cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 
Main content skiplink
Join an event. Happening today.

Let's Chat: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

 

It’s been a big start to the year with lots of world news that can start to get a bit much. It’s no surprise that seeing updates about the Coronavirus has been stressful for some people. 

 

If you are feeling anxious about this virus, we want you to know that you are not alone and you don’t have to struggle in silence. Feel free to have a chat about it here with us. As always, we are here to listen and support you through tough times. 

 

What personally helped me wrap my head around the Coronavirus was getting the facts. I’d really encourage everyone to have a read through them here and check out the links at the bottom of this post for the latest, updated health information: 

 

  •  Australia is taking action: There are protective measures in place including travel bans, self isolation and social distancing to reduce the transmission of the virus. You can find up to date information on the action Australia is taking here and here.
  • Person to person spread of corona viruses generally occurs between people who are close contacts with one another. A close contact is someone who has been face to face for at least 15 minutes, or been in the same closed space for at least 2 hours, with a person that was infectious.  
  • Globally the fatality rate is 2%, which is significantly lower than other recent major outbreaks. It is important to remind ourselves that we have a good healthcare system in Australia that is working hard to make sure we’re all okay.
  • It’s important not to avoid Chinese people, Chinese products or Chinatown as this can have very negative outcomes for this community. If anyone is at risk of transmitting they will be isolated. There is also a great article here about dealing with and fighting against the racism associated with this outbreak. 
  • Although it can be stressful sitting with the uncertainty of a new virus, know that scientists are working really hard to get on top of this. 

What can help to ease the stress is working on the things we do know and can control. Read on here if you need some tips on coping with things out of your control. 

 

So what can you do? 

 

  • Wash your hands frequently: Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub if your hands are not visibly dirty.
  • Practice respiratory hygiene: When coughing and sneezing, cover your mouth and nose with the crook of your elbow or a tissue – get rid of the tissue immediately into a closed bin and clean your hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water. Also, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth. 
  • If you have a fever, cough and/or difficulty breathing, seek medical care early. Tell your health care provider if you have travelled overseas, or if you have been in close contact with someone with who has travelled recently and has respiratory symptoms.

If you’re still feeling like you need more information, we’ve got some links below that might help to reduce the stress. 

 

  • Get all the information you need on the NSW Health site here or check out the FAQ page on the Department of Health website
  • If you’re feeling unwell and would like to check your symptoms you can do so here
  • Coronavirus health information line, call 1800 020 080 for people with questions regarding prevention and the spread of the coronavirus
  • Healthdirect helpline, call 1800 022 222 to speak to a registered nurse who can provide advice when you're not sure what to do — whether you should see a local GP, manage the condition at home, or go to an emergency department, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
  • This is a great info-graphic on coping with the stress of a viral outbreak here

 

You are not alone, and we will get through this together Heart

 

 

Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 14-02-2020 01:27 PM

Comments (6 pages)

 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 02-07-2021 03:55 PM

Hey everyone, just thought I'd check in on this thread. How is everyone going with the recent lockdowns?

 

 
DanOstin
DanOstinPosted 08-08-2020 06:39 PM
Thanks for sharing
 
WheresMySquishy
WheresMySquishyPosted 14-02-2020 06:00 PM

I think this is a great thread @Bre-RO. Like you, it also helped me to find out the facts about the virus.

Something I was taught to do when washing my hands is to make sure that I clean in between my fingers. I often forget to do that.

 
 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 02-03-2020 11:54 AM

Hey @WheresMySquishy 

 

Sorry for the late reply! Getting the facts really helps to put things into perspective and reduce anxiety. Coronavirus has definitely reminded me to be much more mindful of my washing my hands properly as well. 

 

Another tip @Janine-RO shared with me today, is to clean your phone twice a day with an antibacterial wipe!

 
 
 
Tiny_leaf
Tiny_leafPosted 03-03-2020 06:02 PM

@Bananatime04 would you like to come check this thread out?

It might help with your anxiety and give you a good place to chat about it.

