CORONAVIRUS HEALTH WATCH
WORLD CARES CENTER COVID-19 - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!
FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION (CDC)
OUTSIDE THE U.S. HEALTH AND SAFETY TIPS FROM THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION FROM THE
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION (CDC)
OUTSIDE THE U.S. HEALTH AND SAFETY TIPS FROM THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)
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COVID-19 RESOURCES
NYSDOH COVID-19 Tracker (Up to Date Statistics/Tables/Maps/Graphics for NYS):www.ny.gov/covid-19tracker
NYS COVID-19 Testing Data: https://data.ny.gov/
Price Gouging hotline: 800-697-1220
24-Hour Coronavirus hotline: 1-888-364-3065
NYS DOH website regarding Coronavirus: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/
NYS COVID-19 Email Alert Sign Up: https://now.ny.gov/page/s/coronavirus-updates
To file a complaint with the NYS Department of Human Rights: https://dhr.ny.gov/complaint#file
FOR ELECTED OFFICES ONLY
NYS Clean Hand Sanitizer Request Form for NYC Officials
https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/nys-clean-hand-sanitizer-request-form
If you have identified available ventilators, Call Rachel Baker at DOH: 518-281-5120
For urgent DOL cases only (flag for commissioner staff): https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=6rhs9AB5EE2M64Dowcge5- wBg_PlfRJCob_zmQHm1UtURTNFNFdBSTZCWUJRSU5QSVJYTERBNVYwRC4u
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL RESOURCES
Guidance on Coronavirus Resources from AG's Office
https://ag.ny.gov/coronavirus
COVID-19 Application For Suspension Of Debt Collection Activity: https://ag.ny.gov/covid-19-debt-suspension-application
If you believe an employer is in violation of either existing labor laws or recently issued executive orders you can contact the
NYS Attorney General’s Office at (212) 416-8700 or Labor.Bureau@ag.ny.gov
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
Weekly Provider Update (Recorded Web Conference):
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/weekly-healthcare-provider-update
Assistance of Qualified Medical Professionals Survey/Sign Up:https://apps.health.ny.gov/pubpal/builder/survey/assistance-of-medical-prof
Retired Health Professional Survey/Sign Up:https://apps.health.ny.gov/pubpal/builder/survey/retired-health-professional
MENTAL HEALTHCARE RESOURCES
NYS Mental Health Hotline: 1-844-863-9314 (to schedule a free appointment)
NYS Headspace Partnership: https://www.headspace.com/ny
BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYERS
Empire State Development (ESD) FAQ for businesses regarding State regulations and general guidance related to the coronavirus.
https://esd.ny.gov/novel-coronavirus-faq-businesses
If your question is not answered there, please contact ESD at our website at: https://esd.ny.gov/covid-19-help
ESD COVID-19 Related Resources: https://esd.ny.gov/esd-covid-19-related-resources
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources
Guidance for Determining Whether a Business Enterprise is Subject to a Workforce Reduction Under Executive Order 202.6 https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026
Dedicated ESD waiver email address: COVID19BusinessWaiver@ESD.ny.gov
SBA Disaster Loans Info (ESD Link): https://esd.ny.gov/resource-guide-covid-19-sba-disaster-loans
SBA Disaster Loans Info (Federal Gov Link): https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources
DOL LINKS
COVID-19 Sick Leave Application
https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/if-you-are-quarantined-yourself
DOL Complaint Process Related to COVID-19 https://www.labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/laborstandards/coronavirus-complaints.shtm
New Paid Leave for COVID-19: https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/covid19
Additional Information:
https://www.governor.ny.gov/programs/paid-sick-leave-covid-19-impacted-new-yorkers
DFS/TAXATION AND FINANCE LINKS
Department of Taxation and Finance FAQ:
https://www.tax.ny.gov/press/alerts/nys-tax-response-to-covid-19.htm
Check the status of a NYS tax refund online: https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/file/refund.htm
Supervision by DFS may entail chartering, licensing, registration or filing requirements, examination, etc. The links below can help you find out whether a financial institution is regulated and/or licensed by the Department, and what additional locations or branches the entity may have.
