Keeping calm and carrying on ...
These are extraordinary times. Lottie Macro urges us to stay calm and pull together to get through it as a community
I know the world seems to be a bit chaotic right now, so I want to put everything into perspective and give you a different viewpoint of the situation we are currently facing. Despite the devastation and suffering the Coronavirus has caused, and may continue to cause, we will pull together within our communities and support one another. In times of trouble, we need to try hard to think rationally and support our loved ones – not fall into panicking and fighting over toilet roll and hand sanitiser! Whenever things go wrong in life, it’s important to consider what it can teach you and how you can grow from it. So, in turn, we can ask ourselves “what can the Corona virus teach us?” We can look at this as a learning curve. So what can we do?
If Coronavirus has taught us anything, it has definitely taught us that our instinctual reaction to a pandemic is panic. Naturally, when you are in fear, your brain is irrational. However, when we are experiencing a global pandemic, we need to be rational more than ever before. If you go to your local supermarket, you will notice that some shelves are, unfortunately, rather depleted. The initial reaction - prompted by fear and panic - has been a typically consumerist reaction: we have been buying more than we need in fear of undergoing self-isolation and, as a result, others have started to panic-buy because they are concerned that shop items will run out before they get the chance to buy what they are genuinely running low on and desperately need – and this cycle is continuing! It is important that you don’t stockpile as it is really unfair on others; food banks are now struggling due to people stock-piling. If you have bought more than you need, you could donate to your local food bank. I don’t think you and your family of 5 are going to go through a 24-pack of toilet roll in two or three weeks! Please be considerate of others.
Coronavirus has also taught us a lot about personal hygiene. Regardless of the Corona virus, we should always ensure that we wash our hands thoroughly after we use the toilet and before we eat food (20 seconds is the WHO suggested length of time to wash your hands). Right now, it is so important that you wash your hands or use hand sanitiser to clean your hands when you are in/after you have been to a public places, and any other time you feel is necessary. Also, remember to be sensible with how much hand sanitiser you use and don’t waste it.
Thirdly, it is so important that we check in on our loved ones. It’s completely natural and understandable to be feeling anxious or worried so if you’re picking up negative vibes from someone you know, check that they’re feeling okay and reassure them in any way that you can. Keep talking to your friends. Keep your social networks and the school community together. And, most importantly, check in on your own mental health. Please make sure you take care of yourself and, if you need to, do things that make you feel safe, comfortable and relaxed. Remember to try not to panic as panicking can only escalate the seriousness of these situations, as it leads to stockpiling and issues with mental health.
The news that exams have been cancelled will have thrown us all - but remember it isn't the exam itself that's important, it's all the learning we've been doing. Even though the process isn't fully understood yet, we know that all that hard work will be rewarded, so don't let worries about the lack of exams overwhelm you now. Everything will be managed fairly and nothing will have been wasted effort.
Although school is closed, the school community is still pulling together in a fantastic effort to maintain virtual support and education. Make sure that you check in to Firefly and check your emails. Keep working and keep learning - and make sure you ask your teachers for help if you need any support with work or with the current situation.
Finally, I thought I’d finish this article with 5 pieces of good news that we can be grateful for:
1) Of about 80,000 people sick from Covid-19 in China, more than 95% have now recovered and been discharged from hospitals (statistic from WHO).
2) Scientists have figured out how Coronavirus breaks into human cells; this will help significantly with developing treatments. Researchers are working tirelessly on vaccinations and treatments. Bill Gates has just announced an enormous cash injection to help with this.
3) China has sent a team of medical experts and gear to help Italy fight Coronavirus.
4) Football fans in Italy are donating their ticket refunds to hospitals in need.
5) Some supermarkets are preparing to keep providing meals to students who rely on getting them at school, following the closure of schools on Friday 20 March.
We will get through this. Keep in touch and keep calm!
Lottie Macro, Year 11
I know the world seems to be a bit chaotic right now, so I want to put everything into perspective and give you a different viewpoint of the situation we are currently facing. Despite the devastation and suffering the Coronavirus has caused, and may continue to cause, we will pull together within our communities and support one another. In times of trouble, we need to try hard to think rationally and support our loved ones – not fall into panicking and fighting over toilet roll and hand sanitiser! Whenever things go wrong in life, it’s important to consider what it can teach you and how you can grow from it. So, in turn, we can ask ourselves “what can the Corona virus teach us?” We can look at this as a learning curve. So what can we do?
If Coronavirus has taught us anything, it has definitely taught us that our instinctual reaction to a pandemic is panic. Naturally, when you are in fear, your brain is irrational. However, when we are experiencing a global pandemic, we need to be rational more than ever before. If you go to your local supermarket, you will notice that some shelves are, unfortunately, rather depleted. The initial reaction - prompted by fear and panic - has been a typically consumerist reaction: we have been buying more than we need in fear of undergoing self-isolation and, as a result, others have started to panic-buy because they are concerned that shop items will run out before they get the chance to buy what they are genuinely running low on and desperately need – and this cycle is continuing! It is important that you don’t stockpile as it is really unfair on others; food banks are now struggling due to people stock-piling. If you have bought more than you need, you could donate to your local food bank. I don’t think you and your family of 5 are going to go through a 24-pack of toilet roll in two or three weeks! Please be considerate of others.
Coronavirus has also taught us a lot about personal hygiene. Regardless of the Corona virus, we should always ensure that we wash our hands thoroughly after we use the toilet and before we eat food (20 seconds is the WHO suggested length of time to wash your hands). Right now, it is so important that you wash your hands or use hand sanitiser to clean your hands when you are in/after you have been to a public places, and any other time you feel is necessary. Also, remember to be sensible with how much hand sanitiser you use and don’t waste it.
Thirdly, it is so important that we check in on our loved ones. It’s completely natural and understandable to be feeling anxious or worried so if you’re picking up negative vibes from someone you know, check that they’re feeling okay and reassure them in any way that you can. Keep talking to your friends. Keep your social networks and the school community together. And, most importantly, check in on your own mental health. Please make sure you take care of yourself and, if you need to, do things that make you feel safe, comfortable and relaxed. Remember to try not to panic as panicking can only escalate the seriousness of these situations, as it leads to stockpiling and issues with mental health.
The news that exams have been cancelled will have thrown us all - but remember it isn't the exam itself that's important, it's all the learning we've been doing. Even though the process isn't fully understood yet, we know that all that hard work will be rewarded, so don't let worries about the lack of exams overwhelm you now. Everything will be managed fairly and nothing will have been wasted effort.
Although school is closed, the school community is still pulling together in a fantastic effort to maintain virtual support and education. Make sure that you check in to Firefly and check your emails. Keep working and keep learning - and make sure you ask your teachers for help if you need any support with work or with the current situation.
Finally, I thought I’d finish this article with 5 pieces of good news that we can be grateful for:
1) Of about 80,000 people sick from Covid-19 in China, more than 95% have now recovered and been discharged from hospitals (statistic from WHO).
2) Scientists have figured out how Coronavirus breaks into human cells; this will help significantly with developing treatments. Researchers are working tirelessly on vaccinations and treatments. Bill Gates has just announced an enormous cash injection to help with this.
3) China has sent a team of medical experts and gear to help Italy fight Coronavirus.
4) Football fans in Italy are donating their ticket refunds to hospitals in need.
5) Some supermarkets are preparing to keep providing meals to students who rely on getting them at school, following the closure of schools on Friday 20 March.
We will get through this. Keep in touch and keep calm!
Lottie Macro, Year 11