but as has happened with the news and a lot of aspects of our lives this week, the Coronavirus (or COVID-19) took over. And, so did my stress.

I am a worrier. That means that whenever something unsettling happens, I tend to play out the worst kinds of scenarios in my head, and they often don’t end well. I stress about what will happen at my home, to members of my family, and to me.

And, it doesn’t help that the media is running around like Chicken Little reporting that the sky is falling. Or, at least it fell in Italy, and we are likely to experience the same sky-fall here.

If you are a worrier like I am, you understand how I am feeling these days. In the United States, where I live, there are just so many darned conflicting reports about this “novel” virus.

Depending on your age, you are more or less likely to contract the virus if you are exposed to it. It is more likely to affect older individuals than younger ones. It can also affect those who are vulnerable due to suppressed immune systems or chronic health conditions.

Although the virus has about a 3% mortality rate, those who die of it die a really frightening-sounding death. (I refuse to go into detail and recommend you don’t look it up). And, it’s highly contagious. We need to stand between 6-10 feet away from others, wash our hands incessantly, and sanitize everything since the virus can live for days on most common surfaces.

Lots of folks are getting a time out

Given how contagious this virus is, we are now seeing an unprecedented response by our government and civic leaders. Schools, businesses, and governments are closing their doors and sending folks home for the foreseeable future. We’re also being encouraged to stockpile food and supplies in case we are stuck in our homes for weeks.

For me, this means working from home for my day job, and learning how to have a distance-learning class for my part time, adjunct professor job. And, we just found out today that our kids will be out of school for at least two weeks!

Because of this astounding amount of mostly scary information, my anxiety is through the roof!

From what I am learning about this disease and the measures being taken around the globe to combat it, my rational mind understands the precautions that we are taking in the U.S. But, folks, my less rational side is thinking, “WHAT IS HAPPENING?”

How are you feeling? Because I can tell you that I get really anxious about this whole situation. I want to hide when I think about two weeks teleworking and home schooling or any of what I’ve been learning about this scary virus.

Don’t panic

So, I’m going to tell you two things that might seem to contradict each other. First, it’s okay to feel worried or anxious right now. I frankly don’t understand folks who have zero worries about this. When circumstances are out of our control and things are unpredictable, it’s natural to feel scared. Don’t feel badly if this is how you feel.

But, second, worry and panic will not help. At the end of the day, we can only control so much (which is terrible news for those of us who worry and like to control things). And, worrying will not change anything. To believe that if you worry more, you’re less likely to experience a negative consequence is magical thinking.

So, what can we do? Let’s try to let go of what we cannot control and focus on the proactive things we can do to safeguard ourselves and our families. This is hard for me, so I can imagine that others struggle with this as well.

In order to ease my own mind and help others, I have done a lot of research (no surprises there) to find the best information about this situation. I hope it simplifies things and helps ease your mind as well!

The first thing to do is get accurate information.

There is a lot of information going around about this new disease, how to prevent it, and what our governments are considering doing to contain the spread. As a result, there are countless websites, social media links, and emails going around, and not all of them are helpful. In fact, some are downright harmful.

Be careful where you get your information and what links you are clicking to access it. This kind of situation, where everyone is on edge and desperate for information, is a cyber-criminal’s dream come true. When we are panicky, we tend to let our guard down and may be more likely to give up private information or fail to check the validity of whatever website is offering the information we crave. Check before you click or see the list below for legit web pages.

Links to legitimate websites that are both accurate and safe

For reliable information about the disease itself–

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). No matter what you think about this organization and its response to this pandemic, the fact remains that this government agency is a good resource when it comes to reporting on disease trends and providing recommendations for how to respond to just this type of situation. More importantly, it is a safe website to explore, as you can find updated information without popups or other internet security risks. Information on the Coronavirus can be found here.
• The World Health Organization (WHO). This agency of the United Nations provides a more global perspective on diseases such as this, and it also has a good track record for providing updated information in a safe online setting. The WHO also has pages devoted to the Coronavirus, which you can access here.
• The National Institutes of Health (NIH). To learn about the disease itself, its history, and comparisons to other viruses such as SARS, check out the NIH website here. It also provides a link to the CDC.
• Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Map. Folks are always interested in where the disease has been documented and where it is spreading. Rather than hunt around on potentially inaccurate and dangerous websites, check the updated COVID-19 tracker here. You can see where this disease is being reported all over the world as well as statics on confirmed cases.

For information about travel-

• The U.S. State Department. This federal agency has updated information about how situations such as pandemics might affect international travel. The State Department also keeps up information about travel advisories to foreign countries and travel restrictions. Check here for the latest on international travel and COVID-19.
• Transportation Security Administration (TSA). As part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, TSA oversees travel advisories and restrictions for those traveling within and entering the U.S. For the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on domestic travel within the United States, check the TSA website here. Be sure to check here before traveling, especially by airplane.

