COVID Chaos
Nothing like a little pandemic to keep you on your toes, right?
As if a compromised immune system isn't enough during regular flu season, in comes ol' COVID-19 to spice things up. I've been incredibly fortunate that my MS has been kept very well under control since its initial flare-up; I get to live most days like a "normal" person, without giving much thought to my status as someone with a chronic illness. That is, I GOT to live life like a normal person until the Coronavirus rolled in as if to say...
As if a compromised immune system isn't enough during regular flu season, in comes ol' COVID-19 to spice things up. I've been incredibly fortunate that my MS has been kept very well under control since its initial flare-up; I get to live most days like a "normal" person, without giving much thought to my status as someone with a chronic illness. That is, I GOT to live life like a normal person until the Coronavirus rolled in as if to say...
Now, to be fair, the current situation has everyone in a bit of a frenzy. Arguably, some are over reacting (looking at you, toilet paper hoarders), but many are not. In fact, if there was ever a time to live by the phrase 'better safe than sorry,' it's absolutely now. That being said, I wish our healthy peers would take a step back and try to understand that some of these protocols they see as "extreme" and necessary only because of a worldwide virus spread, actually are steps taken every single day by people with chronic illness - in fact, if people would keep up their current borderline-germaphobe approach to existing beyond the resolution of this pandemic, I know I would appreciate it! However, some of the other behaviors brought about by the current hysteria I cannot wait to see go...
COVID trend #1: Hand Sanitizer
Keeping hand sanitizer in your purse or car to address the germs of the grocery store or gas station while you're out and about??? What a novel concept! ...said no one with a compromised immune system ever. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that no one with a clean bill of health wasn't already wise enough to be taking these steps in their day-to-day life - a car stash of hand sanitizer is a habit I learned from my very healthy mother long before I fell into the 'immune-compromised' category. However, this rush to buy any sanitizer in sight leads me to believe that a lot of people didn't already own any (excluding panic hoarders for the time-being). The way I see it, if you're going to touch something even 10 other people have likely touched that day (grocery cart, gas pump, DOOR HANDLES, elevator buttons, computer mouse/keyboard), it doesn't hurt to squirt some hand sanitizer into your palm after you've done so; that two second action saves you a lot of potential germ action, so why not add it into your routine? What's even more important here, is that in doing so you're not just protecting yourself, but people around you as well! If you eliminate even half the germs you picked up from the gas pump with some hand sanitizer, the next hand you shake, door you open, or mouse you click is just that much less gross. My compromised immune system thanks you for that!
EXCEPT THERE IS. We'll get to that later.
COVID trend #2: Washing Your Hands
...sorry, were we not already doing this?
This might be the most concerning revelation to come out of all this for me - turns out, a lot of people weren't - or at least weren't doing it correctly. I guess I take for granted my heightened awareness of/concern about germs and the potential for getting sick, but man I thought the people around me were cleaner than they were. I find myself laughing whenever I see a reminder posted in the grocery store, or on the news, or on social media about how to wash your hands correctly, but it's definitely not "that's so funny" laughter, it's more of the "oh my God it is concerning we have to even say that" discomfort laughter. This is the trend I hope sticks around when people are done obsessing over their potential demise; keep washing those hands, keep killing those germs, and keep taking the easy daily steps to protect your immune-compromised friends, family, and neighbors!
COVID trend #3: Social Distancing
Let's be honest, my introverted, bookworm self is not mad about being told I have to stay home and away from people. Sure, I miss being able to go grab a drink or dinner out with my husband and friends, but when it comes down to it, this is a very small sacrifice for the greater good. This is another area where I think people of good health are unknowingly getting a taste of what life is like for people with chronic illness. Don't want to risk facing germs around important events or commitments? Stay home. There's a bug going around you know could knock you out? Stay home. Other people might be sick and not realize it? Stay home. While it's everyone's reality now amidst the very valid COVID concerns, it sounds a lot like my normal routine in those same circumstances 365 days a year. I actually had my infusion scheduled the week our office was sent home to telework, so I was already home as a precaution - a major upset for many of my coworkers was part of my semi-annual routine.
While we all miss our friends, our casual outings, our ability to shop or run errands whenever we feel like it, big shoutout to those of you who have been following the social distancing guidelines from day 1 - they may sound goofy, but for the chronically ill community they're more important than ever. You may feel fine or barely sick while carrying around a bug that could land me in the hospital; that's not just COVID for immune-compromised people, that's the flu, bronchitis, pneumonia, you name it. Take this COVID rule with you into the post-COVID world (it will come one day, even if it doesn't feel that way now!) and keep your germs at home and away from others! You may not want to use up all your sick days, but I don't want to end up in the hospital when a light chest infection for you becomes pneumonia for me. Think about the people around you in your workplace, your workout class, the grocery store, anywhere you think it'll be fine to take those sickly germs. You always have a choice...