https://www.dfs.ny.gov/who_we_supervise https://myportal.dfs.ny.gov/web/guest-applications/who-we-supervise
HOW YOU CAN HELP
DOH How You Can Help General Webpage
www.ny.gov/COVIDGetInvolved
If someone is interested in selling products to the state: If your company is able to immediately sell or produce approved COVID-19 related medical equipment and supplies, please complete this form: www.ny.gov/covid19supplies
Businesses interested in receiving state funding to manufacture PPE products: For manufacturers interested in repurposing production and retooling to begin making the approved COVID -19 related medical equipment and supplies, please go to: esd.ny.gov/COVID19supplies
If people want to make a donation (including essential goods, services, and/or spaces): If you are looking for information on how to offer donated goods, services, or spaces for use in New York’s response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, please go to: www.ny.gov/COVID19Donations
New Yorkers who have recovered from COVID-19 and had a positive test before March 7th should visit https://www.mountsinai.org/ to help save another New Yorker by donating plasma.
Individuals who have recovered from the virus may have convalescent plasma in their blood, which has antibodies against the virus and could help with the development of a treatment for the virus. More information about how to donate is available here: https://nybc.org/donate- blood/convalescent-plasma-covid-19-donor-request-form/
To donate to the First Responders Fund to assist COVID-19 health care workers and first responders with expenses and costs, including child care: https://www.healthresearch.org/donation-form/
NYS COVID-19 Testing Data: https://data.ny.gov/
Price Gouging hotline: 800-697-1220
24-Hour Coronavirus hotline: 1-888-364-3065
NYS DOH website regarding Coronavirus: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/
NYS COVID-19 Email Alert Sign Up: https://now.ny.gov/page/s/coronavirus-updates
To file a complaint with the NYS Department of Human Rights: https://dhr.ny.gov/complaint#file
FOR ELECTED OFFICES ONLY
NYS Clean Hand Sanitizer Request Form for NYC Officials
https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/nys-clean-hand-sanitizer-request-form
If you have identified available ventilators, Call Rachel Baker at DOH: 518-281-5120
For urgent DOL cases only (flag for commissioner staff): https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=6rhs9AB5EE2M64Dowcge5- wBg_PlfRJCob_zmQHm1UtURTNFNFdBSTZCWUJRSU5QSVJYTERBNVYwRC4u
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL RESOURCES
Guidance on Coronavirus Resources from AG's Office
https://ag.ny.gov/coronavirus
COVID-19 Application For Suspension Of Debt Collection Activity: https://ag.ny.gov/covid-19-debt-suspension-application
If you believe an employer is in violation of either existing labor laws or recently issued executive orders you can contact the
NYS Attorney General’s Office at (212) 416-8700 or Labor.Bureau@ag.ny.gov
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
Weekly Provider Update (Recorded Web Conference):
https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/weekly-healthcare-provider-update
Assistance of Qualified Medical Professionals Survey/Sign Up:https://apps.health.ny.gov/pubpal/builder/survey/assistance-of-medical-prof
Retired Health Professional Survey/Sign Up:https://apps.health.ny.gov/pubpal/builder/survey/retired-health-professional
- mail address for NYC OEM that health care providers (PCP's, FQHC's, others) can use for supplies: Supplyrequest@oem.nyc.gov
MENTAL HEALTHCARE RESOURCES
NYS Mental Health Hotline: 1-844-863-9314 (to schedule a free appointment)
NYS Headspace Partnership: https://www.headspace.com/ny
BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYERS
Empire State Development (ESD) FAQ for businesses regarding State regulations and general guidance related to the coronavirus.
