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In these rapidly changing times, you may feel uncertain and anxious with the COVID-19 virus looming. At the same time, our society is more fragmented than ever before. You may be cut off from some of your normal support systems, with businesses closing or directing employees to remote work, mass gatherings no longer occurring and activities cancelled. Recognizing that these conditions can easily produce social isolation — and perhaps a degree of loneliness and fear — the Mayo Clinic Connect community is here to offer you virtual support and interaction, through online community discussion.
It’s time to come together, virtually, to talk about anything that’s affecting you related to COVID-19, with a brand new Connect group, simply called COVID-19. This is a space to talk about topics such as:
- Closings in your community and how it affects you
- What you are doing to cope
- Whether keeping up your book club or running group makes sense
- How you can pass the time
- Housekeeping and disinfecting your home
- How to deal with your own or your children’s fears
- Being helpful to others in a challenging time
It’s also a space to congregate and be socially active. You can:
- Join the virtual walking group
- Tour virtual museums together
- Share art, music and books
- Find daily escapes and inspirations
Additionally, Mayo Clinic Connect would like to point you to reliable sources of COVID-19:
- Mayo Clinic News Network’s up-to-date news and information https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/category/covid-19/
- Recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
- The World Health Organization’s updates and resources https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
You can stay informed and also socially connected by chatting with others on Mayo Clinic Connect about COVID-19 and any other health issue concerning you right now. You can continue to connect with your Connect friends in the groups you already follow. And you can also get inspiration and information, and talk with others in the new COVID-19 Support Group.
How might connecting virtually help you stay socially active? What topic would you like to start?
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This is a nice group to start. In my local county, the media says that just 9 tests have been taken, all negative. That's good news! I'm going out today, im out of milk. I've been sheltering in place since last week.
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5 ReactionsMy husband keeps running to WalMart for toilet paper. (They are sold out, of course). I keep telling him to order some from a store and pick it up. I don't know how that works, but I surely get nervous when he keeps going out in public. I suffer from anxiety as it is--I pray all will be well soon. We have two dogs. We have a mommy shih tzu and her son Joey. Joey is nine years. I'm glad to have them. I saw a clip where a woman went to Hawaii, became ill, had the virus, flew home to Colorado. so now, how many people got it from her excursion. I believe people should stay home.
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4 Reactions@woogie This is serious and people need to stay put. I'm a senior and always order online they delivery my groceries and I have meds delivered by mail.Go to Walmart.com Order 35.00 worth and delivery is free .You can also order through Instacart.com to most grocery stores you pay a fee about 5or 10.00 and they deliver also .It's so important to be proactive now
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5 ReactionsOur local Weis grocery store has waived their fee. Perhaps you may find the same elsewhere.
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4 ReactionsI plan to grocery shop during the early hours just for seniors. Maybe every other week. My son and a friend will pick up what I need in between shopping trips.
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6 Reactions@basslakebabe19 I found out today that the store that is doing these early hours for seniors is doing them from 5:30 - 7:00! I could probably make it there by 7:00, maybe even 6:30 some mornings, but most of the time not. They are only doing it on Tu, We, and Th.
JK
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3 ReactionsMy wife has been doing the shopping and i stay in the car. So tomorrow morning one of our stores is doing the senior thing so im up at 4 AM to head out. The senior hours are 5-7. My wife likes to see what she is buying and not rely on someone else deciding how to pick fresh items. Plus if this virus lives on things for a few days we also want to pick carefully and wash everything when we get home.
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4 Reactions@danab It sounds like you and your wife have a good plan for getting groceries. I use a combination plan. I use a market's delivery service for heavy items, boxed, canned, dairy and bottled. For produce, meat, bread, etc. I prefer to pick out my own. Those items are not usually heavy so It's not much of a problem for me.
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4 ReactionsThese are great solutions for getting groceries and provisions. Members are sharing tips in this discussion too:
- Age 65 and Good Health: Can I get my own groceries? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/age-65-and-good-health/
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3 ReactionsWhat do you do to pass the time. I am bored stiff and don’t know what to do with myself?
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3 Reactions