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Felix Rono

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Coping with the 5 major challenges brought about by the COVID 19 pandemic

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                                                                                                                                                                            Written by Felix Rono


Coping with the 5 major challenges brought about by the COVID 19 pandemic

Just like everybody, you never imagined that the impact of Coronavirus disease would reach the level witnessed today. You probably thought that COVID 19 was going to be eradicated in China. However, the disease has shocked everyone and even confounded experts.


The disease which was initially seen as a Chinese problem spread rapidly across the globe within a very short time. It has now become the most widely spread and difficult to control the disease of the 21st century. The disease has brought devastating effects on our lives.


This article helps you to understand the 5 major challenges brought about by COVID 19. It also outlines ways in which you can handle the challenges.


1. Income disruption

Without a doubt, COVID 19 has affected your income in one way or another. It may have resulted in a total loss of your income. This is especially applicable if you were employed either part or full time. A decline in income has been caused by the massive layoffs as many organizations declared redundancy. Some organizations, for example, those in the tourism and air travel industries have sent their employees on compulsory unpaid leaves.


Alternatively, COVID 19 may have resulted in your income reduction. This is mostly the case for those running businesses. Many consumers have cut their spending due to the unpredictable future. Reduced spending in turn results in low sales by businesses and consequently reduced profits. The impacts on reduced income are more severe for industries dealing with non-essential products and services.


Coping with income decline

How do you cope with income loss and decline? First, you should consider diversifying your income channels. Relying on one stream of income is dangerous, especially in the face of such a global pandemic. Whether you were employed or doing business, you need to devise multiple ways of generating an income. You could turn your hobby into an income-generating activity.


Secondly, you need to adjust your life according to the low-income level. Hard times call for tough decisions in terms of spending. You need to reduce unnecessary expenditures. For example, if you love purchasing expensive designer clothing, you should lower your appetite for such. The savings will help you to afford a basic living for longer as you organize yourself.


2. Relationship issues

The COVID 19 pandemic has brought a strain on many relationships. This is especially true for relationships with unaddressed underlying issues. You may be facing some marital issues due to a lack of openness in your relationship. Every marriage or relationship is faced with unique challenges and is best known by partners.


However, most relationship issues in the pandemic era arise out of the income decline discussed above. For instance, the loss of a job as the breadwinner may make you highly frustrated. This may be further complicated by an unsupportive partner. The extreme situation is whereby both partners have lost their jobs. This is bound to increase friction with your partner.


Solving relationship issues

You need to quickly sort issues touching on your marriage or relationship. A delay in handling your marital issues may make your relationship irredeemable. You first need to have quality time with your partner. You just need to be candid with one another on the current situation you are living under. Being open is one way of making sure that you getting a deeper understanding of each other. It also helps you to plan together on the way forward.


Additionally, you may need to consult a relationship expert. Coronavirus is now a new normal and you should adjust accordingly. With social distancing measures, it is possible to seek services of a neutral arbiter to help you iron out your issues. Ensure that you seek help from a person who is not related to both of you to avoid bias. However, seeking the services of an expert may be challenging due to financial limitations. In such instances, you can consult your religious leader who has experience in relationship issues.


3. Health issues

This is the major issue brought about by the COVID 19 pandemic. The disease is highly infectious. To make matters worse, it is difficult to know whether one is infected or not. The disease is even transmitted without symptoms, making everyone highly vulnerable. If you are living in a congested neighborhood, then the risks of getting the infection are even higher.


Additionally, several factors make you more susceptible to the disease. For instance, older people are more vulnerable than younger people because of the low level of immunity. If you are suffering from a pre-existing condition, you are likely to be at greater danger to infection. Nevertheless, young people are still not vulnerable and must take all necessary precautions.


Addressing health concerns

You simply need to take caution as per the adage, 'prevention is better than cure'. First, you need to take all the precautions as given out by the WHO. You should stay at home if you are not going out for anything necessary such as work or purchases. This helps you to reduce contact with other people. Additionally, frequently wash your hands thoroughly with running water and soap.


You also should put on your mouth and nose mask while outside your home. Some studies have revealed that the Coronavirus may stay in the air for some hours. Even though there are new revelations every day, it is important to be careful to avoid contracting the virus. Most importantly, you should keep a social distance of at least 1 meter in public places. This limits your exposure to the disease-causing virus.


4. Indiscipline among children

If you are a parent, children may be another source of problem during the COVID 19 pandemic. Since most schools are still shut, many children are at home. Their presence is further complicated by the fact that nobody knows when the schools will re-open! Children need attention and care since they are vulnerable, not only to the Coronavirus, but also a raft of other dangers.


Peer pressure is one challenge facing the children, especially teenagers. Due to the availability of lots of free time, they may start engaging in vices such as drug abuse. Such idle times often result in unwanted teenage pregnancies as children exploit their sexuality. On the other hand, younger children are susceptible to abuse. This mostly happens if parents are working thus entrusting them to the care of others.


Handling indiscipline

You should deal with indiscipline issues decisively. First, you should ensure that children are engaged. They should be engaged in two ways. One way of engaging them is by assigning duties such as cleaning the house, utensils, and even cooking. Additionally, you should design creative games such as chess to captivate their minds.


Secondly, you should design a study program for them. The schools' closure did not ban learning. There are numerous learning platforms to engage children at such times. Some programs are free while you may need to pay for others. If you have a flexible budget, you could consider hiring 1 or 2 teachers to guide them. However, all learning should be carried through a virtual platform to avoid the risk of exposure to COVID 19.


5. Stress

You are more prone to stress than ever before due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Some of the challenges discussed above are responsible for stress. For instance, a decline or loss of income may lead to psychological torture as you try to figure out the next move. This one may be further exacerbated if you are undergoing marital problems.



Similarly, children's indiscipline and worsening health conditions may cause stress when poorly handled. Other factors may cause stress as well. For example, the extended lockdown may have taken a toll on you. It may have cut your social ties and even engagement in hobbies. Another stress-causing factor is an unpredictable future. This may create anxiety and worry since your savings are slowly being depleted without a clear future.



Handling stress

You can cope with stress in several ways. The first way is by regular exercise. You may not be able to visit the gym due to the social distancing rules and even closure of businesses offering such services. However, you can still maintain a healthy lifestyle by designing a simple exercise regime. You may opt to exercise early in the morning or late in the evening, depending on your daily engagements. You can do simple exercises such as jogging and press-ups among others. Such exercises require little space but help you maintain mental and physical health.



Secondly, you can handle stress through your lifestyle. You need to eat a balanced diet to ensure you maintain a healthy living. To achieve this, you may need to design a timetable that keeps within your budget. A healthy diet helps you to avoid eating junk food which may lead to obesity, further distressing you. Additionally, you need to engage in your hobbies, for instance, reading motivational pieces that give you hope for a better future.



Conclusion

Without a doubt, the Coronavirus pandemic has resulted in numerous challenges such as income disruption, the strain on relationships, health issues, children's indiscipline, and stress.



You can cope with income decline by diversifying your income channels and adjusting your lifestyle accordingly. To solve relationship issues, you need to have an open conversation with your partner and maybe consult an expert if need be. To address health concerns, you need to adhere to WHO guidelines. You can handle children's indiscipline by assigning them duties and designing a study program. To handle stress, you should exercise regularly and also adjust your lifestyle.