COVID has been in our lives for a shocking two years now. Over the past couple of years, there have been many ups and many, many downs. It is no surprise to say that most people have gotten comfortable with COVID and have been letting loose despite the dangers that it has caused an abundance of people across the globe. It seems that a lot of us have gotten too comfortable and are carelessly putting ourselves and others in danger.
Remember, We’re still in a pandemic
Although it has been quite some time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, it has not gotten better in any way–we have just learned how to deal with it. Unfortunately, a lot of people have started to think that they should not have to wear a mask or social distance or even wash/sanitize their hands regularly. While we have gotten more adjusted to life during a virus, it is not an excuse for us to stop taking proper care of ourselves – and others.
There are new variants of COVID that develop so often that we have to continue to change with the virus. Vaccines do not guarantee that you cannot get a virus or illness, but with an ever-changing COVID virus, it is even less protectant. We need to make sure that we constantly do everything in our power to keep ourselves safe–not just being vaccinated.
The safest option is simple: stay in! Do not go out to large social events with mask-less people that are not socially distanced and in an area that is not properly disinfected. The pandemic hasn’t gone anywhere, and it isn’t going to go anywhere anytime soon.
DO YOUR PART
There are simple and necessary things to do in order to protect yourself, your loved ones, and everyone else around you.
- Get vaccinated. Go to a local vaccine clinic and get your COVID shot! While they may not be the most effective thing in the world (with a virus that keeps evolving), they still do a phenomenal job at reducing the spread of COVID and protecting those that may have underlying illnesses, whether you know them or not.
- Wear your mask. Wearing masks properly can significantly reduce the spread of COVID and other germs. You should not feel comfortable in a public place without a mask (other than eating), vaccinated or not. Also, let’s crush the mask stigma: masks do not make it hard to breathe. Do not make excuses to do your part! If you were wondering what I meant by properly wearing your mask: putting it completely over your nose. If you do not wear it properly, there is no point in wearing it at all. Reminder: you are not doing your part by incorrectly wearing a mask!
- Socially distance. While you should already be standing at least three feet away from strangers in public (personal space!), social distancing is important for reducing the spread of germs – especially if someone is not wearing a mask and it is a crowded place. Also, try not to touch anything unnecessary in public places and do not share things with others unless you are extremely comfortable with them.
- Clean! For the record, everyone should practice good hygiene. In the middle of a pandemic, it is even more important to stay clean and disinfect our personal spaces. A few things that you can do every day to stay clean during this hard time is: wash and sanitize your hands multiple times throughout the day, use disinfectant wipes/spray nightly on things you touch often, and do not re-wear reusable masks without washing them.
- Stay inside. Do not make unnecessary trips, especially to crowded places without taking the proper safety precautions. It is best to avoid very busy atmospheres as much as possible and try to only take your mask off in groups of small people that you are close with.
NO, DO NOT SACRIFICE YOUR SOCIAL LIFE
As humans, we are social beings. We thrive off of contact with other people and tend to have the most fun when we are with others. It is still important to maintain a social life during COVID, even though it will take a while for it to get back to “normal.”
Being safe and doing your part doesn’t mean you can’t have a social life or any fun! There are many alternatives to going out to a crowded place. You can have a small movie night with your closest friends, have a Netflix watch party, or get-togethers over FaceTime and Zoom. While these things may not give you the exact same feeling as physically going out to public places, if you are hanging out with the right people, it shouldn’t matter what you do. It will always be fun no matter what!
Don’t forget that it is also important to have nights in, by yourself. Take time to rest and recharge peacefully. Trust me, I understand that this is not ideal by any means, but until things get a lot better with COVID (which will not likely happen anytime soon), your safety should be your #1 concern.
BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY
Changing the way we live these past couple of years has been anything but easy. Understand that there are other people that have been dealing with the same things that you have, and even worse. Years and years from now, looking back, you will be grateful that you did your part to keep yourself and others as safe as possible.
You might be thinking, “How are my safety precautions, as one single human being, going to help stop the spread of COVID?” Well, that’s the thing. You aren’t (and certainly shouldn’t be) the only person who is doing what needs to be done. If the majority of people come together and do their part properly, then we can reduce the spread of the virus as a whole.
Stay safe and mask up!