coronavirus

Nova Scotia’s CoViD-19 Story… in Verse

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There once was a realm called Nova Scotia –
Which’s Premier asked the people not to roam –
In pandemic times of new corona –
This is their tale to #staytheblazeshome!

To prevent the spread of CoViD-19 –
They had to stay inside, with some, alone –
Until it was gone or came a vaccine –
They all would have to #staytheblazeshome!

They could still explore the world, see others –
Through Firefox, Facetime, Facebook, Skype, Edge, Chrome –
Each one on their own, or all together –
Connect with tech and #staytheblazeshome!

There were lots of other things to do, though –
If folks did not have internet or phones –
Arts, crafts, books, games, writing, music, puzzles –
So much to help them #staytheblazeshome!

Now, of course, they had to go out sometime –
But far too oft, and always with their phones –
Through which Google tracked them day and night time –
To show they did not #staytheblazeshome!

When the Premier saw this, he was livid –
He got on TV, his mouth frothed with foam –
Scolded those ignoring laws on CoViD –
And told them all to #staytheblazeshome!

Right away, the message resonated –
The world made memes, beers, songs, shirts, all things known –
Ev’ry thing with what the Premier stated –
His catchphrase hashtagged, #staytheblazeshome!

But unlike the virus that went viral –
His scolding’s biggest impact was in tone –
Worse and worse, the situation spiraled –
Folks yelled, but did not #staytheblazeshome!

So he sent police to ticket people –
For being where they’re not allowed to roam –
Or too close in public, or too social –
When they know well to #staytheblazeshome!

This worked well, and things reopened slowly –
Each step with rules, enough to make a tome –
To avoid more peaks and waves that’d only –
Return them all to #staytheblazeshome!

So did Nova Scotians follow plenty –
Enough to rid of CoViD from their home?
Will there be a Tales from CoViD 20?
One called You Did Not #staytheblazeshome!

Meh! For now, heed Nova Scotia’s screw-up –
As detailed in this cautionary poem –
To diminish such pandemics’ wallop –
Right from the start, ye #staytheblazeshome!

Routine is Key for Mental Health in Limited Social Contact, Self-Isolation or Quarantine

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Routine… it has such a bad rap, whether it’s something you “have to” do, or whether it’s the supposed blandness of your life. However, in times of limited social contact, self-isolation, or quarantine for this COVID-19 pandemic, routine is essential to keeping your sanity! It allows you to have something predictable when so much is changing around you, something to look forward to, and especially something to control when so much is outside your control these days.

Obviously, you can’t be having your same routine from before all the changes to minimize Coronavirus spread, like going out, getting a coffee, meeting in large groups, maybe even just sitting down at restaurant with a friend or two. However, what you can do, is create new routines at home. What are you going to do when you get up? How will you cook, or some meal plan? How’s about morning, afternoon, or evening routines? Get some regular practice in for something you didn’t have time for, or as much time for, as now?

If you’re stuck on ideas, experiment! That could be the funnest part of this process. Set some default routine, then try it. Refine it as you go to find the exact details that work for you, then evolve it as you go, so as not to let something settle in long enough to be, well, routine, in that boring sense of the word.

So if you don’t have a routine set in your life already under the new, extenuating circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, or have a routine consciously set, make one! Then share it and see what you can learn from others, and what they could use from yours, to make everyone’s routines better. Maybe even have a little competition to see who can make their routines the most interesting!

Good luck, and stay safe and healthy!

Is There a Novelette Coronavirus?

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Ah, the novel coronavirus! The way things are playing out, its story will be a novel, all right!

But does it have to be that way? Isn’t there anything that could turn it into a novelette coronavirus? One with a much shorter history of impact and grip on humanity?

It might well turn out that whomever labeled the coronavirus as “novel”, might have given it a far more meaningful name than they knew!

Will There Be Additional Mental Health Support for COVID-19?

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For all the news about support for dealing with COVID-19 and the associated pandemic happening, there’s been remarkably little about mental health support. That’s shocking considering:

  1. The world is a lot more stressful and uncertain place now than it was just two months ago; and
  2. There wasn’t nearly enough mental health services a few months ago.

People facing all kinds of new unknowns and uncertainties, with serious harm potentially at stake. People locked away for a few weeks at a time if they might have COVID-19, or just locked away in areas of extreme lock down. You don’t think people are going to need some mental health services in all this???

I hope someone is seriously planning for LOTS of additional mental health support to help people around the world get through all of this!