How can we navigate anxiety around re-entering the world, when we still have health and safety concerns relating to Covid?
This is a great question, because COVID-19 is not over – despite a lot of people (and policies) acting like it is. 😑
Though many of us are protected through vaccinations, and numbers of infections are fairly steady (touch wood!), the risk of catching COVID – or having complications from a COVID infection - is not zero. And the risks are still high for many people who have chronic health concerns, or work with vulnerable populations. Our concerns are valid.
In terms of re-entering the world... I think it’s important to remember there are some things within our control, and some things that aren’t.
On a personal note... I know personally that I still have concerns about catching or transmitting COVID, but I know that isolating myself really affects my mental wellbeing. I’m lucky to have a workplace that encourages hybrid work. So I blend working from home and working from the office. I also wear masks on public transport, planes, in medical settings, and in crowds. I regularly do rapid antigen tests, and stay home if I’m feeling sick.
Some people might say I’m being overly cautious, whereas others will say I’m not cautious enough. But for me, this works – for now. It’s normal for things to change and for our own comfort levels to adjust. Ask me again in six months. 😷