https://esd.ny.gov/novel-coronavirus-faq-businesses
If your question is not answered there, please contact ESD at our website at: https://esd.ny.gov/covid-19-help
ESD COVID-19 Related Resources: https://esd.ny.gov/esd-covid-19-related-resources
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources
- Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program
Guidance for Determining Whether a Business Enterprise is Subject to a Workforce Reduction Under Executive Order 202.6 https://esd.ny.gov/guidance-executive-order-2026
Dedicated ESD waiver email address: COVID19BusinessWaiver@ESD.ny.gov
SBA Disaster Loans Info (ESD Link): https://esd.ny.gov/resource-guide-covid-19-sba-disaster-loans
SBA Disaster Loans Info (Federal Gov Link): https://www.sba.gov/page/coronavirus-covid-19-small-business-guidance-loan-resources
DOL LINKS
COVID-19 Sick Leave Application
https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/if-you-are-quarantined-yourself
DOL Complaint Process Related to COVID-19 https://www.labor.ny.gov/workerprotection/laborstandards/coronavirus-complaints.shtm
New Paid Leave for COVID-19: https://paidfamilyleave.ny.gov/covid19
Additional Information:
https://www.governor.ny.gov/programs/paid-sick-leave-covid-19-impacted-new-yorkers
DFS/TAXATION AND FINANCE LINKS
Department of Taxation and Finance FAQ:
https://www.tax.ny.gov/press/alerts/nys-tax-response-to-covid-19.htm
Check the status of a NYS tax refund online: https://www.tax.ny.gov/pit/file/refund.htm
Supervision by DFS may entail chartering, licensing, registration or filing requirements, examination, etc. The links below can help you find out whether a financial institution is regulated and/or licensed by the Department, and what additional locations or branches the entity may have.
https://www.dfs.ny.gov/who_we_supervise https://myportal.dfs.ny.gov/web/guest-applications/who-we-supervise
HOW YOU CAN HELP
DOH How You Can Help General Webpage
www.ny.gov/COVIDGetInvolved
If someone is interested in selling products to the state: If your company is able to immediately sell or produce approved COVID-19 related medical equipment and supplies, please complete this form: www.ny.gov/covid19supplies
Businesses interested in receiving state funding to manufacture PPE products: For manufacturers interested in repurposing production and retooling to begin making the approved COVID -19 related medical equipment and supplies, please go to: esd.ny.gov/COVID19supplies
If people want to make a donation (including essential goods, services, and/or spaces): If you are looking for information on how to offer donated goods, services, or spaces for use in New York’s response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, please go to: www.ny.gov/COVID19Donations
New Yorkers who have recovered from COVID-19 and had a positive test before March 7th should visit https://www.mountsinai.org/ to help save another New Yorker by donating plasma.
Individuals who have recovered from the virus may have convalescent plasma in their blood, which has antibodies against the virus and could help with the development of a treatment for the virus. More information about how to donate is available here: https://nybc.org/donate- blood/convalescent-plasma-covid-19-donor-request-form/
To donate to the First Responders Fund to assist COVID-19 health care workers and first responders with expenses and costs, including child care: https://www.healthresearch.org/donation-form/
Managing Anxiety
Feeling Stressed About Coronavirus (COVID-19)?
Managing Anxiety in an Anxiety-Provoking Situation
The outbreak of COVID-19 around the world has led to the spread of fear and panic for individuals and communities. In addition to following physical precautions guidelines, individuals should be taking care of their psychological well-being.
This guide includes tips for the following populations:
• For Everyone
• For Individuals Receiving Mental Health Services
• For Parents, Including Parents of Children with Pre-Existing Anxiety Disorders
• For Caregivers of Elderly Individuals
• For Mental Health Providers
For Everyone:
• Reduce anxiety by reducing risk. Ways to reduce risk include practicing good hygiene (e.g. sneezing and coughing into your elbow, sneezing into a tissue and immediately throwing the tissue away, wash hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, etc.). In addition, create a plan in case your regular routine is disrupted, such as setting up remote work and alternative childcare arrangements. Setting out a plan can help reduce anxiety by taking charge of the things you can control.
