Blog post #2: "In the Name of Our Health"

These past eight months have truly been a blur. In the beginning of all the chaos, it felt like the world was ending. I remember going to the grocery store and seeing entire shelves wiped out. The atmosphere was eerie and uncertain, the streets a ghost town. I watched all of my courses go online, my work study job got canceled for the semester, and my serving job got a whole lot harder. I ended up seeing the ignorance brought out in a lot of people and watched how a piece of fabric became political.

As months went by, I learned how to manage my anxiety and take things day by day. I am a social butterfly. I found myself craving human interaction in times of isolation. I realized how much I missed giving people a hug, or shaking a hand as a sign of respect. Things were awkward. Things were new. In the name of our health.... what do we listen to? What do we know is right? Is this our new normal? Let's explore those topics.

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When seeking health information, I use a trick that one of my professors taught me. Looking for websites that end in ".gov" or ".edu" are some of the best to look at. I had started to notice that a lot of panic behavior occurred on social media sites like Facebook. There was a lot of bad information that was spread, homemade masks that weren't scientifically effective, and a lot of politics. A great primary resource for information about the pandemic that has been the best for me is using the Center for Disease Control website, www.cdc.gov

I did not think about their credibility because that information on the website is the most accurate, up to date information! It is easy to navigate and gets straight to the point.

A piece of health information has to be a short video on YouTube that explains how COVID-19 began and how it is spread. It also breaks down myths and has factual information from the CDC. It was short and entertaining and I always refer back to this video. PLEASE watch this video! It helped me understand when and where to wear a mask and how exactly the virus gets spread. I wish I would have watched this in the beginning of the pandemic because it would have prevented all the panic I experienced.

I also never realized that one day I might have to navigate the CDC website. I decided to take a look at it and one page that stuck out to me in particular is the page on why it is important to get the flu shot. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/protect-your-health.html

This is something that I am glad to have stumbled upon. COVID-19 is dangerous to those who are immunocompromised. It is important for everyone to get their flu shots! I was kind of weary on getting one at first, but now that the CDC has advised that everyone get their flu shot, it is definitely on my list!

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Social Support in the Midst of a Pandemic:

We have all experienced an extreme form of isolation at one point in this pandemic. Several days of not leaving the house at a time has become a standard for most people that are able to do it. Unfortunately, I was an essential worker and could not experience that luxury, but here is how I got through it.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information defines social support as "support accessible to an individual through social ties to other individuals, groups and the larger community." (Ozbay et al, 2007) It has changed for many people that take the pandemic seriously.

I say this because as someone who knew the dangers of the disease, I didn't and myself going out to parties or events with a large number of people. Social support can look like organizations at school, community events (such as churches or an after school program), or even hanging out at the park with your friends. For me personally, going to school in-person is my social support. Seeing and interacting with others is how I am able to maintain my sanity. In the beginning of the pandemic, things were a lot more restricted, but now we are navigating a new normal.

In present day, most of my social interactions are in-person. I work two jobs and have a full course load at school. My girlfriend has basically moved in with me (so we could avoid the constant quarantining). I have a work-study job in the Office of Multicultural Affairs on the third floor of the student center and we all wear a mask the entire time we are around each other. I also work at a local restaurant here in town, and we all wear masks there as well. A lot of sanitation practices have been established at both jobs and I am happy about that. I feel a lot safer and I hope customers feel the same way too.

In conclusion, this has been a great way to reflect on the past eight months and comparing and contrasting factual information has reminded me to always fact check. Thanks so much for checking in with me!

Resources:

Ozbay, F., Johnson, D. C., Dimoulas, E., Morgan, C. A., Charney, D., & Southwick, S. (2007). Social support and resilience to stress: from neurobiology to clinical practice.Psychiatry (Edgmont (Pa. : Township)),4(5), 35–40.