Isolating ourselves during the COVID-19 pandemic is shit. Are there any positives we can focus on?

Dr Breanne Kunstler (BBiomedSci, BHealthSci, MPhysio, PhD). 

Physiotherapist, behaviour change scientist and run coach.  

We are in the beginning of the first (and hopefully last) pandemic of our generation. The COVID-19 or "coronavirus" pandemic sees many of us having to undergo several behaviour changes that we never anticipated needing to make. 

What is "coronavirus"? Check out this video for an explainer of the virus' action and COVID-19's infection outcomes.

We are being asked to do things we never thought we'd need to do in 2020, like avoiding people around us by using social distancing that includes 1.5m spacing. We have also seen a lot of the things we enjoy being taken away from us, like our pubs, clubs, restaurants, cafes, gardens and beaches being closed.

Image 1: Introverts might enjoy the isolation, but those extroverts out there might struggle without their clubs and pubs (credit: knowyourmeme.com)

There has been a huge focus on how self-isolation and the immediate pandemic will affect our immediate health. This includes a focus on how the virus can negatively affect our quality and duration of life, all the way through to how literal isolation can lead to depression, especially in the elderly. But are there any positives to isolating ourselves? I know this sounds a bit sick (excuse the pun), but I think we are going to benefit in at least a few ways while isolating ourselves during this pandemic, despite the extensive and overwhelming number of health and economic negatives to the whole thing.

While I practice temporal and physical social distancing during my 4am bike ride, I notice dozens more people than usual using the track at that time. I also see more people than usual walking, cycling and running outside during the day. Could this be because the idea of complete isolation, like what we have seen overseas, makes us fear that simple things like going outside might be taken away soon so we must do as much as we can now (Image 2)? 

Image 2: Suddenly exercise is REALLY attractive (credit: Bored Panda)

Although exercising outdoors isn't completely in line with current advice on social distancing where we "should stay at home unless absolutely necessary", we are seeing people trying to improve or maintain their health by doing some activity, which is a good thing too. And when you think about it, the more people walking and riding to where they want or need to be takes people out of the cesspool that is public transport (see video below).

Those following advice and staying home (see #staythefhome) might spend more time than usual with their loved ones, either during leisure time or by working from home. This can be a positive for those who have great family dynamics, access to childcare and a large and secluded enough home office. These people are probably the ones joking about the baby boom that will appear in 9 months from now (see #coronababies and quaranteens). Even condom companies are focusing on the positive of forcing couples to spend more time together.

We're also gaining new skills at an individual and professional level. Those who need to start homeschooling kids will gain a new respect for our educators as they learn skills such as classroom management, technology maintenance and repair, and patience (and some maths skills they might have missed out on all those years ago). 

Image 3: Homeschooling will likely increase our appreciation for teachers (credit: Facebook)

We will learn skills that we usually pay other people to practice, such as bicycle servicing/repairs, gardening and general home maintenance (Image 3). We will learn to wash our hands properly, cook simple and nutritious meals (especially when meal delivery services and grocers are swamped) and make toilet paper last three times longer than it usually would. We will do more short online courses in things we might actually be interested in (e.g. via Future Learn), pursue hobbies or dreams we never have time for (soap carving anyone?) and catch up on other responsibilities like professional development, taxes and looking for a better deal on our mortgage, internet, electricity and gas. 

Image 4: Be careful with those home improvements people! The healthcare system is too overloaded for your shenanigans (credit: Pinterest)

Businesses are finally adopting new technology, like physiotherapy and doctor's clinics using Zoom to deliver telehealth (consults over video conference) and several offices using the same or similar platforms for meetings instead of travelling long distances and flying. Doctor's surgeries are also using phone apps for people to check in for appointments, removing the need for receptionists to touch patient property and come close to them. Unfortunately it has taken a pandemic for businesses to adopt some wonderful technology.

Image 5: The quantity and quality of attire worn during Zoom meetings can deteriorate quickly (credit: Facebook)

Image 6: The jokers out there are convinced that Zoom started the spread of COVID-19, resulting in their new-found popularity (credit: shutupandtakemymoney.com)

The speedy way that we have adapted to making things more accessible to people who cannot leave the home is amazing. It's phenomenal what you can do to keep the country running when you suddenly disable an entire population. Apparently the legislative changes needed to implement telehealth was a 10 year process that happened in 10 days. We also have our major chains making huge adjustments to their business model to make their stores more accessible to vulnerable populations via "community hours" and making special deliveries (e.g. $80 basics boxes) to those who cannot leave the home. Why the hell couldn't we do stuff like this when we had a smaller percentage of the population living with a disability? So I think, if these changes remain in one form or another, isolation during this pandemic and the legislative and private industry changes it has forced could benefit the disabled population. 

We also learn that we don't need the things we thought we did and start to adopt more sustainable behaviours during isolation. We don't need our tri-daily $8 venti half and half with ten pumps of vanilla and extra whip. We don't need our Saturday morning, house deposit destroying smashed avo on sourdough bread from the corner cafe that has a great brioche hamburger and pot deal on a Thursday night, which you often enjoy before snooker night. We can live more sustainably without these things by making small adjustments, despite it being hard in the beginning. You can purchase a coffee machine so you can have your flash coffee at home. The local grocer will happily sell you some avocado and bread and alcohol is considered essential in Australia so you can still get your beer too. You can even play games with your friends over the internet. You can adjust. You might even want to keep your new behaviours post-pandemic once you see how much money you save.

But for those who look forward to finally having an excuse to sit on the couch, watch Netflix and order takeaway for more than 6 months, I wonder: How will isolating during this pandemic affect our future health? This will be the topic of my next post!

Keep healthy, my fellow humans.