The pandemic season has started, and the virus hasn’t hit any less hard this year than it did in its first two years of spread. As someone who survived the last two seasons of the pandemic, you might feel like there’s nothing left to do but wait out the storm, or that you’ve already done all you can to prepare for this season. However, there are still some important things to consider as we move into year three of the pandemic, especially if you want to maximize your chances of survival and minimize your chances of exposure to this deadly disease.

Fight the Fear – A Cognitive Behavioral Approach

It’s hard to believe that we’re already entering into the third year of the pandemic. It feels like just yesterday that everything changed overnight. We’ve all had to adapt and change the way we live and operate on a day-to-day basis.

Read Up On the Last Two Years of Pandemic Evolution

It’s hard to believe that it’s been two years since the pandemic started. So much has changed in that time, and we’re still learning new things about the virus every day. Here’s a look back at how things have progressed over the last two years, and what we can expect in year three.

 Back in 2014, researchers reported that the virus was spreading from person-to-person. In year two of our study—2017—we confirmed that new strains had developed with different survival and transmission patterns. This means there’s a lot we still don’t know about how each strain operates – information that would help us better treat and prevent infection. It’s also important to remember that there are certain viruses out there—such as influenza A (H3N2)—that haven’t changed at all since their emergence long before it became an issue. More evolution among these strains will only make our challenge more difficult if we’re not prepared for it!

Prepare Yourself Physically and Mentally

The pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, and it’s important to take care of yourself both physically and mentally. Here are some things you can do to prepare for year three of the pandemic

 Stay healthy. Eat right and exercise regularly. Physical fitness has shown to help people keep strong during stressful times, while also giving them more energy so they can be more active and not feel so exhausted. Also don’t forget about sleep; getting a good night’s rest is just as important. If you have trouble sleeping, try melatonin supplements or white noise machines—both have been scientifically proven to improve your sleep quality!

Revisit Your Personal Plan For Survival

If you’re like most people, you made a personal plan for surviving the pandemic back when it first started. Now that we’re entering year three, it’s time to revisit that plan and see what needs to change.

 Of course, it’s easy to forget what you had in mind when you made your original plan. Use our personal survival guide as a starting point. Consider updating your plan based on things that have changed since year one. For example, did you have an area in mind where you wanted to bunker down? Has that become a no-go zone because everything is too dangerous or has been overrun with walkers? Are there areas nearby where things are better now? If so, it might be worth rethinking your plan and moving on from your original target area.

With Your Plan Updated – Second Paragraph: Now that you’ve revisited your personal survival plan and made any necessary changes, commit yourself to sticking with it over the long haul.

Check In With Those Around You

As we move into year three of the pandemic, it’s important to check in with those around us. See how they’re doing and if they need anything. We may not be able to fix everything, but we can certainly lend a listening ear or a helping hand.

Don’t Panic – If a Panic Attack Ensues, Try Deep Breathing

If you’re feeling anxious about what the next year will bring, you’re not alone. The pandemic has upended our lives in so many ways, and it’s natural to feel uncertain about what the future holds. But there are some things we can do to ease our anxiety and help us cope with whatever comes our way

. So instead of asking What if? ask What now? Focus on taking care of yourself right now, today. Know that when this is all over (and I really believe it will be someday), we’ll be able to look back and see how far we’ve come

Maintain Your Sanity By Having Some Fun

We’re all still living with Covid-19, and it doesn’t look like things will be returning to normal anytime soon. So how can we make the best of a bad situation? By taking care of ourselves both mentally and physically. Here are some suggestions

Remember To Enjoy The Little Things

With a new year comes new hope. We are all hoping that 2021 will be better than 2020. Here are some things you can do to make sure you enjoy the little things this year

 A lot has happened since last year and it’s easy to forget some of those milestones. It’s even easier when there are new challenges coming at you every day. With that in mind here are a few things I suggest doing so you can enjoy everything around you more than ever before. Remember your favorite little things by taking pictures or notes; it might seem silly now but when times get rough, you will be glad you did. It may seem like food is hard to come by but if you have time try picking up ingredients and make your favorite meal at home with family and friends!

Keep Faith; Hope For The Best But Prepare For The Worst!

It’s hard to believe that we’re already approaching the third year of the pandemic. It feels like only yesterday that we were all scrambling to figure out what was going on and how to keep ourselves safe. A lot has changed since then, but one thing remains the same: we’re all still in this together.

 To be completely honest, I don’t really know what 2018 has in store for us. But we have all been down a tough road before and made it through. There is no doubt that there will be bumps along our way but it’s how we keep moving forward that matters most. That’s why I encourage you all to take a moment and reflect on what happened over these past three years. Share your stories with those around you; honor those we lost and share some laughs with friends and family over these memories. It’s only when we take time to stop worrying about what could happen next that we can truly appreciate everything that we have right now.

 

I wish everyone a happy new year! _______________________________________________________________________________