Many countries, including the UK, have started to implement stay-home orders to help contain the rapidly spreading Coronavirus disease. Schools, offices and commercial establishments are forced to shut down temporarily, and workers may be working from home for up to three months. Some, however, are less privileged because they’ve been laid off from their posts, leaving them with no other means to earn income.
But regardless of socioeconomic status, everyone is affected by the pandemic in one way or another. With our daily routines suddenly disrupted, we struggle to grasp this “new normal,” and some of us are probably wondering what more we can do to help other than just staying home and following guidelines.
Here are some great ways to help flatten the curve:
1. Buy Essentials From Local Businesses
Since some restaurants and groceries have been closed down, you can turn to local businesses that remain open for your supplies. Find out how many of them are in your area. Remember to avoid panic-buying to not inconvenience others and threaten the supply chain. While you’re at it, search for non-profit organisations and consider donating to at least one of them, as well.
2. Volunteer in the Frontlines
The essential industries during this crisis are healthcare, social services, education and childcare, food and other necessities, utility workers, transport and public sector. If you have a penchant for volunteer work, you may remotely reach out to a public sector recruitment specialist to see if there are suitable posts suitable. You may discover a new passion as you serve in the frontlines. You may even want to consider a public sector career afterwards when we finally overcome the pandemic.
3. Boost Your Immune System and Keep Your Place Disinfected
We do not need more cases, so let’s do our most important duty during this pandemic: boost our immune system and keep our surroundings clean. Practice proper hand-washing, take vitamins and consume a healthy diet. We must also attend to the surfaces and objects we touch daily, such as smartphones, doorknobs, cabinet handles, countertops and remote controls. Disinfect those daily, even without the presence of a life-threatening virus, because the germs that accumulate on such surfaces are also capable of causing other diseases.
4. Do Not Hoard Face Masks
Even though face masks are essential during this crisis, hoarding them does more harm than good. Supplies are short, so by buying boxes of them without consideration for the medical workers and the sick who need them the most, you’re only contributing to the rapid spread of the virus. Be realistic in estimating how much you need, and stay home to avoid needing to wear them often.
5. Donate
The Center for Disaster Philanthropy recommends donating directly to free clinics in areas most severely affected by the virus. Apart from providing financial aid, donate personal protective equipment (PPE) for their workers. You can also reach out to food banks and help replenish their supplies. If you have the means, try to make a series of donations instead of just one, as the pandemic isn’t likely to slow down anytime soon.
With various ways to help stop the spread of the virus, you no longer have to feel stuck at home and powerless. Remember that even just staying home already helps a great deal, so pride yourself in it, too. Your little contributions can have a significant impact, so don’t pressure yourself to do the extreme.
