Responding to the Covid challenges
AS the pandemic and the Covid variants evolve, so, too, do our range of responses.
The overriding sense at the moment is one of uncertainty.
How might we be impacted in the weeks and months ahead by the escalating spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant?
This uncertainty is superimposed on the disappointment and frustration – or even exasperation – that we might feel at the start of yet another year when Covid is the dominant theme in our collective lives.
A main silver lining is that most people seem less anxious about the potential harm from catching Covid. Most people will know a number of people who have contracted Covid and suffered milder illness than feared. No doubt this is helped by the huge uptake and effectiveness of vaccines, as well as the dominant Omicron variant being milder than previous variants.
As a result, many people are somewhat resigned to the likelihood of catching Covid at some stage and are more concerned about other potential consequences than its impact on their health. This includes concerns about the potential impact of forced isolation, work opportunities and concern about passing it on to elderly or more physically vulnerable relatives and friends.
The potential current threats from Covid might vary considerably according to our age and other factors. Many, including the elderly, will likely remain concerned about the ongoing physical health threat that it poses.
Young adults might be especially concerned about restricted social opportunities.
Many will be concerned about the potential impact on their work and income. Employers and managers in many industries will be concerned about the availability of staff and how their systems can further adapt to extensive staff absence from Covid-related isolation. Many hospital workers will be concerned about how much further they might be called to overextend themselves.
Parents will be concerned about potential disruptions to their children’s schooling and arrangements for their care if they need to isolate.
How might we best deal with this uncertainty about ongoing threats or associated Covid-related anxiety? In the first instance it helps to focus on what we can at least partially control. Community-wide, we can at least mitigate the Covid threat by slowing its spread with the usual mask-wearing and hygiene measures, ongoing vaccination and judicious use of RAT tests that will be increasingly available.
Those concerned about catching Covid themselves will likely use some form of social isolation. Young adults may still choose to socialise, but will likely be careful about interacting with more physically vulnerable family and friends.
Workplaces will continue to develop further flexibility in people attending the workplace or working from home, including when isolating but relatively symptom-free. Government guidelines will continue to shift in an attempt to contain the disruptive impact of Covid on schooling and workplaces. As before, we shall continue to develop additional strategies as we go.
At an individual level, we might best contain our expectations in the short and medium term, while still developing some adaptable plans for the year ahead.
It would likely only compound our frustration if we put all our plans on hold.
We function and feel best when we keep ourselves occupied, including pursuing hobbies and interests close to home. We can plan how we might spend some of the time if we are forced to isolate, such as on gardening, hobbies or planning work that we can do remotely. We can help keep our spirits up with activities such as physical exercise and catch-ups with friends.
We can reflect on our current circumstances with some hope and an extended time frame in mind. We can envisage that at some point in the future this pandemic will come to an end. Even now we’re seeing some signs of a shift from a pandemic to a more endemic range of flu-like illnesses, which we have much experience in managing.
Finally, any ways we have to deal with stress are a worthwhile bonus. Developing a regular practice in yoga, meditation or mindfulness can help us to deliberately direct our attention to more positive or neutral thoughts and activities, and to help manage the arousal that accompanies negative ones.
Taking up such a class could be one of the modest goals that some might pursue in 2022.
AT AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, WE MIGHT BEST CONTAIN OUR EXPECTATIONS IN THE SHORT AND MEDIUM-TERM, WHILE STILL DEVELOPING SOME ADAPTABLE PLANS FOR THE YEAR AHEAD.