By Isabella Sorial, Fundraising & Social Media Intern for The Global Co Lab Network

There have been daily updates on the spread of COVID-19/Coronavirus around the world. In the midst of all the noise, there are four important steps to remember going forward – stay informed, find peace, be kind, and get involved:

  • Stay informed — Check your source of information.  You can get excellent data here and follow the United Nations World Health Organization or WHO here.  In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC has created a site with helpful information.
  • Find peace — It’s healthy to be concerned and take extra precautions, but we need to be mindful not to panic. Practice good hygiene to safeguard from getting sick — distance yourself from others if possible by 6 feet, wash your hands frequently, take vitamin C, clean surfaces, avoid unnecessary contact with others (shaking hands, and keeping hands away from your eyes, nose, and mouth).  Check-in on one another virtually on a personal level.  Work to maintain your mental health.  While you spend time calling friends and family members, be sure to eat well, exercise, and get good sleep! Here are some more sources for advice.

How to Deal With Coronavirus If You Have OCD or Anxiety VICE

UNICEF-How teenagers can protect their mental health during coronavirus (COVID-19) – 6 strategies for teens facing a new (temporary) normal.

Today-How to survive coronavirus anxiety: 8 tips from mental health experts

  • Be kind  — It is important to treat everyone in our community with kindness and respect. Be kind to one and another each and every day. If you see somebody struggling, lend a helping hand. In addition, if you see a member of our community acting unkind and you believe it may be motivated by xenophobia or any form of bias, be sure to call them out. Learn more about how to combat stigma here. As this situation escalates, we cannot allow fear to turn into hateful actions; we must continue to hold each other accountable to maintain our community’s shared values.
  • Get involved — Join a Co-Lab virtual room to talk about what you would like to do in your own community to make the world a better place. Our teen-led online video chats — we call them Dream Hubs – meet regularly and you can access them here.  We talk about what you can do in your community to address action on key issues, such as climate change, mental health, food waste, hunger, getting rid of plastics, using arts to address these goals, and yes, what is happening with Covid 19 and how we can work together to overcome this challenge.   Join us and start making a difference in your own community!  Email if you have questions at info@globalcolab.net

We encourage you to follow the guidelines prescribed by your government officials.  Know that the Global Collaboration Lab Network has got your back. If you want to connect we would love to hear from you!