Take a breath

After inflating your lungs to their fullest extent, and slowly exhaling..remember this; the vast majority of CODID-19 victims experience only mild symptoms. Whilst healthy and relatively young people have succumbed to the virus, the vast majority of victims are able to fight back. Whilst this virus means business, it is by all intentions an inefficient killer and relies on acute pre-existing health conditions, frailty and already damaged immune systems. For the vast majority of people the odds of surviving COVID-19 are always in their favour.

2. Use masks properly

Tokyo style smog masks are now a regular site in almost every part of the UK, and whilst the they may work well for carbon emissions, COVID-19 is a pest of a different stripe. If you’re not experiencing symptoms you only need wear a mask if in close proximity to someone who is. If you do start experiencing symptoms and you’re in an outside or public environment you must cover the mouth immediately, maintain at least a meter’s distance from anyone nearby and get yourself home.

If there’s no masks to hand, improvise and use a scarf, your coat, anything to prevent airborne droplets you may cough or sneeze contaminating someone nearby. When home make sure every item of clothing is immediately put in to the washing machine, take a shower using soap and water and self isolate for at least 14 days from the time your symptoms started. For more information regarding self isolation for yourself and other members of your household click here.

Using face masks effectively means a number of factors should be considered, such as closing up all gaps between mask and skin, not touching the mask once it’s on and disposing of it properly after use. Opting for a mask is a more effective when combined with frequent hand washing (use alcohol based detergents or soap and water) and practicing the correct technique when affixing and removing the mask when it becomes damp. For a simple and straight forward guide to using a mask effectively, check out the World Health Organisation’s guidance manual here.

3. A Healthy gut

Whilst it may not be possible to ‘boost’ your immune system, eating foods that foster a variety of different gut microbes help support the human immune system, the T cells and B cells, that seek out and destroy anything not welcome to the party. Food groups that contribute to the cause can range from plant based foods, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, healthy fats (such as virgin olive oil) and lean meat or fish.

Additionally, natural yoghurt and artisan cheeses themselves that contain natural bacteria (probiotics), as do yeast drinks like kefir (fermented milk), kombucha (fermented tea) and fermented vegetable-based foods like Korean Kimchi and German Sauerkraut. Avoid too much alcohol, salt, sweets and sugary drinks, and artificial sweeteners or other additives.

 4. Body and mind

Einstein once said “we cannot solve our problems with the mind we used when we created them.” Seems fairly obvious doesn’t it? Regular maintenance of possibly the most powerful and the most untapped resource should for all counts be a formality. However as a society it seems we’ve only just started calling out the age old bedfellows of stress and bad health, anxiety and social incubation, or depression and breakdowns in relationships. App stores are now a wash with clever new innovations to help the average Joe make a start with meditative practises.

Changing the way we handle thoughts, re-shaping the easy knee jerk reactions we’re all programmed to make and just learning how to breathe and take a moment, are now staples of good mental health. If you want to find out more about meditation check out Headspace, Calm and Insight Timer, three of the most popular offerings available.

If you combine this with the basics like connecting with people (ok fair enough, that’s a little harder right now but there’s always FaceTime right?) getting physically active (outdoors is always better) indulging new interest and skills, giving to others and just being mindful of the present as opposed to anxious about the future are just a few ways you can boost your positivity.

5. Know when to say 'no more'

Gone are the days when news took the form of daily intermittent bursts of information precisely timed to the chimes of big ben and eloquently recited by Trevor McDonald or Moira Stuart. The 24 hour news cycle is now a rainbow of apps, updates, tweets and pings plagued by a growing suspicion of government and reliance on image and video.

One sobering reminder of the internet is that regulation is poor at best and non-existent at worst. Your every day smart phone is now all that’s needed to transform one man’s theory in to another man’s truth, and vice versa. However if you navigate conservatively and delve cautiously, every rainbow yields up its gold.

Stick to reliable and trusted news organisations remembering as you do, that they are as susceptible to confirmation bias and inaccuracies as anyone else. It’s up to you to choose what you feel is reliable, but consider sites like NHS Online, reputable online universities such as The Kings College, and well respected journals like the New Scientist Magazine. The wise man or women will take everything they see with the understanding that facts can change and even the greatest minds don’t always have the final say. 

Above all else, limit your interaction with the news cycle. Glean the daily basics when you can, but limit the amount times you dip in and out. Finally consider setting a time where you turn off the notifications, close the apps and instead get your head in to a good box set!