As originally published in Parade, March 13, 2020
Keep Calm — Here Are 15+ Ways to Help During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Coronavirus is scary, and it’s easy to feel helpless during a global pandemic—but you don’t have to. There are ways to help those around you without risking infection, and chances are they’ll help keep you busy while you’re self-quarantined and social distancing. Please stay safe and remember: We’re all in this together. Everything will be easier if we all are good to ourselves and each other.
How to Help Your Community During Coronavirus
Keep Yourself as Healthy as Possible
Dr. Shannon Sovndal of Boulder, CO, tells us that it really is back to basics when it comes to avoiding coronavirus. “It really comes down to fundamentals—the things your mom and grandma told you: Eat healthfully. Get plenty of sleep. Avoid stress (as much as possible). Don’t put your hands in your mouth (or nose). And wash your hands!”
Sovndal also warns against the hype of certain miracle cures that may be on the market. “A lot of people have tons of suggestions based on vitamins, herbs and supplements, but none have consistently shown to give any real benefit if you’re living the lifestyle above,” he said.
Support Local Businesses While Social Distancing
The pandemic can be potentially devastating to small businesses. While social distancing is absolutely the responsible thing to do to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, you can still support your local businesses: Buy gift cards to local restaurants, bars and shops that you can use later, once the disease is contained and it’s safe to socialize again.
Donate Money
New York City councilman Justin Brannan points out that the reason many districts are reluctant to close schools is because school is where many needy students get their meals—and they may go hungry without them. Donate money to local food banks and pantries, as well as domestic violence, youth and homeless shelters, to ease the burden during this time.
Donate Blood
No matter what sort of crisis, donating blood is always helpful, but especially so during a public health crisis. The American Red Cross said in a statement that due to increasing numbers of coronavirus patients, the number of eligible blood donors is dropping rapidly. Donate blood now while you’re healthy so you can help those in need of it sooner rather than later.
Consider Fostering a Pet
During times of quarantine and social distancing, animal shelters often go overlooked but still need help and supplies. Considering fostering a pet for the period, and donate to local shelters if you’re able—whether it’s money, linens, extra treats or tennis balls, critters will be happy.
How to Help the Elderly During Coronavirus
Share Your Supplies
Listen, we’re all guilty of panic-shopping to some degree. But admit it: Did you go a little overboard with the disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer and toilet paper? Offer to share some of your stash with your older or vulnerable neighbors or hop into a local Facebook group and ask if anyone nearby needs any.
Call and offer to go shopping or drop off food (via a “ding-dong-dash” method to avoid getting too close) for them if they need anything to avoid vulnerable populations from potentially being exposed to the virus.
Be Careful With Sharing News—And Help Those Who May Be Vulnerable to Misinformation
With the rapid updates surrounding the news of coronavirus and its spread, misinformation can literally be deadly. Heinan Landa, CEO and Founder of Optimal Networks, a globally-ranked IT services firm, and author of The Modern Law Firm: How to Thrive in an Era of Rapid Technological Change, warns that the pandemic has also caused a surge in online scams.
“Email scammers often try to elicit a sense of fear and urgency in their victims. Attackers will often disseminate malicious links and PDFs that claim to contain information on how to protect yourself from the spread of the disease,” Landa advises. “These are malicious hacking experts who prey on fear. As more people turn to the internet to seek information on the virus either out of curiosity or to take precautions, the amount of cyber-attacks that occur will increase. Hackers can even target internet users who repeatedly search for the coronavirus on their web browsers.”
Chances are you’re more tech-savvy than older generations. Offer to help your older loved ones and elderly neighbors monitor their information and emails if necessary to prevent them from falling prey to scammers.