On top of all the anxieties we are dealing with, another one has hit us-yet again. The infamous Coronavirus has reared it’s ugly face further exacerbating our fear and anxiety.

What with Italy being om a total lockdown, numerous travel restrictions in place with the US recently banning all flights from Europe.

This bloody virus has gone so far as to encroach on our social and entertainment scenes. We’re experiencing more cancellations of famous events such as the Formula 1 Australian Grandprix, the NBA, James Bond Movie and who knows what else is next?

One thing is for sure, even the experts don’t. Health officials can’t predict the magnitude of the coronavirus threat.

As for now, the world is in dire need of answers and solutions from world leaders. But this is turning out to be a bit of fumbling-in-the-dark sort of thing, seeing as the reports coming from the most powerful leader in the world seem to be a tad bit confusing.

So. Of course, we’re all fearful. But, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. From where am standing, I think this anxiety is a catalyst for good.

Why?

Because it’s making us think. It’s making us look for solutions. It’s making us evaluate our options. Basically, it’s making us raise our level of awareness.

We’re turning to safer ways of keeping our jobs and businesses running while still reducing the risk of contracting or spreading the virus.

Now, all of sudden, we’re realizing that emails, phone calls, and video calls can still get the job done. Right? We’re finally tapping into resources that have always been at our disposal but for some weird reason, we chose not to take advantage of them.

And now to the statistics.

Whilst the older population is at a greater risk of the illness, it would be utterly irresponsible for the rest of us to undermine the seriousness of this pandemic.

This is precisely where personal initiative comes to play. Because let’s face it, the best form of precaution is the one you can actually control.

So here you go.

First and foremost, wash your hands frequently.  With soap. The difference between washing your hand with soap and without is life and death. Literally.

You see, water alone doesn’t move the needle as far as the virus is concerned. But when you put soap into the equation, everything changes.

You see, soap is superbly powerful in killing the virus. The way it works is by dissolving the fat membrane of the virus. From there, the coronavirus disintegrates. And just like that, the threat is averted.

Perhaps this is more reason why we should all revert to the use of our grandmother’s bar of soap.

Secondly, you should limit contact with people as much as possible. Unless you really have to go out, it’s best to stay and work from home. While this stay-at-home-rule can be broken, it’s non-negotiable for people feeling unwell – even in the very slightest.

Ok. So you’re not unwell, but you still need to go out-especially to densely populated locations-ensure to wear a face-shield.  Look, I know they aren’t the most flattering things on the face, but that’s besides the point because health comes first.

Alcohol-based sanitizers are your best friend. The alcohol directly kills the microbes. There’s only one problem; they’ve sold out in most places!

Fortunately, it’s easy to make some by combining these three ingredients:  1/3 pure aloe vera gel, 8-10 drops of essential oils (lemongrass, peppermint or lavender will do just fine) and 2/3 cups of rubbing alcohol or very highly concentrated vodka. Pretty simple.

Do you recall those basic hygiene precautions? Now is the time to really double up on them. Wipe door handles before touching, wipe the remote controls, laptops, Ipads, and phones, hotel key cards, hotel landlines, aircraft seats, and tables, etc. Just wipe, wipe, wipe!

In fact, I’ll take it a notch higher and say that you should consistently do this going forward.

When we’ve done all we can, there’s only one thing left to do; have faith. Hold onto faith that we will beat the coronavirus before it brings our existence to a halt.  The truth is, there’s so much we need to do, so many places we need to go.

And this coronavirus thing is just killing our vibe.

But we must hold on to faith; that just like many pandemics in the past, this too shall pass – hopefully soon!