 
 
 
 
Bananatime04
Bananatime04Posted 03-03-2020 06:33 PM

@Tiny_leafI don’t wanna make this space a negative space by sharing my worries. It’s ok but thank you for tagging me. I feel better now (in terms of sadness, not so much stress)

 
 
 
 
 
Tiny_leaf
Tiny_leafPosted 04-03-2020 10:00 PM

I have a cold. (just a cold) But everyone's freaking out and buying all the tissues. Smiley Frustrated

Idk if this is the right place, but does anyone have any tips for dealing with a cold when everyone else is panic buying all the stuff that would probably help?

 
 
 
 
 
WheresMySquishy
WheresMySquishyPosted 05-03-2020 07:00 PM

I hope you feel better soon @Tiny_leaf. Heart
Are you able to find saline wipes? I found some many years ago, but I've never found them again. They helped to clear my nose.

 
 
 
 
 
Janine-RO
Janine-ROPosted 11-03-2020 09:50 AM

@WheresMySquishy  @Tiny_leaf  saline wipes, and saline nasal rinses, are amazing! I've used them with my kids and for myself, I've seen them at big places like Chemist Warehouse (you can order online too). I'm prone to sinus infections and even though it's totally gross, saline rinses can help a lot. Total convert here! 😄

 
 
 
 
 
Tiny_leaf
Tiny_leafPosted 05-03-2020 07:02 PM

Thanks @WheresMySquishy 

I've never actually heard of them, what are they?

 
 
 
 
 
WheresMySquishy
WheresMySquishyPosted 11-03-2020 03:08 PM

Sorry @Tiny_leaf, I somehow missed your post. Smiley Embarassed
Saline wipes often come in packs that look like baby wipes, but are labelled as having saline or being used for your nose and face. They're basically a wet wipe soaked in saline. A lot of products for colds have saline in them.
@Janine-RO  I've tried to use the saline rinses too! I have a history of rhinitis and sinus issues as well. Whenever I get a cold, I tend to get really affected. It would cause me to miss out on a lot of school when I was younger. 😞
I remember preferring the saline wipes to saline nasal sprays, but I've never been able to find the brand I got many years ago in stores (I think I found them in Big W). I've found them online though.

 
 
 
 
 
Tiny_leaf
Tiny_leafPosted 11-03-2020 03:48 PM

@WheresMySquishy ah yep.

 

Actually I think that there's a rumor going around that they can stop people getting coronavirus (they can't) so now everyone's buying them. Smiley Indifferent

 
 
 
 
 
WheresMySquishy
WheresMySquishyPosted 11-03-2020 04:36 PM

That's crazy @Tiny_leaf! Smiley Surprised

One of my relatives is a GP who recently sent someone to be tested for coronavirus. Then he took the day off today because he had a cold. We all got scared!

 
 
 
 
 
Khajiit
KhajiitPosted 13-03-2020 02:01 AM

I feel like this might have been mentioned before. But. When we first heard about coronavirus, I did not expect the toilet paper to be a problem. A little bit of a weird story...

My GP told me that they might need to shut their toilet because they couldn't supply the toilet paper needed. I feel bad for anyone that might need it. Imagine going there and finding out you either need to hold it in or make your way home and hope for the best! xD

 
 
 
 
 
Tiny_leaf
Tiny_leafPosted 14-03-2020 08:06 PM

Hey everyone.

There's a website specifically made for dealing with coronavirus anxiety.

Here it is for anyone interested: https://www.virusanxiety.com/

 
 
 
 
 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 16-03-2020 03:22 PM

Thanks for sharing that @Tiny_leaf  

 

Also, a reminder to anyone feeling overwhelmed that you can chat with us about it or if you'd like a distraction we have a few threads that might help: 

 

Good news stories

 

Positive/Helpful Memes 

 

Games Board 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Bananatime04
Bananatime04Posted 16-03-2020 03:23 PM

My school might be shutting down.. and gymnastics.. and everything 😞 I don’t know what to do

 
 
 
 
 
Janine-RO
Janine-ROPosted 16-03-2020 03:35 PM

Hey @Bananatime04 , 

 

I know it can feel really scary and uncertain at the moment, and there's a lot of uncertainty about what will be happening in future weeks with schools and every day activities. 

