Whether cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in your area or not, it’s likely you’ve followed the news on quarantines, isolation, and social distancing as the virus spreads. As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, quarantine refers to restricting the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. Isolation, on the other hand, refers to separating people who are indeed sick from those who are not, to prevent the spread of the illness. And lastly, social distancing refers to efforts to minimize the risk of infection; for example, using alternatives to shaking hands, or avoiding crowded public transportation.
Whether you fit into those three categories or not, many people are staying home in an effort to avoid getting (or spreading) illnesses. With the virus on everybody’s minds, it’s tempting to keep busy by constantly thinking about it: for example, reading every single news update, or going out in search of more supplies than experts suggest you actually need. But if feelings of stress, dread, or loneliness are kicking in, there are plenty of things you can try while at home that might help.