Since its first reported case in December 2019, the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has already infected close to 80 million people and taken almost 1.7 million lives around the world. Fortunately, vaccines have now been developed and administered, with more therapeutic drug testing medication that can prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection still underway.
However, the number of cases are still expected to rise in the coming weeks because of the holiday season. So while the healthcare workers and medical researchers are doing their best to fight the virus, let’s all contribute to their cause and do what we can to help stop the spread of COVID-19 especially during the holidays.
Continue to follow health protocols.
By now, most of you already know what to do to protect yourself from the disease. Continue or, for some, start doing them—wear a mask, keep your distance, and wash your hands frequently. The virus is mainly transmitted through respiratory droplets that experts now believe can also stay airborne particularly in enclosed spaces with poor ventilation. And doing the three simple acts will significantly reduce your risk of inhaling these droplets. Properly wearing a face mask will help prevent infected droplets from entering your nose and mouth. Maintaining a distance (at least six feet) from other people will help keep you away from droplets released by infected individuals. And frequent hand washing will, of course, physically remove the virus from your hands. Do these acts and protect not only yourself, but also other people.
Celebrate the holidays online.
COVID-19 is believed to spread through close contact between persons. It follows, then, that if you don’t meet people in person, you’ll have a better chance of not getting infected with the disease. So don’t go celebrating with your family and friends in person. Just take your Christmas celebrations online. Be the host of a virtual party and set a time and date when everyone should go online. Ask everyone to prepare their own food as well, so you could all chat and eat just like you would at an actual party but just through your computer monitors this time. You can even play games like charades and Bring Me to make the event more fun. Always keep in mind that the risk of infection is high at in-person gatherings among family and friends because everyone’s comfortable with one another, making them forget to follow COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Boost your immunity.
One of the best ways to help fight COVID-19 during the holidays (also the flu season) is to have a strong immune system. Keep your body, mind, and spirit healthy to ward off COVID-19 and other diseases, for that matter. To have a strong body, make it a point to exercise regularly, eat healthy, drink plenty of water, have enough rest and sleep, get enough sunshine, practice good personal hygiene, and avoid harmful vices. You need to take care of your mind as well. While you should keep your mind sharp and active by doing mental exercises (e.g., reading, playing chess, and solving puzzles), you must also clear and calm your mind from time to time. Finally, remember to have a healthy spirit. Find time to reflect and pray. Adopt a positive attitude in life and always be thankful for each day you get to live.
The Battle Is Far from Over
With thousands of people still getting infected with and dying of COVID-19 every day, the battle against this disease is far from over. Some experts even believe that the worst is yet to come. All the more reason for each one of us to do our share in slowing the spread of the disease especially during this holiday season.