• Manage your information flow by choosing reliable sources and establish boundaries on checking for updates. Getting regular, factual information is important. However, continuously scrolling through social media or constantly refreshing the news is likely to lead to increased anxiety. Pick a few trusted news outlets – such as the state and local health authorities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or World Health Organization – and commit to checking once or twice a day for updates.
• Monitor your anxiety levels. Anxiety is a normal response to a stressful situation and can provide adaptive benefits in many situations. However, when faced with mounting uncertainty, your brain can go into an anxiety spiral that is no longer helpful. Knowing the difference between typical and atypical stress is important. Monitoring your stress level will let you know when you need to seek additional help.
o A typical stress reaction may include: temporary difficulty concentrating; irritability and anger; fatigue; stomachache; and, difficulty sleeping. o An atypical stress reaction may include a persistent and/or excessive worry that doesn’t lift and keeps you from carrying out your daily tasks. If you experience significant changes in your energy level, eating patterns, or sleeping patterns, difficulty concentrating on normal tasks, prolonged and overwhelming worry and hopelessness, or thoughts of self-injury or suicide, seek out immediate help at 1800-273-TALK (8255) or text Got5 to 741741.
• Practice good self-care, including exercise, eating healthy foods, and sleeping an adequate amount at night. If possible, spend some time outside. Avoid staying up late to monitor the news.
• Virtually reach out to different types of support networks, such as family, friends, colleagues, faith-based communities, and social organizations to strengthen your overall feeling of connection. Isolation and loneliness feeds anxiety.
• Find meaningful tasks and roles within your support network to channel your anxiety, such as coordinating deliveries of groceries to those unable to leave home, curating kids’ activity ideas for parents working from home, or video calling or calling those who might feel socially isolated. Supporting others is beneficial to the supporter as well.
• Find or create spaces that are not focused on COVID-19. Start a social media thread about other topics, ask friends to discuss other topics, or watch your favorite TV or movie.
• Savor small positive moments, amplify positive stories, and stay optimistic. Try to cultivate a mental wellness practice, such as writing in a gratitude journal, or talking nightly with your family about moments during the day that were fun or enjoyable.
• Take an opportunity to practice mindfulness when managing anxiety. Mindfulness tools like grounding exercises, sensory modulation, and deep breathing may be helpful.
For Individuals Receiving Mental Health Services:
• As soon as possible, work with your mental health provider on a coping plan. Think about helpful coping skills you can practice daily and be mindful to those coping skills that you may turn to that are otherwise harmful to your safety and well-being. For example, if you know that music, walking outside, reframing your thoughts, and connecting with others are helpful, think about ways you can incorporate those into your daily life. If you know that you might struggle with ruminating, self-injury, substance use, or other strategies that might be harmful to your safety and well-being, identify alternative coping methods with your provider. Write out a plan to help prepare you for heightened anxiety.
• Work with your mental health providers on specifically managing anxiety and ask them to help you come up with practical skills that you can rehearse.
• Work with your mental health providers on alternative options if your routine services are disrupted. These might include using telemental health services, getting prescription medication, or engaging in supplemental mental wellness activities.
• Seek positive peer support. Connect yourself to others who understand your experiences and can assist in problem-solving. If social distancing increases feelings of isolation, look into online peer supports or peer hotlines.
For Parents, Including Parents of Children with Pre-Existing Anxiety Disorders:
• Think about and rehearse scripts for talking with your kids about COVID-19. Kids take cues from caregivers about how anxious they need to be about a topic. Seek out resources and media to assist in your preparation.
• Talk about the situation openly. Most kids elementary-aged and up have heard about COVID-19 or coronavirus. Avoiding the topic or providing blanket reassurances is more likely to feed anxiety. If kids bring up the topic, let them know you are glad they brought it up. This increased the likelihood that they will come to you with further anxieties or questions.
