5 Easy Strategies to Survive Corona-Pocalypse

By: Marissa F. Cohen
www.marissafayecohen.com







It's safe to assume that even the healthiest person is a little bit nervous about Coronavirus.  I mean, I take my vitamins, drink a lot of water, and work mainly from home... and even I'm a little nervous.  Even if not for myself, because I know I can withstand the illness, I'm nervous for my grandma and elderly friends and neighbors.  So, I'm taking the necessary precautions to keep myself and my community safe.  

The word "Pandemic" warrants some serious concern, but not nearly the hype and hysteria that social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are creating and encouraging.  Pandemic just means it's widespread.  It doesn't add to the fatality rate (which nobody can accurately pinpoint - due to the unknown number of cases), and it doesn't mean that everyone needs to stock up on toilet paper to last them into the next millenia - I'll address this more later.

There are a few, SMART and RESPONSIBLE ways to keep yourself and your community safe, that will calm the hysteria. 

1. Drink Water & Tea

Drink A LOT of water.  Water is essentially our Mana.  It's our life-force, and what our bodies are 70% comprised of.  Also, one of the ways to combat the virus is to keep our mouths and throats moist.  It's recommended to drink a couple sips of water, at minimum, every 15 minutes.  

• Even if the virus gets into your mouth, drinking water will push it down through your throat and into your stomach, where the stomach acid will kill it.  
• Tea is great, because the virus is not heat resistant, and the hot water will kill it.  
• Honey will coat your throat 
• And lemon kills bacteria. 

2. Sanitizer does not replace Soap

Sanitizer is great if you're out shopping for last minute supplies, or you sneeze taking your dogs for a walk.  But sanitizer DOES NOT replace soap!  Soap is 100% effective in destroying the bacteria and virus on your hands and body.  Sanitizer is 60% alcohol, which is great for cleaning mugs.  But it doesn't work as effectively on your body. 

 PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not replace washing your hands regularly, with using sanitizer, as recommended by various doctors and the CDC.  

• It's great when you're outdoors or away from a sink
• It's not as effective in killing the virus. 
• And it's gross.  

The virus can only live on your hands for 5-10 minutes.  And in that time, if you touch your face, which we all do unconsciously all the time  ( I did it 8 times while writing #3), you're infected.  Wash your hands regularly.  And don't forget to wash it down with water or tea. 

3. De-Stress

Nothing makes people sick more than stress.  Think about it.  Big presentation coming up?  Some important family function you've been stressing out and over exerting yourself organizing? Did you get sick?  Probably.  And if not, what vitamin brand do you use?  I want it.  

Stress dramatically tanks your immune system, and invites all kinds of colds, flu's, and illnesses into your body, and your body doesn't have the strength to fight it off.  So, while you're pacing hysterically throughout the aisles of your local food store and someone grabs the last box of Pop-Tarts before you're able to: 

• Stop and take 5 deep breaths, breathing in through your nose for 8 seconds and out through your mouth for 16 seconds.   
• Close your eyes and visualize your "Happy Place" 
• And while you're at it, look up some guided meditations and yoga on youtube.  

Do whatever it is that can help you destress.  It will keep you and your family safe and healthy.  

4. Mob Mentality Has A Higher Fatality Rate than the Virus

I mentioned earlier that the fatality rate is all speculation, and nobody knows how powerful this virus is... all we know is that it's spreading rapidly.  The problem with this lack of knowledge is, it leads to global hysteria, which quickly becomes "Mob Mentality."  Mob mentality is completely emotional, and not based on any rational or logical thinking.  That's when people run each other over in supermarkets to get the last box of Slim Jims... but, why? 

Because we are influenced by our peers and communities, and believe hype that doesn't exist.  It's all about fear.  It's about what we don't know, and hurt each other for "survival of the fittest."  I'm not downplaying that this virus can be dangerous, or should be taken lightly.  But instead of honking at drivers on the road or running people over in supermarkets, let's band together as a community and help each other get through this. 

• Mob mentality has historically caused more fatalities than most illnesses.  
• Mob mentality causes looting, riots and killing each other for resources.  It's dangerous.
• Beware of the Purge.

5. Lack of Information Leads People to do weird things. 

I have probably seen and sent 100 phenomenal memes about the 2020 Toilet Paper Crisis.  We all think it's comical -- it is.  And nobody really knows WHY toilet paper is the go-to resource of choice.  But I can tell you, I've gone to 10 stores and they have all been out, and I'm definitely not alone. 

The majority of people, nowadays, receive their news from Facebook, but a large percentage of the news you find on Facebook is false or clickbait (Source). Especially surrounding Coronavirus, a ton of clickbait, fear-mongering articles came out to instill chaos into society.  

So, to answer the golden question... WHY TOILET PAPER? 

1. Our government has, admittedly, not done a great job of communicating information to us. 
2. The CDC has made a few comments - and the world played Telephone with it.
3. The lack of direction and accurate knowledge, leads to jumping to conclusions, which are usually wrong, and extremely worst-case. 
4. People become frantic.  
5. And when someone posts on Facebook that a store is out of toilet paper, it instills a fear in us that we will be without.  
6. Logical thinking disappears, and we lose our minds over things we don't understand. 
7. Everyone goes out for toilet paper. 
8. Stores run out of toilet paper. 
9. People go nuts.
10. Mob Mentality sets in. 

In conclusion, the Coronavirus is definitely a threat to our community and our country.  But there are easy ways to stay safe in the turmoil.  As long as you're practicing good hygiene, taking care of your body and mind, and staying out of the hype, you'll be fine.  Be responsible.  Buy what you need for you and your family, and allow others to share in the resources.  Nobody needs 144 rolls of toilet paper for the next two weeks... if you do, consult a doctor.