Focus on hope
As pandemic fatigue takes hold, it’s important we protect our health, keep in touch with loved ones
Nearly a year since the coronavirus ground life as we knew it to a halt, many people are struggling to hang on. Not just financially, although that’s true for thousands of families in Hampton Roads, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Pandemic fatigue is real and as infectious as the disease itself. People are tired of the restrictions, tired of going without seeing family and friends, tired of online meetings and online schooling and online restaurant ordering and grocery shopping.
People are just tired. It’s been a long 11 months — week after week of too much death, too much despair, too much loneliness and too much uncertainty.
Even when we see progress — lights of hope, however far in the distance they may be — the excitement it inspires is blunted by mitigating factors.
We have a vaccine, but we can’t get enough of it. When we do have it, we can’t seem to get doses in people’s arms effectively. Register online! Not computer savvy? Wait on the phone for hours instead. Maybe we’ll get to your call.
If you’re a native Spanish speaker, the commonwealth will provide poorly translated instructions that create more confusion. You’re an essential worker and your health matters to us. Sort of.
We’re finally seeing a reduction in the number of new cases and deaths — numbers that are still too high for comfort, mind you — only to see new variants of the disease sweep across the nation. Last week brought confirmation that the first case of the South African mutation was recorded in eastern Virginia.
We can open restaurants so employees can work and businesses can stay afloat, but they cannot operate at capacity, and they have to close early, and indoor dining is still a tremendous risk for spreading the virus. But here’s some money to open outdoor dining. In February.
On and on and on it goes. Each open door finds a brick wall. Anger swells, anxiety rises and people reach their wits’ end.
It can be challenging to remain optimistic in these conditions. It’s very easy to slip into despair and depression. Indeed, mental health officials are deeply concerned about the long-term and short-term toll of the pandemic on our communities.
So how should we deal with the fatigue of this moment, what New York Public Radio host Tanzina Vega termed the “pandemic wall.” Washington Post features writer Maura Judkis describes it as “the particular and sudden feeling of spiritual and emotional exhaustion with life during COVID times”?
The Virginia Department of Health has some strong suggestions that will sound familiar from a year ago and still ring true.
Keep in touch with loved ones, by phone or using virtual conference software. It’s not the same as an in-person visits but it will alleviate loneliness and the absence of personal connections.
Find ways to help, if you’re able, by checking in with neighbors to see if they need help, or by volunteering with a non-profit organization working to assist those most affected in the pandemic. Even making a modest donation can make a difference.
As the weather warms, take advantage of it by getting outside regularly, for exercise or just to get out of the house and enjoy the sunshine. Diving into a hobby can help with idle time, keeping mind and body occupied. Trying a new restaurant — either pickup or delivery is still best — will help you, help employees and help local businesses.
Most importantly, though, reach out if you feel yourself spiraling into depression or in need of support. VDH promotes the Virginia C.O.P.E.S. (compassionate, optimistic, person-centered, empowering support) line at (877) 349-6428, a toll-free number. A counselor can provide referral options for “mental and behavioral health and other services.”
It may seem like we’ll never get through this, but we will. Stay strong, keep the faith and hold tight to the certain knowledge that every day is one day closer to the end of this pandemic.
A midnight phone call from a student forced to streets after a disturbance in her emotionally abusive home; a high school senior forced to choose between helping feed his family or keeping up with school, putting graduation at risk; empty cupboards, stomachs and bank accounts.
Each scenario is real. In each scenario, Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads was a lifeline.
A CIS staff member retrieved the student, took her to a safe place, and has been involved in connecting the family to resources ever since; noticing the student had not logged into school for days, a CIS staff member made a personal visit and talked through his specific barriers, resulting in re-engagement and commitment to obtaining a diploma; 18 CIS staff members regularly distribute food and supplies to students and families.
CIS was founded on the premise that relationships change lives. During these extraordinary times, when staying connected is more important and challenging than ever, CIS empowers K-12 students with the support they need, setting them on a path of lifelong success. As the examples above show, the roadblocks along that path often have nothing to do with academics, and everything to do with circumstances beyond any child’s control.
In Hampton Roads, two of every five school-aged children live in poverty. These students are “our” kids. Our kids carry adult-sized burdens to school every day: unmet basic needs, homelessness, systemic racism, the effects of trauma, untreated medical issues, language barriers and more. Local communities have many resources to address these challenges, but the maze of services can be challenging to navigate.
CIS of Hamptons Roads’ presence in 19 schools in Chesapeake, Hampton, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, and Virginia Beach gives 868 of these students a one-onone relationship with a CIS site coordinator who, for many, is the only trusted adult in their lives. For others, the site coordinator represents an added layer of support, encouragement and advocacy in a world full of seemingly insurmountable barriers and risks.
Now, more than ever, CIS relationships are changing lives. As soon as schools closed, our team connected with students, ensuring basic needs were met and finding new ways to continue the individualized supports that help students set goals, stay on track and succeed. Despite the challenges last spring, 97% of our case-managed students advanced to the next grade and 94% of our seniors graduated.
The ongoing adaptation to virtual learning has proven stressful for families already hanging on by a thread. CIS is relentless in contacting families weekly, pivoting programs designed to be delivered in school buildings to virtual formats, and tracking the impact of the crisis so we can collaborate with school systems and community service providers to clear barriers to school engagement.
Our site coordinators are on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. They visit neighborhoods to meet the students who need them wherever they are. They face the realities of poverty, homelessness and hunger head-on. They address mental and physical health issues. They triage wide-spanning needs, help provide a stable environment for learning and make sure every student’s potential has the chance to be ignited.
The pandemic has drawn overdue attention to the need for changes within our education system to ensure equitable access to success. CIS of Hampton Roads is a necessary partner in exploring innovative approaches that incorporate social, emotional and trauma-informed learning and addressing inequities exacerbated by technology-based learning. As our school districts recalibrate, collaboration with partners like CIS will be critical if we are to prevent thousands of students from falling through the cracks.
CIS of Hampton Roads, a not-for-profit organization, is dedicated to surrounding students with a network of support to foster success in school and beyond. We can’t do it alone. We urge you to visit our website at cisofhamptonroads.org to learn more and support our work. Together, we will create bright futures for our kids.
Dr. Hope Sinclair is executive director of Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads. Wendy Hosick is chair of the board of directors for Communities in Schools of Hampton Roads.