As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, it’s important to prepare for the community spread of the coronavirus disease in your area. Your family should plan to stay at home during a quarantine period and, as part of this plan, support your loved ones who may need extra care — without leaving your house.
Reacting to COVID-19 in Your Neighborhood
Though the pandemic is growing, you can still take action now to prevent the spread of this virus. Everyone can do their part to slow the spread of this pandemic.
Be sure to follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and check back regularly for updates. The CDC guidelines are evolving every day, so stay tuned for further guidance from them.
Limiting Physical Contact with Friends and Loved Ones
The CDC has thorough guidelines for what to do during coronavirus outbreak in your neighborhood. These guidelines include:
- Limiting close contact with other people (stay about six feet away)
- Staying away from people who are sick
- Staying home from school, work and all other activities
- Stay in touch with loved ones via phone or email
In general, the CDC says that everyone should follow these transmission-based isolation procedures until the risk of coronavirus transmission is considered low.
Checking in on your friends and family, especially those who are elderly or have a chronic illness, is important during the coronavirus disease outbreak. However, maintaining a physical distance can be difficult to navigate.
3 Ways to Support At-Risk Loved Ones During the COVID-19 Outbreak
The CDC guidelines seem clear: Limit contact with other people to limit the spread of coronavirus. But what if you have a loved one who struggles with their immune health, or you have an elderly family member who you check on frequently?
The CDC has said, “It is possible that older adults and persons who have underlying chronic medical conditions may be at risk for more serious complications,” and to make a plan for how to best care for them. It can be difficult to know how to support them, especially if you are nervous about going outside or must stay home due to a public health order from state or local authorities.
Fortunately, you can support your at-risk loved ones during the coronavirus outbreak in three key ways, without leaving your home.
1. Share Your Concerns with Their Doctor
If you’re a caregiver, relative or close friend of someone who faces a higher risk of coronavirus because of their age or their immune health, talk to their primary care physician, if possible.
The physician can explain how to best care for them during the pandemic. You can ask their doctor for advice, including:
- How can I best support my loved one during this time?
- Should I move them into my home temporarily?
- What should I do if they develop symptoms of illness?
- When should I stay home as opposed to visiting them?
With answers to these questions, you can move forward with your household’s coronavirus action plan, knowing how to best support your loved ones who don’t live with you, too.
2. Tell Your Loved Ones About Virtual Doctor Visits
If you normally take your loved one to their doctor appointments, or you know they’ll need medical care during the community spread of coronavirus, make sure they know that they can visit with their primary care physician from home.
With the video visits through the AdventHealth App, your loved one can talk to their doctor, get a diagnosis and more — right from their smartphone or tablet. They don’t need to leave their home for high-quality medical care during the COVID-19 outbreak, which empowers them and should ease your mind, too.
3. Lift Up Your Loved Ones in Prayer
One of the most significant ways you can support your loved ones from home during the coronavirus outbreak is to pray for them. Prayer is so important, both during the coronavirus outbreak and every day, and lifting up your loved ones in prayer is powerful in more ways than one.
You can intercede for your loved ones through prayer in multiple ways:
- Pray for their protection during this time of uncertainty
- Pray that they feel at peace despite growing worries
- Pray that they seek God’s guidance when they feel unsure
And remember, prayer is not your last resort, it can be your first response during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s not your last option if you can’t support your loved one in any other way; it can be a regular, continuous way you bless the people you love — whether or not coronavirus comes to your community.
We’re Here for You and the People You Love
At AdventHealth, we’re here to serve you and your loved ones at every stage of the coronavirus outbreak. For coronavirus updates, resources for your family, answers to FAQs about coronavirus and more, visit our Coronavirus Resource Hub.
