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Patty Craig; A Slice Of Time

This pandemic has had ripple effects.  Not only is COVID-19 a potentially deadly virus, but it has also resulted in great distress. The three articles below mentioned some effects of living in a pandemic.

First, according to Better Homes & Gardens (November 2020, p. 150), in the United States:

-People are getting 32% less exercise because of the pandemic

-48% said that someone in their household has seen a mental health professional this year.

These statistics could surely be examples of living during a pandemic. Stress affects people differently. Although exercise could lower stress, many may not be able to exercise, especially in winter. Certainly, seeing a mental health professional is a wise choice. Living during a pandemic is stressful.

Second, virtual learning because of the pandemic has increased caretaker stress.  Psychology Today published an article, “The Effect of the Pandemic on Kids, Teenagers and Families” (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/parenting-neuroscience-perspecti...) by Aditi Subramaniam. The author stated, “Given how hard it can be for children to absorb information in a virtual set up, the burden on parents to take up aspects of their children’s education becomes great.” One result of the pandemic is that parents and guardians have to help their children more with school work, increasing the adult’s stress load. Although parents and guardians want to help their children, tutoring is an added stressor.

Third, in April in a Forbes’ article, “COVID-19 Worldwide: The Pandemic’s Impact on the Economy and Markets (https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmenickella/2020/04/08/covid-19-worldwi...), Brian Menickella said, “The effect in the U.S. remains unknown, but economists expect a hard hit to the economy, and the timing of the subsequent recovery remains uncertain.” I believe this is a relevant statement. The economy has been hit hard: shut downs, layoffs, unemployment, rent not being paid, and declining savings are all too common. At best, the timing of the recovery is likely months away. Financial stress – personal or business – is one more effect of living in a pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected more than our public health.  Not only is COVID-19 a potentially deadly virus, but it has also resulted in great distress. Because of the pandemic, we have witnessed grief and societal misery. Thankfully, the new soon-to-be-available vaccines will help protect us against the virus, while destroying pandemic stressors as well. Thank the Lord!

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