Summer in a Pandemic

Graphic by: Alaina Burris 

Now we have already done this rodeo once, but the second time's a charm. You know what I'm talking about… COVID-19! We all know someone who had it -- or we had it ourselves. But what are some ways you can still have fun this summer and be a low risk? 

I'm sure you have heard the term “wear your mask” over a hundred times now, but the reality of it is not to only protect you, but others. I wore my mask and still got coronavirus through other people not wearing theirs; so even if only one person is wearing one, you're safer than a person without it. Due to how long COVID-19 has been around and how many more months it's projected to stay, people have created different types of masks to comfort your needs, whether that's for exercising, for wearing it for long periods of time, even ones that don't fog up glasses. This means the excuse of “I cannot wear a mask” is no longer valid. 

Second step: Wash your hands any time you touch something someone else used. Common sense, right? You would think, but some people still share drinks with one another, as well as lipstick and vapes … that is probably why you can't breathe under it. Not to call anyone out but if we had just taken these two steps seriously, COVID-19 would've been gone in the first four weeks we all stayed home and quarantined. 

Step three: If you do not feel good, keep your happy ass inside. It doesn't matter if it is a headache or a sore throat, and you do not know the difference, wait it out until you do!

With all the symptoms that COVID-19 can bring, and how it has always been evolving, some people like me never had a fever (or many other common symptoms that we watch for) to show that I was positive.

Now that you know the steps to keeping you and others safe, let's talk about what you can do this summer while being safe. On the list for not leaving your house, we have board games, movie marathons, learning a new language, meditating, spending time with family, arts and crafts. The list is so long; you can look up activities to do at home and find hundreds of options that are just within the walls of your home! 

Now let's talk outside: preferably social distancing. Find a pool (heck, buy a kiddie pool from Walmart), ride a bike, go explore, play hide-n-seek, contact family or friends via Zoom. The list for this is also endless.

Have fun and focus on your mental (and physical) health this summer. There are ways to get out and be safe, so do what's best for you but also for others.