• Don’t give more information than is requested. Part of a developmentally appropriate approach is to answer the question your child asks, but not necessarily more than that. Check to make sure they understood your response by asking them to repeat back what they heard, and let them know you are open to more questions. Reassure your child that it is normal to feel scared or anxious.
• Help your school-aged child and adolescent set boundaries on their information flow in the same way you are setting your own boundaries. Help them identify factual sources of information and set appropriate intervals to check in. Encourage them to use their media literacy skills to question the messages they are getting from various information channels. Consider limiting media exposure or consuming media with your child so that you can be available to interpret and explain information.
• Keep as many routines intact as possible. For kids who may be out of school and/or have extra-curricular activities cancelled, it is helpful to keep other routines, like mealtimes and bedtimes. To the extent possible, for kids who are at home for longer periods of time, set up a structure. Collaborate with your child to come up with a loose schedule, such as an outdoor activity and lunch prep in the morning, and a movie and homework time in the afternoon.
• Find fun ways to maintain contact with individuals your child is separated from, such as elderly grandparents or classmates at school. Set up opportunities to maintain and even grow connections, such as reading a book to grandparents on video call or sending postcards to friends.
• Encourage physical activity and time outside, where possible. Both staying active and having opportunities to be in nature are helpful with mitigating anxiety and building resilience.
• Use this as an opportunity to teach distress tolerance skills that will be helpful to your kids in any situation. This is a great time to learn about purposeful breathing, guided imagery, distraction, and other skills.
For Caregivers of Elderly Individuals:
• Facilitate ways for the individual to maintain social connections. As the elderly have been told to isolate as much as possible, it is likely that social isolation and loneliness may take a toll on physical and mental health. Set up and provide technological assistance for family and friends to stay connected to the individual. Consider coordinating a group of people to check in on a rotation so that the individual feels the support of a network.
• Encourage the individual to stay as active as possible, for both their physical and psychological well-being.
• Help the individual find ways where they can help others, such as calling others to check in on them or entertaining grandchildren on FaceTime. Having a purpose and role can reduce anxiety.
• Consider practical ways you can relieve an individual’s anxiety, such as volunteering to order their groceries online or offering to walk the individual’s dog(s).
• In a time of high anxiety, it may be hard for the individual to select reliable sources to get information and updates on COVID-19. Curate a list of reputable media and write them down for the individual.
• Practice self-care and be compassionate to yourself. While caregiving is a demanding and rewarding role at the best of times, being a caregiver during a time of heightened concerned is particularly stressful. If possible, find a way to take small breaks, rotate responsibilities with others, and practice your own mental health strategies.
For Mental Health Providers:
• Place a priority on self-care, including getting adequate rest and exercise, eating healthy food, maintaining social connections, and taking time away from service provision as possible.
• Prepare for heightened anxiety in the individuals in your care and prepare your own toolkit on skills and scripts that might be helpful.
• Work with your colleagues to prepare back-up plans for crisis management, such as telemental health or alternate therapeutic arrangements, so that you are prepared if there is a disruption in services. Work with your supervisor and colleagues to rotate functions and cross-train as much as possible
• Set up peer supports, such as peer supervision and consultation, to connect with others who are in a similar situation. Setting up spaces to discuss the toll of vicarious trauma and anxiety is an important part of self-care.
• Seek out professional help as needed. Remember that provision of mental health care during a crisis is challenging and it is critical that you address your own stress and anxiety.
Managing Anxiety in an Anxiety-Provoking Situation
The outbreak of COVID-19 around the world has led to the spread of fear and panic for individuals and communities. In addition to following physical precautions guidelines, individuals should be taking care of their psychological well-being.
