Coping with COVID
Protecting yourself and others:
The COVID-19 virus is believed to be spread through coughing, sneezing or direct contact with someone ill with COVID-19 or with surfaces they have touched. In order to protect yourself and others, you are asked to:
Thoroughly wash hands often
Avoid touching your face, particularly with unwashed hands
Disinfect surfaces frequently touched
Stay home if you feel unwell
Cover your coughs and sneezes, then wash hands
Be diligent of the restrictions on social gatherings
Maintain appropriate social distancing when you are out of the home
Limit visitors in healthcare facilities to protect high risk populations
Information:
If you are looking for information about COVID-19, please visit:
811 is receiving a significant volume of calls which they are working diligently to address. If you are able, please direct yourself to the COVID-19 Screening tool available at: https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Journey/COVID-19/Pages/COVID-Self-Assessment.aspx
This tool may help you to determine if you need to call 811.
Maintaining Wellness:
The many impacts of COVID-19 are being felt around the world. In these challenging times, stress can wreak havoc on our health. There are many online resources available to provide strategies for stress reduction, remember to remain critical of our sources. Sources to consider are:
If you find yourself unable to manage during this challenging time, please reach out to Alberta's 24-hour Mental Health Help Line: 1-877-303-2642.
Some Tips for Wellness:
Maintain Routine: These activities could include regular household chores, caring for a pet, or working from home. Maintaining these activities will help maintain your body's sleep cycle and may add meaning to the day.
Keep Active: Physical activity boosts self-esteem and natural mood hormones. There are many home-based exercise programs available online. Making use of any activity trackers (e.g. Fitbits, Apple Watches, and health apps) could help us maintain activity through self-isolation. Creativity is key! Remember, physical activity does not require expensive equipment: using canned foods for weights and things like the stairs in our homes are effective tools.
Eat Well: A well balanced diet supports optimal physical and mental health.
Drinking Responsibly: Alcohol often changes our mood and may increase feeling of loneliness. Please remember to stay well hydrated and be mindful of the number of alcoholic beverages. For more information, please see here .
Keep in touch: In our modern era, this can be accomplished many ways while maintain self-isolation, for example: video chats, texting, phone calls, email. We are social beings, maintaining and cultivating social relationships allows us to support one another.
Do things you enjoy! Make a list of activities you enjoy doing and plan time in your day for them. Activities could include: reading, knitting, sewing, journaling, baking, cooking, or crafting
Be aware of your screen time: Balance your daily activities to be both on and off the screen. The stimulating light from many device screens can interrupt sleep patterns, furthering isolation frustration.
Rest: Disturbances in sleep have been shown to have many negative physiologic changes that impact health by causing: intense sugar cravings, weight gain, sexual dysfunction and increased risk for accidental injury.
