The socio-economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic include a global recession and accompanying economic crisis. The journal article titled “The socio-economic implications of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19): A review,” describes how “social distancing, self-isolation, and travel restrictions have led to a reduced workforce across all economic sectors and caused many jobs to be lost.”
Consequently, the demand for manufactured products and commodities has decreased. Simultaneously, the retail sector faces a scenario where the demand is outstripping the supply due to panic buying and the reduced supply of imported dry goods like rice from countries like China and India.
The good news is that there are a few silver linings to the COVID-19 cloud, one being that people have started taking care of their mental and physical health. Here are several examples of how people are putting mechanisms into place to improve their overall health and well-being.
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Quit smoking
Smokers across the globe are worried about the consequences of smoking and contracting COVID-19. Simone Pettigrew highlights this fact in her article titled “COVID-19 has offered us an unexpected opportunity to help more people quit smoking.” She goes onto state that it is well-known that “smokers hospitalized with COVID-19 are more likely to become severely unwell and die than non-smokers with the disease.”
As a result, smokers have taken note and, as UK statistics report, over a million smokers have quit since the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
It is not easy to quit smoking, especially dealing with the resultant cravings and withdrawal symptoms. The good news is that there are measures available such as vaping nicotine-based e-liquids. This V2 vapor manufactured by vaping consists of different nicotine strengths allowing smokers to select a nicotine strength similar to the number of cigarettes they smoke.
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Maintain a healthy diet
Nutrition and healthy eating often fall by the wayside in times of extreme stress. Our bodies crave comfort foods like ice-cream and chocolate. However, it is imperative to maintain a healthy diet during the COVID-19 pandemic. People are dealing with extraordinary stress levels brought on by the unknowns of the coronavirus and the impact of remaining isolated from other people for months at a time. Thus, we need to eat foods that boost our immune system, reduce stress, and provide the foundation for a quick recovery if we contract the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
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Find ways to connect socially
One of the biggest challenges with the mandatory isolation imposed by the world’s governments to control the spread of the virus is that people are social creatures. We need face-to-face connections with other people. The good news is that the online world has provided us with the possibilities to connect via the online space.
Ergo, the vast majority of the global population now communicates digitally with their family and friends. For instance, people hold virtual dinner parties using digital communication tools like Zoom, FaceTime, and WhatsApp video. And while experts such as psychologists and psychiatrists are concerned about the quality of human connection using digital devices instead of face-to-face, practical experience shows that it is possible to connect on a deep and meaningful level with friends and family.
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Exercise regularly
Not only does regular exercise improve physical fitness, but it also increases the endorphin levels in the brain, reducing stress and anxiety levels. The caveat here is that some lockdown regulations do not allow regular outdoor exercise. This can be mitigated by doing housework or joining online exercise classes held via Zoom.
Final thought
These are just a few of the ways to take control of your physical, mental health, and well-being. The secret to thriving in the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic is to take one day at a time and to implement new measures to improve your overall health one step at a time.