And finally...the trendiest of COVID trends: Hoarding Supplies.
First and foremost I want to pose a few questions:
- How much toilet paper do you really think you're going to go through in a few weeks?
- Do you realize grocery shopping is still allowed, even during stay-at-home orders?
- Are you aware that grocery delivery is and has been a thing for years?
- Why do you need 2,349 cases of bottled water? Your tap is not going to get COVID.
- How long do you think a bottle of hand sanitizer can last you?
- Do you live with 86 people on some epic compound?
These are some of the many musings as I've watched people panic buy absurd amounts of supplies, freak out online over not being able to find them, or watched far overworked grocery store employees try to explain to yet another person that they do not control how much stock they get each day or when it will arrive next. This is an annoyance affecting everyone these days, but I find myself often thinking of people in the chronically ill or disabled communities most. These are groups that aren't able to wait in a crowd for Costco to open its doors just to sprint to the Clorox wipes and toilet paper and load their cart with enough for an entire colony (my mom witnessed a man literally fill his entire pickup truck bed with a pile of toilet paper and cases of water...). There are individuals who legitimately need hand sanitizer, rubber gloves, and masks to safely administer daily or weekly medications, change bandages, or have help from a caretaker. There are individuals going through chemo or similar treatment regimens that are at serious risk should they get so much as a cold. And yet, they're unable to get their hands on gloves, masks, hand sanitizer, and other medical supplies and basic daily essentials because the general public is FREAKING OUT in the most selfish of ways.
As I mentioned earlier, I am a regular carrier of hand sanitizer - one in my purse, one in my car, one in my husband's car, one in my desk drawer, and one in my backpack should we decide to hit the pool or take a hike. Even as an immune-compromised person, I did not rush to the store to buy whatever germ-killing supplies I could because I knew I had a few containers of Clorox wipes at home, hand sanitizer was available, and the only time I wear rubber gloves is to dye my hair...really not a necessity that took precedence over people actually needing them for medical use. But then...my car sanitizer ran out. Then my purse sanitizer. Then my branch of my office was put on full telework and not allowed to even enter the building. Suddenly, no hand sanitizer for me! Watching people hoard unnecessary amounts of supplies was already frustrating, but when I couldn't even find a travel size bottle of hand sanitizer ANYWHERE to just have in my purse for my few grocery trips, it showed to me just how absurd this has all gotten. I respect the need for precautions - even APPRECIATE people taking the precautions - but take them with your other community members in mind. That travel size hand sanitizer? Even if you use it throughout the day every day, it can and will last you months. You do not need a case of them for your family of 4. You do not need to bathe in it.
This has been your frustrated MS-er PSA/rant on hoarding. Moral of the story? Before you hoard excessive amounts of supplies - healthy, chronically ill, whatever - think of the people around you. Think of your elderly neighbors, your friends with compromised immune systems, community members going through chemo or transplants, even those around you who may be dealing with mental health conditions like OCD or germ-related phobias - other people need cleaning supplies, and hand sanitizer, and masks, and gloves, and toilet paper just as much as you do - maybe even more. Did you experience an initial panic and buy too much up front? Post on NextDoor or Facebook and offer supplies if anyone needs them. Drop some off at a local nursing home (call ahead to follow their isolation protocols though!). Donate them to a domestic violence shelter. Give medical supplies to your local hospital - even they're struggling to keep their inventories full!
Basically:
The Coronavirus is doing enough of that for everyone.
Bottom line: while hand washing and cleaning can fight this virus, being kind to and taking care of and being considerate of the people around you can do that in its own way too. The chronic illness community is a large, supportive one - let's take care of each other and flatten that curve!
Now, talking about COVID is stressful and annoying and I know I'm over hearing about the doom and gloom 24/7, so here's some examples of people and places being great in the face of all this chaos to turn your day around!
Fashion designer Christian Siriano and team pivoted from making glamorous gowns to protecting our healthcare workers by sewing protective masks - they've made thousands of masks already.
The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago may be closed to human visitors, but its residents have been getting to explore it for themselves and I'm not sure what's cuter than penguins waddling around between exhibits.
A 3D Printing company in Italy is helping to turn scuba gear into ventilator masks to address the shortage experienced by hospitals!
Distilleries across the country are shifting from drinkable alcohol to the germ-killing variety to help address hand sanitizer shortages. You can even order your own from a local spot - search by state at the first link!
Some celebs are putting their money where their mouth is and pushing funds to industries most in need, such as food banks and other services supporting low-income families.
Need some more uplifting news?
Know of other great examples? Leave them in a comment for your fellow readers to enjoy - we're going to get through this.
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