Sidewalk chalk rainbow drawing

Sidewalk chalk rainbow drawingWith fear, worry, stress and uncertainty surrounding all of us during the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be hard to keep a positive attitude. Although our concern is justified, we must continue to hold on to hope and maintain an optimistic outlook.

If you’re watching the news lately, you may be feeling that each day is worse than the last. But here is some good news we hope will brighten your day:

  1. The majority of people infected with COVID-19 will recover. Some people show no symptoms at all which presents its own challenges, but it’s important to remember that no matter how bad things may seem, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. If we all continue to stay safe in our homes and follow CDC guidelines for infection prevention and social distancing, then we have to be confident that we are doing all we can to prevent the spread of the virus and reducing its potential for tragic loss of life.
  2. Children seem to be infected less frequently and in general, have a milder case of the virus. According to the CDC, the majority of infections to date have been in adults. For parents this does not mean throwing caution to the wind, but it is still a small piece of good news for kids.
  3. The internet exists. Imagine you didn’t have the ability to email, video chat, or call your friends and loved ones while quarantining at home. The emotional toll that might take on you could be substantial. The fact that we have such advanced technological capabilities to maintain social interaction digitally is a huge factor in keeping us connected and our moods elevated.
  4. There has been a substantial decline in carbon emissions and air pollution with traffic free roads and plane free skies. With more people working from home instead of driving to the office, the planet has become the beneficiary of this pandemic. While this change may not be sustainable when life returns to a semblance of normalcy, it has shown that we can make small changes in our production and consumption habits that have far reaching impacts for the health of our environment.
  5. Our response to any potential future pandemics should improve. COVID-19 has exposed shortcomings in healthcare systems around the world. We can hope that this will provide a unique opportunity to rework global responses to outbreaks and create a more coordinated system for fighting disease.
  6. Individuals and businesses have stepped up to help in heroic ways. Many people have contributed to help in the fight against this pandemic, whether its restaurants providing food to frontline staff workers, companies reworking their manufacturing infrastructure to make Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), individuals donating to various relief funds, or children sending drawings and encouraging messages to lift the spirits of doctors and nurses. All of these actions, both big and small, have helped so many.

Please take note, COVID-19 is still a big problem. “We encourage all in the community to maintain safe practices such as wearing face coverings while in public, hand washing, and social distancing to help us reduce the transmission of infection,” said Christine Mac Entee, RN, Program Director for Infection Prevention at Mather Hospital.  But there are many positive messages and stories that should be brought to the forefront as well. When bad things happen, it has the power to bring us together in unexpected ways. We let go of our differences and unite as human beings to help each other and work towards a greater good for all.