In the midst of COVID-19, the news can be overwhelming. There is the potential for millions of us to get sick, many people may die, there may not be enough hospital beds and ventilators, businesses are closing, and unemployment may go up to 20 percent.
But at the heart of this pandemic, there are some amazingly positive resources and stories that can make our lives better. I thought I’d recap a few of them as a reminder for the Communiqué team and the readers of our blog.
The below list includes ideas for how to give back, how to stay entertained and more. Take a look and, if you have additional suggestions, I’d love to hear from you.
How to Help
- Donate blood. There is a severe shortage of blood and the American Red Cross has an easy-to-use website that allows people to find a drive near them. I found a location within three-miles of my home, but before you zip over to donate, make sure you confirm walk-up donors are allowed. With COVID-19, many locations are requiring that you have an appointment.
- Sew masks. The global demand for masks and other personal protective equipment has created a shortage. In the Seattle area, Providence requested volunteers to make medical-grade masks. As of my writing of this post, all of its kits were claimed, but other organizations may also be looking for volunteers. Check your local hospitals’ websites to see if they need help.
- Donate money. Consider a donation to a charity responding to critical community needs. There are a number of charities that are supporting caregivers, research around COVID-19, or the poor and vulnerable people in our community.
- Help a neighbor. To identify people in need, I recommend checking out Next Door, the social media site for neighborhoods. They have just created a “Help Map,” noting that daily activities may present a challenge for those at higher risk of complications from COVID-19. You can post a description of how you can help and they’ll help you to connect with someone in need.
Staying Entertained
- Have an online Netflix party. USA Today provides instructions for how to do this in its article here.
- Check out some animals from these fun animal cams. We can thank the staff of Adventure Journal for developing these recommendations which allow viewers to watch otters feeding, bears emerging from hibernation and more.
- Have a socially distant happy hour. Turn on Skype or Facetime your friends. If you have a subscription to Zoom or access to Microsoft Teams you can use those tools as well. Finally, many people I know are sitting on their respective porches and raising a glass with their neighbors, talking, albeit more loudly than normal, to communicate with one another from a safe distance.
- Enjoy an online music festival. Stay at Home Fest harnesses the power of the internet for good, creating a central hub to find all the fantastic decentralized events that are happening online, and aiding music discovery during the global pandemic.
- Visit the Seattle Art Museum. The museum as launched a new blog called Stay at Home with SAM. Check out their “Object of the Week” and other content to stay engaged with art.
- Learn something new. According to experts, already 400 million students have been disrupted by the spread of the coronavirus. Fortunately, there are some excellent ways to learn online. I’m a huge fan of Coursera and its courses, many of which are free. Some of the resources they’ve put together include the following:
Exercise and Health
- Don’t read too much news. Get an update on the information you need and then move on, otherwise you may find yourself getting overwhelmed and wound up.
- Participate in an online exercise class. Many fitness and yoga studios are offering classes for free. For instance, CorePower offers a variety of pre-recorded flows and has promised to add new classes each week. A good list can be found in this article.
- Go for a walk or run. Even in cities or states with mandates to shelter in place, running and walking are still permitted as long as you maintain the appropriate social distance. As a reminder, the benefits of walking and running include improved cardiovascular and pulmonary fitness, reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, better management of high blood pressure, cholesterol, and more. In my experience, a nice long walk also helps improve my mood.
- Meditate. With the help of Audible, I have recently begun to meditate and have downloaded “Everyday Meditation,” a free audio program from Aaptiv offering 20 days of guided mediations. During this time of uncertainty and change, it has been very helpful to focus on calmness, mindfulness and positivity.
Keeping the Faith
- Several religious institutions are offering worship services online. In Seattle, you can find online church services listed here. Many other community news outlets have compiled similar list for their area.
For more positive updates on COVID-19, please check out this article from the Good News Network.
I hope this list of resources is helpful for you as you #StayAtHome, doing your part to stop the spread of this virus and flatten the curve.