Taking Care of Yourself as We Enter Year Three of The Pandemic

It may be hard to believe that we are entering the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. For some, it may feel like only yesterday that people were hoarding toilet paper, professional sports leagues stopped their seasons, and the world was sent to work from home. Although a lot has changed since March 2020, we are still actively living through a global pandemic.

By this point, many people are feeling burnt out and at the end of their rope. It is normal to long for the life you had before the pandemic started and wonder if things will ever go back to the way they once were. However, continuing to vigilantly follow the safety measures put in place by your local health authority is the only way that we will ever reach the end of this. 

With new information always being released, it’s important to stay on top of the news to ensure you are following the guidelines set out by your local health authority. Here are some general things you can and should do to continue to take care of yourself as we enter the third year of the pandemic. 

Get Tested

You should get tested if you have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or are displaying symptoms associated with the virus. Getting tested using an at home COVID test or visiting a testing facility is the only way of knowing with certainty whether you are carrying and possibly spreading the virus. Contact your local health authority if you are unsure of the testing protocols in your city. They will be able to direct you to the best place for you to get tested or how to acquire an at-home test. 

Prioritize Your Health 

Prioritizing your health may seem simple in theory; however, it can actually be quite difficult in practice. You may have to say no to plans with friends or cancel events you don’t think are COVID-safe in order to protect yourself and those around you. It can be difficult and frustrating at the moment to have to turn down social events that you want to partake in, especially after having to do so for two years now. But you will be grateful in the long run that you protected yourself and did everything you could to minimize the spread of the virus. 

Stay Vigilant with Common Safety Protocols 

You’ve heard it a million times: 

• Wear a mask when you’re in a public place 
• Maintain social distancing wherever possible
• Wash your hands frequently
• Avoid large gatherings with people outside your household. 

At this point, you may be sick and tired of wearing a mask and want nothing more than to be in a giant crowd of strangers. But it’s important to stay vigilant with the safety measures that have been ingrained in our heads for the past two years. Doing so will help us get to the end of this as fast as possible and ensure that everyone around us stays healthy until then.