I'm finding it helpful to try and keep my mind in the present as much as I can, and I found a list of tips from a psychologist about how to deal with anxiety around the COVID-19 virus to be really helpful too. 

 

Sorry for the copy/paste (I posted this in another thread earlier today!) but I thought it might be helpful in this thread, so here it is:

 

I also came across this great post of practical ideas to cope with the anxiety and overwhelm at the moment, you're so right, the constant vigilance feels exhausting and overwhelming. 

 

It's from a psychologist who works with kids and these are his ideas:

 

"Anxiety on the up? 

 

Turn off the news

Put the phone away for a few hours

Accept you can't control everything so work on what you can

Exercise

Write in your journal

Clean or organise something

Listen to music

Read

Watch a fun movie with the family

Board games

 

And my own additions - do something kind for someone else. 

 

I love the idea of these cards!

 

Image may contain: text

 

Where you are, there's still less than 10 cases, so hopefully school closures may not happen. But I can understand the anxiety, the ReachOut community will all be right here for you, and everyone Heart 

 

 
 
 
 
 
MisoBear
MisoBearPosted 16-03-2020 05:21 PM

Hey everyone,

 

I'm so glad this is a thread, I've been needing this in my life. As someone who already experiences quite a lot of worry and stress in my everyday life, I've felt pretty crap about this coronavirus stuff. It hit me like a tonne of bricks on Saturday when I realised my work may have to shut down at some point, and that my uni might shut down. Operative word here is "might" but it's still a bit scary.

 

So what have I been doing about it?

1. Resisted the urge to panic buy a tonne of items by going supermarket shopping with my friend and partner. That way, we could reassure each other that we don't need to buy 47 packets of pasta just because everyone else seems to be doing that. Thankfully the supermarkets now have signs up letting people know they can only buy a limited amount of things, but seeing bare shelves is a bit confronting. Also recognising my priviledge that I don't have to deal with scarcity in my every day life and that I usually don't even have to think about whether there will be food on the shelves at the supermarket. We are SO lucky in Australia. 

 

2. Taking a break from constantly consuming news and social media. 

 

3. Completing my uni work and trying (as much as possible) to go about my everyday activities as normally as possible, without putting myself in danger. This meant going to the doctor even though I was afraid of doing so, because I had to get a renewal on my mental health plan and results from a screening I did. I was worried but the doctor was completely fine, I didn't have to wait long and I sanitised when I left. 

 

4. Got some sunshine and played with my pet. Pets are awesome! SELF CARE!

 

I hope you all are doing okay. I feel for anyone with mental health problems or who is going through a time time with the coronavirus stuff. It absolutely sucks but also there are things we can try and do to help us feel a bit better. 

 
 
 
 
 
Bre-RO
Bre-ROPosted 17-03-2020 09:41 AM

Hey @MisoBear I'm so glad that you're expressing how you feel about the virus. I think a lot of people have recently had that moment when the gravity of what is going on hits them like a tonne of bricks. 

 

What is really uplifting to see is that even though you're feeling stressed about the situation you're actively thinking about what to do. Thanks for sharing that - I think others will find your tips helpful. 

 

Pets are the best in times like this!! 

 

 
 
 
 
 
WheresMySquishy
WheresMySquishyPosted 17-03-2020 07:53 PM

I've been feeling kind of hopeless about the impacts of coronavirus. But I think it's important to remember that what we are feeling is valid and okay. Heart

 
 
 
 
 
Hozzles
HozzlesPosted 17-03-2020 08:11 PM

Thanks for everyone's wonderful advice in this thread. It's nice to see everyone coming together during this time. Heart

I've just been feeling so frustrated, for a number of reasons. It's a bit awkward, but i might just list them:

1. I'm frustrated at events being cancelled, obviously, and places being closed. I understand that this is the best possible option right now, but being out and active outside my home really helps with my mental health. Being stuck inside makes me ruminate. It's stupid, because sometimes all I do is not leave my house for weeks and not talk to anyone, but I'm feeling less connected to anyone than ever.

