It is without a doubt that this quarantine period is extremely difficult on most people – our lives are put on hold, we must adapt to a new lifestyle that is restricted to the indoors. We must limit our interactions with others, and be cognizant of physical contact. I have heard of some people not understanding why even healthy people should be avoiding public spaces. It is important to recognize that any disease can present asymptomatically, and we can all be carriers. Although young, healthy people like us would recover just fine from coronavirus with supportive care, the elderly and immunocompromised would not – and we can easily spread the virus despite our most meticulous efforts not to. Imagine how much worse the situation would be currently if we did not engage in these preventative measures. Had we begun self-isolation from the beginning, the pandemic may have been avoided or lessened in severity; however, I applaud the country’s efforts in doing so now, and for everyone who is advocating for self-isolation. Staying at home to contain the virus, whether symptomatic or not, is the best way to combat this disease. That is why I am waiting a couple weeks before returning home to my family; to ride out the incubation period in case I am a carrier. Now is not the time to be selfish, and to lament over plans that have been cancelled as a result of an unexpected turn of events. Now is the time to take action by doing our part through quarantine, volunteering when the opportunity arises, and spreading awareness.
