In light of the COVID-19 situation, people are required to stay at home in order to avoid the spread of the disease. In fact, staying at home will help to protect your friend, colleagues and vulnerable groups.
Following this global outbreak, closing schools, canceling mass gatherings, working from home, self-quarantine, self-isolation, avoiding crowds among others will keep the virus from spreading fast. Epidemiologists call this strategy of preventing a huge spike in cases “flattening the curve”
Even if someone is young and healthy, self-quarantine will slow down the rate of the epidemic cases.
Specifically, the more young people are sick, the more old people will be sick and the more pressure there will be on the health care system.
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, people over the age of 60 and people who suffering from chronic medical conditions are at high risk, since they both considered the most vulnerable groups to severe pneumonia from COVID-19.
With hospitals filled by coronavirus patients, staying at home will also prevent the health system from being overloaded.
Keep in mind that hospitals and doctors are already facing several cases everyday, that is why of vital importance to have available doctors and enough ventilator rooms for those who really need it.
Although staying at home might be difficult or frustrating, the UK government issued a guidance to make it easier:
- Plan ahead and think about what you will need in order to be able to stay at home for the full 7 days.
- Talk to your employer, friends and family to ask for their help to access the things you will need in order to successfully stay at home.
- Think about and plan how you can get access to food and other supplies such as medications that you will need during this period.
- Make sure that you keep in touch with friends and family over the phone or through social media.
- Think about things you can do during your time at home. People who have successfully completed a period of staying at home have kept themselves busy with activities such as cooking, reading, online learning and watching films.
