According to Healthline, the meaning of “fatigue is a term used to describe an overall feeling of tiredness or lack of energy. It isn't the same as simply feeling drowsy or sleepy. When you're fatigued, you have no motivation and no energy.” https://www.healthline.com/health/fatigue#causes
Usually fatigue can be caused by physical, mental or lifestyle changes and the current interruption of the covid 19 on the world has created a term called, Covid fatigue. There is so much in the media of how we have increased the number of cases to a world estimate of over 11 million cases with the United States making up about ¼ of total cases. Also, total deaths worldwide of over 530,000. The United States has over 130,000 deaths alone, or approximately 1/5 deaths, of the world covid cases and climbing. We started out convinced that this was not as bad, but we soon realized that things are never going to be the same. Yes, hopefully one day and soon we will get a vaccine, cure or treatment regimen that allows our death cases to decline or disappear, such as smallpox in the 1900’s. But the reality is that none of these things currently exist. We have socially distanced and started wearing mask, most but not all. Our economy has suffered greatly, and people are tired of the endless toll this is having on us financially and emotionally. We are separated from our love ones, and if we dare go to see our loved ones we are put at great risk and risk the health of others if we are silent carriers. Sometimes, silently watching our loved ones succumb in isolation from this dreaded disease. All of this is mentally and physically draining to say the least.
What can we do? We have stayed apart; our economy has suffered with millions of people joining the unemployment role. Our leadership is disjointed, and we are looking for answers. Guess what, the answer lies within, what is the risk that you are willing to take? Whenever there is a threat such as tornado or hurricane, you are given guidelines to move to a place of safety. The thing is not everyone heeds those instructions and they are fully aware of the threat, whether they believe it or not. They also have some knowledge of the threat such as living in the region of such dangerous situations. So maybe these people are risk takers and weigh their own odds of “beating the odds”, or maybe they are just choosing to ignore or to deny what they have heard in the past of false narratives. However, the final decision goes to the virus or to nature. The tornado may hit, or it may not. The virus may linger, or it may dissipate. But what it is not going to do is come with a flag waving, “I’m here”, that is up to us to be prepared and be diligent.
So yes, wearing a mask is still essential now more than ever because we know it has some form of protection, especially with the recent surge in infections. It puts a barrier between your airway and the potential virus. Donning a mask is for your benefit as well as someone else in case you are a silent carrier (asymptomatic carrier). Social distancing is also key. Just in case you are around someone that may have virus shedding or not masked or even maybe coughed, you give yourself a safer distance between you and the virus. So, stay out of peoples face and space. Another big thing is hand washing. This is a must when entering and exiting a room, car, elevator, before you eat, after you eat, before touching yourself, before touching anyone else such as a child or love one, etc. This may seem like a broken record, but you would be surprised at how things in our environment is contaminated, not just with regular bacteria but with the coronavirus. So, it is important to wash your hands, face, arms, and any exposed area frequently. Which, brings me to the next thing, cleaning our surfaces. We may think that we have a clean office or house or car, but with the shear volume of this virus, it does not hurt to continually over clean. When you come from outside to the inside, wash your hands and any surface that you have touched such as doorknobs, or handles, purses, etc. Also, making sure that you are taking the necessary mental and health precautions. Drinking plenty of water to avoid dehydration, sleeping for at least 8 hours a day, eating a well-balanced diet, taking the necessary vitamins and minerals, exercising your mind and body, creating your calm with spiritual guidance or other means. Cleveland Clinic has also great tips on recharging. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-you-experiencing-coronavirus-quarantine-fatigue/
Please don't forget, seeking professional help as needed in the form of a medical provider or psychiatric provider is imperative. This is not the time to be bold, brave and by yourself. We need community, either by way of zoom or some other form of virtual assistance. Having resilience and resolve that we are going to get through this and come out better than we went into this is imperative. So, let's reboot and get back into a posture of winning this for us all.
You can find affordable medical care here at https://www.hhctelehealth.com/ or with your primary care provider.
National Mental health agency www.mhanational.org/