This guide includes tips for the following populations:
• For Everyone
• For Individuals Receiving Mental Health Services
• For Parents, Including Parents of Children with Pre-Existing Anxiety Disorders
• For Caregivers of Elderly Individuals
• For Mental Health Providers
For Everyone:
• Reduce anxiety by reducing risk. Ways to reduce risk include practicing good hygiene (e.g. sneezing and coughing into your elbow, sneezing into a tissue and immediately throwing the tissue away, wash hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, etc.). In addition, create a plan in case your regular routine is disrupted, such as setting up remote work and alternative childcare arrangements. Setting out a plan can help reduce anxiety by taking charge of the things you can control.
• Manage your information flow by choosing reliable sources and establish boundaries on checking for updates. Getting regular, factual information is important. However, continuously scrolling through social media or constantly refreshing the news is likely to lead to increased anxiety. Pick a few trusted news outlets – such as the state and local health authorities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or World Health Organization – and commit to checking once or twice a day for updates.
• Monitor your anxiety levels. Anxiety is a normal response to a stressful situation and can provide adaptive benefits in many situations. However, when faced with mounting uncertainty, your brain can go into an anxiety spiral that is no longer helpful. Knowing the difference between typical and atypical stress is important. Monitoring your stress level will let you know when you need to seek additional help.
o A typical stress reaction may include: temporary difficulty concentrating; irritability and anger; fatigue; stomachache; and, difficulty sleeping. o An atypical stress reaction may include a persistent and/or excessive worry that doesn’t lift and keeps you from carrying out your daily tasks. If you experience significant changes in your energy level, eating patterns, or sleeping patterns, difficulty concentrating on normal tasks, prolonged and overwhelming worry and hopelessness, or thoughts of self-injury or suicide, seek out immediate help at 1800-273-TALK (8255) or text Got5 to 741741.
• Practice good self-care, including exercise, eating healthy foods, and sleeping an adequate amount at night. If possible, spend some time outside. Avoid staying up late to monitor the news.
• Virtually reach out to different types of support networks, such as family, friends, colleagues, faith-based communities, and social organizations to strengthen your overall feeling of connection. Isolation and loneliness feeds anxiety.
• Find meaningful tasks and roles within your support network to channel your anxiety, such as coordinating deliveries of groceries to those unable to leave home, curating kids’ activity ideas for parents working from home, or video calling or calling those who might feel socially isolated. Supporting others is beneficial to the supporter as well.
• Find or create spaces that are not focused on COVID-19. Start a social media thread about other topics, ask friends to discuss other topics, or watch your favorite TV or movie.
• Savor small positive moments, amplify positive stories, and stay optimistic. Try to cultivate a mental wellness practice, such as writing in a gratitude journal, or talking nightly with your family about moments during the day that were fun or enjoyable.
• Take an opportunity to practice mindfulness when managing anxiety. Mindfulness tools like grounding exercises, sensory modulation, and deep breathing may be helpful.
For Individuals Receiving Mental Health Services:
• As soon as possible, work with your mental health provider on a coping plan. Think about helpful coping skills you can practice daily and be mindful to those coping skills that you may turn to that are otherwise harmful to your safety and well-being. For example, if you know that music, walking outside, reframing your thoughts, and connecting with others are helpful, think about ways you can incorporate those into your daily life. If you know that you might struggle with ruminating, self-injury, substance use, or other strategies that might be harmful to your safety and well-being, identify alternative coping methods with your provider. Write out a plan to help prepare you for heightened anxiety.
• Work with your mental health providers on specifically managing anxiety and ask them to help you come up with practical skills that you can rehearse.
• Work with your mental health providers on alternative options if your routine services are disrupted. These might include using telemental health services, getting prescription medication, or engaging in supplemental mental wellness activities.
• Seek positive peer support. Connect yourself to others who understand your experiences and can assist in problem-solving. If social distancing increases feelings of isolation, look into online peer supports or peer hotlines.
