1 April 2020
Coronavirus (COVID-19) | Looking after your mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak
Dear colleagues,
By now many of us have been asked to stay at home and only go outside for food, health reasons or essential work, to stay two metres away from other people and wash our hands as soon as we get home. This simply means that will be spending a lot of time at home and many of our regular social activities will no longer be available to us.
It will help to try and see this time as a different period in your life, and not necessarily a bad one, even if you didn’t choose it. It means a different rhythm of life, a chance to be in touch with others in different ways than usual. Be in touch with other people regularly on social media, e-mail or on the phone, as they are still good ways of being close to the people who matter to you.
Create a new daily routine that prioritises looking after yourself. For example, try reading more or watching movies, having an exercise routine, trying new relaxation techniques, or finding new knowledge on the internet. Try and rest and view this as a new if unusual experience, which might have its benefits.
Make sure your wider health needs are being looked after such as having enough prescription medicines available to you.
However, should you display symptoms including fever, coughing, and shortness of breath and breathing difficulty, we encourage you to seek medical help by call ahead for the health care provider to make arrangements for your consultation as per the required safety protocols.
We further encourage any employee who may have been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosed person to come forward. Please follow our general good hygiene principles and if you have any further questions feel free to contact your respective medical centre for guidance.
Best regards,
Miss. Mickey Mashale