2. This seems unfair, but I've felt myself getting frustrated with all the resources suddenly being pulled together for people in isolation, even simple things like 'how to take care of yourself when social distancing'. They're nice, but... where are these resources for people who are housebound (whether for disability or mental health or other reasons) the rest of the time? Gyms and stuff are offering streaming into classes... why aren't these available regularly for people who are housebound because of disability etc? I can only hope this allows people to open up their eyes and see what isolation is really like for those that have to deal with it on the daily. Additionally, I hope it opens up a conversation about the necessities of basic healthcare.

3. Kind related, but it's weird seeing anxiety be so normalized. While I do sometimes have bad health anxiety, it's never extended to obsessive hand-washing etc and I really, really feel for everyone else with OCD (especially health-OCD) at the moment. But also, I feel bad about my regular struggles at the moment. My anxiety and depression seems so minimal and unimportant compared to the entire world in crisis... but unfortunately this makes things worse, lol.

 
 
 
 
 
trashconverters
trashconvertersPosted 17-03-2020 08:22 PM

Feeling super bummed out today because I'm an Irish-Australian and my family are all folk musicians and so March 17 (St Patricks Day!) is when a lot of memories have happened for me and usually I try to go to an Irish folk jam with my guitar or my mandolin but everything has been cancelled, which sucks. But I had a bit of an epiphany the other day and I posted about it on FB and it might be helpful for people on here:

 

"A comforting thought: how lucky are we that Covid-19 happened now, in the 21st century, in 2020!

 

How lucky are we that we live in an age where we know about hygiene and social distancing, rather than say, when we thought illnesses were caused by "bad air"? How lucky are we that we live in an age where vaccination is a thing and scientists are working on one as soon as possible?

 

How lucky are we to have technology that means that we can facetime friends and family all over the world? that we can still hear their voices and see their faces, quarantine be damned, cause we have The Internet! And we have Netflix, and online virtual libraries, and tutorials on YouTube, and all the knowledge you could ever want at your fingertips! How miraculous is that!

 

How lucky are we to live a world where anyone can whip out a smartphone and film the moment a whole quarantined apartment complex bursts into song! That in mere hours that video can go all the way from Italy to my timeline here in Australia!

 

Things sort of suck big time right now, but we are also so so lucky, and we're gunna get through this, and cause this is the 21st century, we're gunna have record that we did!"

 

Do with that what you will. But I'm glad we're dealing with it now, with all of the tech we have! 

 

My housemate had been really hospitable and let me put on my folk playlist and helped celebrate it with me,  but it feels sad not going out with my mando, because Irish folk music is very important to me and who I am! At least I have The Dubliners and someone who cares about the small things that make me happy! 

 
 
 
 
 
MB95
MB95Posted 19-03-2020 12:15 AM

It's been so comforting reading through this thread and realizing there are so many of us with anxieties around the virus. There's some great tips and links too so thanks guys!! 

 

@trashconverters I also just wanted to take a moment to thank you for that amazing post of yours!!! It's such a beautiful way to look at things rather than getting bogged down in all the negatives and worries so thankyou so much for sharing! I was just about to share it on my FB but realise you personally wrote it so decided that maybe I shouldn't. But I totally think you should make it into a meme post thingo (sorry idk what they're called) and start sharing it around on social media because we need something like that to start circulating!!! 

 

I also feel for you with everything being avoided yesterday. 17th March is also a huge day for me - I've never attended work or school in my life on that day because I'm often irish dancing at several places within the community to celebrate. So I certainly feel your pain! I'm so happy to hear your housemate let you play some folk music though! I know it's not the same but I do hope it helped. Where in Ireland are you from? 

Welcome back!

Join the Community

ReachOut is confidential & anonymous.

8+ characters, 1 capital letter, 1 lower case letter and 1 number

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.