For Parents, Including Parents of Children with Pre-Existing Anxiety Disorders:
• Think about and rehearse scripts for talking with your kids about COVID-19. Kids take cues from caregivers about how anxious they need to be about a topic. Seek out resources and media to assist in your preparation.
• Talk about the situation openly. Most kids elementary-aged and up have heard about COVID-19 or coronavirus. Avoiding the topic or providing blanket reassurances is more likely to feed anxiety. If kids bring up the topic, let them know you are glad they brought it up. This increased the likelihood that they will come to you with further anxieties or questions.
• Don’t give more information than is requested. Part of a developmentally appropriate approach is to answer the question your child asks, but not necessarily more than that. Check to make sure they understood your response by asking them to repeat back what they heard, and let them know you are open to more questions. Reassure your child that it is normal to feel scared or anxious.
• Help your school-aged child and adolescent set boundaries on their information flow in the same way you are setting your own boundaries. Help them identify factual sources of information and set appropriate intervals to check in. Encourage them to use their media literacy skills to question the messages they are getting from various information channels. Consider limiting media exposure or consuming media with your child so that you can be available to interpret and explain information.
• Keep as many routines intact as possible. For kids who may be out of school and/or have extra-curricular activities cancelled, it is helpful to keep other routines, like mealtimes and bedtimes. To the extent possible, for kids who are at home for longer periods of time, set up a structure. Collaborate with your child to come up with a loose schedule, such as an outdoor activity and lunch prep in the morning, and a movie and homework time in the afternoon.
• Find fun ways to maintain contact with individuals your child is separated from, such as elderly grandparents or classmates at school. Set up opportunities to maintain and even grow connections, such as reading a book to grandparents on video call or sending postcards to friends.
• Encourage physical activity and time outside, where possible. Both staying active and having opportunities to be in nature are helpful with mitigating anxiety and building resilience.
• Use this as an opportunity to teach distress tolerance skills that will be helpful to your kids in any situation. This is a great time to learn about purposeful breathing, guided imagery, distraction, and other skills.
For Caregivers of Elderly Individuals:
• Facilitate ways for the individual to maintain social connections. As the elderly have been told to isolate as much as possible, it is likely that social isolation and loneliness may take a toll on physical and mental health. Set up and provide technological assistance for family and friends to stay connected to the individual. Consider coordinating a group of people to check in on a rotation so that the individual feels the support of a network.
• Encourage the individual to stay as active as possible, for both their physical and psychological well-being.
• Help the individual find ways where they can help others, such as calling others to check in on them or entertaining grandchildren on FaceTime. Having a purpose and role can reduce anxiety.
• Consider practical ways you can relieve an individual’s anxiety, such as volunteering to order their groceries online or offering to walk the individual’s dog(s).
• In a time of high anxiety, it may be hard for the individual to select reliable sources to get information and updates on COVID-19. Curate a list of reputable media and write them down for the individual.
• Practice self-care and be compassionate to yourself. While caregiving is a demanding and rewarding role at the best of times, being a caregiver during a time of heightened concerned is particularly stressful. If possible, find a way to take small breaks, rotate responsibilities with others, and practice your own mental health strategies.
For Mental Health Providers:
• Place a priority on self-care, including getting adequate rest and exercise, eating healthy food, maintaining social connections, and taking time away from service provision as possible.
• Prepare for heightened anxiety in the individuals in your care and prepare your own toolkit on skills and scripts that might be helpful.
• Work with your colleagues to prepare back-up plans for crisis management, such as telemental health or alternate therapeutic arrangements, so that you are prepared if there is a disruption in services. Work with your supervisor and colleagues to rotate functions and cross-train as much as possible
• Set up peer supports, such as peer supervision and consultation, to connect with others who are in a similar situation. Setting up spaces to discuss the toll of vicarious trauma and anxiety is an important part of self-care.
• Seek out professional help as needed. Remember that provision of mental health care during a crisis is challenging and it is critical that you address your own stress and anxiety.
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