Write an informal letter to your friend sharing with him or her what all
you are doing in this quarantine period.
Answers
Answer:
But navigating the interpersonal side of these recommendations can be trickier. Physical distancing runs counter to many of our social norms and complicates the ways we work, celebrate milestones, and generally interact with other humans. Things can get even knottier when people’s boundaries and perceived levels of safety are in conflict.
So, what do you say to a friend who insists that COVID-19 is no worse than the flu? How do you talk to your parents who keep going to restaurants to eat indoors? What if a beloved family member wants you to come to their wedding or birthday party and you don’t feel safe attending? How do you talk to your kids about safety without scaring them too much?
This guide lays out scenarios like these, and Laura Murray, PhD, clinical psychologist and senior scientist in the Department of Mental Health, weighs in on the interpersonal side of pandemic precautions. Crystal Watson, DrPH, a senior scholar at the Center for Health Security, provides practical underpinnings based on current research, data, and public health guidance.
Scenario 1: How do I talk with a friend or family member who doesn’t seem to be taking the COVID-19 threat seriously?
The response should depend on how well you know the individual. In communicating, we always need to keep our relationship in mind, what we know or don’t know about the person, where they are coming from, and how best to interact with them.
Overall, it’s important for the messenger to be aware of their thoughts and emotions going into the conversation. For example, if we go into this conversation angry or frustrated and thinking “They are crazy!,” then it is unlikely to go well. We won’t come across as compassionate, empathetic, and/or understanding.
For some it may be good to start with a question such as “I’d like to better understand your perspective on this” or “Where are you hearing that?” It’s always good to understand where the information is coming from. For example, maybe they are confused by all the different guidance or getting information from a non-scientific source.
For specific questions, you could say “I’d love to share an article/podcast/post with you because I’m worried about your health—now and in the future.” Here it would be critical to use a source that the person might be responsive to. Less political is usually better—something from a doctor, for example, or even a real-life story written by someone who has been impacted.
The key is to make sure that all of these thoughts are conveyed out of concern.
PRACTICAL UNDERPINNINGS:
Since January, the world has tracked almost 24 million cases of COVID-19 and over 815,000 deaths. The U.S. alone accounts for nearly 6 million of those cases and over 178,000 deaths.
COVID-19 is much deadlier than the flu: The virus kills about one in 200 infected people. Seasonal flu kills about one in 1,000 infected people.
Death is not the only consequence to be concerned about with COVID-19 infection. Even with mild or moderate illness, there can be medium-term impacts on lung health, heart health, and cognitive ability in some individuals. The long-term effects are still unknown.
