THE HORROR OF HUMANITY: ​IT’S THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT…AND I FEEL FINE. BY PENNY JONES

It’s something that I feel guilty about everyday, I do feel fine, I’m calm, collected, and most importantly of all I can filter the barrage of information that is being thrown at us on a daily basis, and can discard both the scaremongering and pointless optimism. I’m a nurse, I’m trained to deal with pandemics (there are risk bulletins every year within the health and social care sectors regarding potential pandemics). I’m also in the at risk category as I am asthmatic. I have had strains of corona virus (both common colds and flu fall into these), and following these have developed bronchitis and pneumonia, and been admitted into hospital not knowing if I’m ever going to take another breath unaided again. But strangely the things that should make me nervous aren’t
 
I’m not saying that Covid-19 is the same as any other strain of corona virus, it isn’t. It has a higher mortality rate than seasonal flu, but a lower one than Covid-2 (SARS). But the main concerns around Covid-19 are that the length of time you are contagious is much longer than most strains, and that the illness can incubate and be carried for up to 14 days before we show any symptoms (this is why we have the quarantine periods of 7 days for symptoms and 14 days if someone in your household has symptoms but you don’t). This means that on top of the increased mortality rates Covid-19 has over seasonal flu, it can infect far more people, stretching our health services to breaking point.   In addition, hundreds of people are unable to see their ailing relatives due to international travel restrictions.
 
 Now this may all sound scary, but the important thing to remember here is that yes it is the end of the world as we know it, but it isn’t the end of the world. There are a lot of trained people dealing with this pandemic, working on immunisations and cures, treating those with the illness, developing protective equipment, researching into the epidemiology of it. It may be difficult to believe with the onslaught of media and social media, politicians and snake oil peddlers, but this will end. Pandemics have come and gone, this one will too.
 
There are steps in place to help us maintain our physical health in relation to Covid-19. The information is updated daily on the GOV.UK website and it currently states that everyone in the UK should:

·  Stay at home
·  Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)
·  If you go out, stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other people at all times
·  Wash your hands as soon as you get home
·  Do not meet others, even friends or family.
Gov.uk: Corona virus (COVID-19): what you need to do

Now this is exactly what we should be doing to try and reduce the spread of this disease. However the terminology used is not the best for relieving anxiety, both presently and for your future selves. Repeatedly telling ourselves to do these things, and repeating the behaviours is an excellent way to change the way our brains process information, and thusly changing the way we act (it is used very successfully in CBT and other therapy forms to treat anxiety and phobias). But these repeated mantras and behaviours can also programme our brains negatively (think about how Charlie McGee reacted in the final scenes of Stephen King’s Firestarter). Leading to long term social anxiety, generalised anxiety, agoraphobia, mysophobia, and obsessive compulsive disorder. I have seen many people saying that even when social distancing is lifted they would no longer would feel comfortable getting on a plane, or being in a large crowd of people. But there are some slight tweaks to your mindset that you can do to help you reduce your anxiety.

Rather than saying to yourself:

• I’m staying at home to keep myself safe.

 

• I’m only going outside for food, health reasons or work.

 

• I’m keeping 6ft away from people.

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• Do not meet others, even friends or family

Tell yourself:

• I’m staying at home to reduce the strain on the health service.

 

• I’m protecting our key workers.

 
​

• I’m keeping 6ft away to reduce the spread of Covid-19.
• I’m protecting others, including my friends and family.

​ 
 
Changing the wording of these rules slightly may seem odd, but you are now telling your brain that the disease is the problem, not people. And that there isn’t a safe zone in your house and a danger zone outside. Making these changes now, will reap huge benefits in the future.
 
Other tips to keep yourself well and healthy in the long term:
 
·      Don’t stress if you can’t get antibacterial products. It is the rubbing of your hands together that helps remove the virus, any form of soap will do this. You should only use hand gels, wipes etc, if you can’t wash your hands with water and soap.
·      Do remember to wash your thumbs and your wrists (most people forget these when washing their hands)
·      Do use a moisturiser. If your hands get dry and cracked they can harbour more germs.
·      Do go out for your sanctioned walk. There is a huge risk of your large muscle groups becoming weak when we aren’t doing our usual routines. Loss of muscle tone from your large muscles, primarily your thigh muscles, puts you at a higher risk of falls, but also Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. If you are unable to go out, for either physical or mental reasons, then please do lunges, walk up and down your stairs, or find something sturdy you can use as a stepper.
·      Do make sure you are keeping your vitamin D levels up. Either 15 minutes out in the sun or a good vitamin D tablet (look for one that says Vitamin D3, as this is the one we best absorb. Vitabiotics do a good one in the UK), as a lack of vitamin D can lead to problems with your muscular and skeletal systems. It also helps with our mental health. And after a long winter we are all in need of a dose of it.
·      And most importantly, please repeat to yourselves that this is just temporary. Soon you’ll be able to see your friends, family, even that annoying bloke at work again.
 
There is good clear advice available on the NHS website
 https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
And at the Gov.UK site
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
 
And please remember… It’s the end of the world as we know it. And you’ll feel fine. xxx

Penny Jones knew she was a writer when she started to talk about herself in the third person (her family knew when Santa bought her a typewriter for Christmas). She loves reading and will read pretty much anything you put in front of her, but her favourite authors are Stephen King, Shirley Jackson and John Wyndham. In fact Penny only got into writing to buy books, when she realised that there wasn’t that much money in writing she stayed for the cake.

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