5 Commonsense Steps to Beat #Covid19 #Coronavirus

This is how we are going to beat #COVID19, from a lay observer’s perspective. Beyond personal hygiene and health tips, we have learned enough about #COVID19 to enable us take mindful, proactive and collective action to manage, control and prevent its spread.

? Spread good news

Coronavirus is not a death sentence. The survival rate for Coronavirus is as high as 96% in some countries, though the true figure is likely to be higher because of large numbers of unreported or undocumented people with mild symptoms. Sadly, this is not “Breaking News” in the mainstream media. Instead, the media is over-reporting the mortality rate and the recurring headline is that we are recording thousands of new infections daily. Even the World Health Organization shares this blind spot (WHO Headlines; WHO COVID-19 Dashboard). Fear is the real Coronavirus! Fear cripples the human immune system more than the virus itself. The media and organizations all across the world must shift perspective and give equal attention to reporting recovery and successes. That will boost our collective psyche and immunity more than any retroviral or antiviral drug.

? Celebrate our heroes

Alongside nurses and other health workers, those who have recovered from Coronavirus are our heroes and champions. Therefore we must celebrate them, not stigmatize them. The world needs to hear their stories of hope, resilience, recovery and survival. There’s so much we can learn from their stories. Some survivors’ positive stories will embolden other survivors to come forward. For those that are able and willing to do so, they should be a major feature via online and offline channels: radio, TV, WHO, TED, YouTube, digital satellite, virtual communities, and various networks and channels. Their message of hope is needed NOW more than the message of despair we are flooded with daily, wittingly or unwittingly.

? Extend the lockdown

Governments should extend #lockdown and #StayAtHome order for at least two (2) weeks in countries and places most affected. Italy and India have announced such an extension. Importantly, sensitization and palliatives should accompany the lockdown to enable the masses to understand the situation better and to alleviate the burden on the poorest and most vulnerable. The people should comply for the simple reason that when we stop moving, the virus stops spreading. That is a huge sacrifice but necessary. Over 90% of new cases of COVID-19 in China today are imported from people entering China from other countries. This is a lesson for other countries. Seeing positive results after a few weeks of lockdown is not enough reason to stop doing what we know is working.

? Use Immunity as a Shield and a Sword

Like other viral and bacterial infectious diseases, those who survive COVID-19 are very likely to develop immunity against the virus. This means that they are less likely to get re-infected, at least not in the short term and not in the same way. The good news is that over 800,000 people have recovered from the virus worldwide and more will still recover. In the majority of cases, recovery is complete. Except in cases of PTSD, post-intensive care syndrome, re-infection or other complications, we can turn this number into a large army of volunteer health workers, social workers, caregivers and essential service providers. While billions of dollars are being pumped into developing vaccines and other treatments, we should do what we can with what we have. This approach is not new. Such measure was adopted in fighting Ebola virus in parts of West Africa in 2014-2015 although it was neither scaled nor sustained. The commitment to do so can be a significant turning point in this fight.

? Pray

This suggestion may seem absurd in our seemingly desperate circumstances. Yet, isolation and #StayAtHome is a perfect time to go within and engage in prayer, meditation or other mindfulness practice. I am not talking about religious gatherings but about spirituality and being in alignment with nature and natural laws. Science confirms numerous advantages of mindfulness; our internal state of being affects our physical and mental health and our external reality. You don’t have to be a monk, priest, imam, nun or shaman to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is a state of being present, calm, balanced and at peace with the universe within you. From that state, you are able to extend the calmness, balance and peace to the world around you. Be peace. Be health. Be mindful.

This is how we are going to beat #COVID19: by taking mindful, proactive and collective action based on things we already know are working. We don’t have to invent any spaceship or acquire complex equipment to take the 5 Commonsense Steps. These are measures we must take NOW to protect and preserve our common humanity.

?? Follow us on Twitter @EdutrustF

?? Like us on Facebook @ EduTrust Foundation

?? Check out our website @ EduTrust Foundation

Data source: World Health Organization

#BeatingCovid19, #1000Reasons, #mindshift #gratitude #education #EduTrustFoundation