HELPFUL HINTS

DEAR READERS: People are social. We visit friends and neighbors, go to parties, go out to eat and to the theater, and wander the mall or the shops downtown. But then, here comes covid-19.

Full stop on calling on our neighbors. Restaurants closed. And those bastions of social interaction and news of the neighborhood, beauty parlors and barber shops? Also closed.

Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.CDC.gov) agree; loneliness is as much a health risk as smoking, being overweight, depression and a sedentary lifestyle. A greater risk of dementia, heart disease and stroke are also fueled by social seclusion.

But don’t despair. Help is available by reaching out to your family doctor. Your doctor can advise you on how to stay active and vital. There also might be pharmacological solutions (mild antidepressants) that can assist you in feeling better.

Agencies online can help too — chief among them, the AARP (www.AARP.org).

Things are slowly improving. Many restaurants and salons have reopened with safety protocols in place. A vaccine was approved with lightning speed. We are learning how to cope.

Being alone sometimes is fine and healthy, but if this isolation due to the pandemic is causing you emotional distress, tell your doctor.

DEAR HELOISE: For people who sell online, their reputations are critical. Most online selling platforms allow potential new buyers to review buyers’ recollections of a seller’s shipping speed and price, their communication with previous buyers, the quality of the merchandise, and the online description of the item compared to what the buyer actually got.

If a buyer has a problem with an item or with a seller, I strongly recommend they reach out to the seller and ask for help. The seller will, nine times out of 10, work hard to make things right.

Let us support small businesses!

— Michael T. in Ohio

DEAR HELOISE: Executive fidget toys are all the rage! (They’re called “executive” because adults are using them too.) My favorites are modeling dough or play clay, fidget spinners, and tiny round magnets.

Playing with these articles relieves anxiety and releases nervous energy, clears my head of busy thoughts, and helps me focus.

— Becky G. in Texas