Other good general websites that are covering the impact of the pandemic-

After searching around and reading various websites, these appeared to have updated webpages that were practical and informative. You have questions, and these have good answers.

• Cnet.com. This website has an article that it regularly updates with basic information about the disease itself and ways to prepare for it. It answers common questions about the disease. You can find the webpage here.
• USA Today. This news outlet wrote a great informational piece that’s similar to the Cnet.com article and basically answers FAQs about the Coronavirus. It provides good information and dispels some myths. Check it out here.
• U.S. Department of Labor. If you have not been sent home to telework, or your job makes that impossible, the U.S. Department of Labor has a page, found here , devoted to Coronavirus and the workplace. This Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) web page discusses the disease and its impact on those who continue to go to work.

For Emergency Preparedness-

Okay fellow worrier, I know you are thinking that general information is all well and good, but at the end of the day, you want to be prepared. Preparation is actually a really great coping mechanism if these situations cause you anxiety, as being prepared allows you to gain a little control over what feels like chaos.

But, we can also fall prey to over-preparing or hoarding resources and supplies at the expense of others in our communities (enough with the toilet paper people, it’s going to be okay!). Below are a couple of sites that have good advice for emergency preparedness whether it be for Coronavirus or any other natural disaster.

• The Red Cross. These are the emergency experts, and their work around the world has brought comfort and saved lives. This web page, found here is updated regularly and has tips to help prevent the spread of the disease and prepare your household for potential quarantine.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC also has a good resources page for preparing your home should there be a COVID-19 outbreak in your community. Check here for their tips.
• CNN. This news outlet has a great article about how to prepare for a home quarantine, including the types of items you may need to keep your household going, which can be found here.
• The Guardian. Finally, for those of us who will have our kids home with us while schools and workplaces are closed, The Guardian has a great article with ideas about how to handle both the emotional aspect of staying home for days at a time as well as tips on how to structure those days so that they are helpful and productive. Check it out here .

What about self-care?

I thought you’d never ask! Of course, you knew I was going to talk about self-care. It’s sort of my thing. Whether you are still heading out to a job, working from home, or wrangling kids who are confined to the house, you must take care of yourself during this stressful time. I have lots of suggestions for this in my post about the time-change, as well as my post about 15 easy and cheap self-care activities. But, what I’m listing below are the basics for self-care during this Coronavirus situation:

• Rest and relax. One thing I keep hearing is that not everyone exposed to the Coronavirus will come down with symptoms. One way to place yourself in the asymptomatic category is to ensure your body is ready to fight the disease, and that means being well-rested and reducing stress. Make sure that you are getting plenty of sleep and not unnecessarily stressing yourself out. Is there anything you can be simplifying in your life? Now is a good time to start pruning your stressors.
• Prayer and meditation. These spiritual practices are known for lowering stress, which will help both your overall outlook as well as your immune system. Check out this Forbes.com article (found here) on how scientists are finding that meditation can boost the immune system.
• Get distracted. While you may need to be productive during the day– teleworking, keeping up the house, and making the sure the kids are doing what they need to do– some fun, distracting down time is necessary. While they recommend making sure kids have adequate down time, you need some as well. So, here is your hall pass to do what takes your mind off of things– read, color a coloring book, scroll around Pinterest, watch movies, or do as I do and watch planner videos. My favorite channel for planner reviews is Amandas Favorites (link here). She is so friendly and does such a good job of reviewing planners, you know exactly what that planner has before buying it! (I seriously watch all the time- follow her on Instagram and you can also see shorter videos). Whatever you do, make sure it’s positive and takes your mind OFF of the scary news, which leads me to my last recommendation-
• Reduce exposure to Coronavirus news. Whether it’s the TV, your Facebook feed, or the internet, there are so many websites and channels talking about this virus, it will raise your stress levels. While I’m not recommending burying your head in the sand and avoiding all Coronavirus information, set some limits. If you’re going to watch the news, make sure you don’t watch more than one or two news programs a day or set a timer and decide how much time you’ll spend hearing about it. Police yourself on the internet and limit your websurfing about the disease. If your Facebook or Twitter feeds are filled with Coronavirus updates, check in on or join a positive Facebook group (I’m on the planner ones, of course) or unfollow folks who are adding stressful posts to your feed. I prefer Instagram and Pinterest as these sites let me focus on just the fun stuff I want to see instead of news or political posts.

It’s going to be okay.

Luckily, the stats on this virus are not as bad as I once thought. Only a very small portion of people who contract the virus get seriously ill from it and even fewer die. The most important thing I keep telling myself and will share with you is this- it’s going to be okay.

We’re all going to get through this time, and we’ll have a more positive experience if we keep things in perspective and stay positive. Leave a comment below if you’d like a place to air your worries and would like a reassuring response. Also feel free to drop a comment if you have some tips for keeping calm and carrying on during this time.

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**Image credits- magazine, massage, journal, book, and bath images found on Pixabay.