How to Celebrate World Health Day During a Pandemic

Happy World Health Day! Celebrate with us by heeding these health precautions for yourself and others during the coronavirus pandemic.

Today is World Health Day. I think we can safely assume that health has been a topic at the forefront of everyone’s minds as we face the COVID-19 pandemic and the many dramatic changes that have occurred (and continue to occur) as a result.

World Health Day has a theme every year, and this year it’s dedicated to the hardworking nurses and midwives fighting on the frontlines for general public health. To celebrate the day and these brave people, keep up with the most recent guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how to keep others (and yourself) safe during this crisis. Here’s a rundown of what you should do:

Stay home!

The best thing you can do to protect yourself and others is staying home as much as possible. The vast majority of states have “shelter-in-place” orders in effect, which ask citizens to hunker down in their houses except for essential purposes like grocery shopping. You can look into local regulations for your specific city, county, or state to figure out what this means for you. The main thing is to stay at home as much as possible and avoid all social activities. We all have to make sacrifices at this time, but these sacrifices are saving lives and will help this nightmare end sooner.

Follow social distancing guidelines

You’ve been told to social distance a million times now, but it does help! WHO recommends at least three feet of distance between you and every person, while the CDC recommends at least six feet. Aim to leave six or more feet between you and another person if you have to go out. It’s important to understand this doesn’t include those who live in your household (unless they’re experiencing visible symptoms). Social distancing protects you from infectious droplets a sick person can spray for several feet if they’re coughing or sneezing. Since it’s hard to tell who could be infected, it’s safer to keep your distance.

Related: COVID-19: Why Is Social Distancing Important?

Wash your hands

Yes, that thing your parents have been imploring you to do since you were a kid. It really helps and is one of the easiest precautions to take. Be sure to wash your hands after you’re in public for any reason and whenever you come into close contact with frequently touched surfaces. Basically, wash your hands as much as possible, and be careful about what you’re touching.

Don’t touch your face

Your hands touch a lot of dirty things, so think twice before rubbing your eyes, nose, or mouth. Doing that can transfer the virus directly into your body and puts you at a greater risk for becoming infected. It’s difficult to avoid those nearly automatic touches to your face, but try to stay vigilant.

Wear a mask in public

At first masks were only recommended for those who were COVID-19 positive, but now the CDC and WHO are recommending everyone wear masks at all times when in public. This is still optional in most areas of the United States, but it’s not a bad idea to make a quick DIY mask. Use a bandana or other cotton material you have around your house with a couple of hair ties and you’re good to go. Making masks yourself will ensure you’re not taking critical N95 masks away from the dwindling health care supply.

Isolate yourself if you feel sick

You may not feel terrible if you have the coronavirus; many people have mild symptoms or may not show any symptoms at all. However, just because you have mild symptoms doesn’t mean that someone you transfer the virus to will have the same experience. For this reason and for the safety of everyone, isolate yourself.

Also, seek medical care if you have an exceptionally high fever or are having difficulty breathing. Be sure to call your doctor before going in for an appointment; they can help you to determine whether or not you need to come in and how to do so safely.

Related: Resources Students Need During the COVID-19 Pandemic

All this information can be quite unsettling, and you may be feeling a lot of anxiety right now, but together we’ll get through this! Follow your state’s guidelines as well as the guidelines of the CDC and WHO. And remember to thank the health professionals in your life today; it’s good to be grateful for their services and sacrifices on World Health Day and every day.

The CollegeXpress Team would like to sincerely express our gratitude and appreciation for all the medical professionals putting their health second to fight this pandemic. Thank you!

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:
coronavirus COVID-19 health and safety World Health Day

About Laura Wallace

Laura Wallace

Laura is a student at Anderson University, where she's pursuing a major in Social Studies Education with a minor in Spanish. Originally from North Carolina, she now calls Savannah, Georgia, home. She loves dark chocolate, stickers, and the color blue. In her free time, she plays the piano, participates in traditional Greek dance, and loves to visit thrift shops! 

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress
Jada Bohanon

Jada Bohanon

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress has helped me find scholarships for the colleges I applied to. It was very hard for me to find scholarships in the beginning that I was qualified for. My teachers recommended this website to find some, and not only did I find some scholarships but I also got to look into some schools I hadn’t heard of before. I was very happy to have discovered this website, especially with the coronavirus spreading all over as I can’t really go visit many colleges.

Maya Ingraham

Maya Ingraham

October 2021 Mini Scholarship Winner, Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has given me more confidence in my college process. With easy-to-access resources and guidance such as the CX Weekly Roundup, I have been able to find the best colleges for me. Most importantly, there’s a surplus of scholarship opportunities for every student to support their education.

Hailey Riddile

Hailey Riddile

High School Class of 2021

CollegeXpress has helped me find scholarships to apply for and look into more colleges. While there are many websites similar to CollegeXpress, every website is different, and I've found a lot of good insight on this website. Receiving emails from CollegeXpress about scholarships is extremely useful, and getting insight about colleges near, far, and anywhere in between helps me narrow down my choices to what I want, which is also super helpful. The articles are always really good reads, and I can't stress enough how helpful this website has been to me. Anything related to college is beneficial to me as a senior, and I have learned lots of useful things to help me on my college journey this year.

Carlie Cadet

Carlie Cadet

High School Class of 2019

CollegeXpress has helped me learn about an abundance of scholarships available to me and my situation. I was able to do research for colleges in my best interest with your website. I've had multiple colleges email me and offer me multiple scholarships and things of that nature because of this website! Thank you so much for uploading scholarships I didn’t even know existed, even if my life took a huge turn and I wasn’t able to go to college straight out of high school. CollegeXpress helped me a lot in high school to be even more motivated to get into my dream college (which I did, by the way). I'm looking forward to using the materials CollegeXpress has kindly provided me for free to look for scholarships to help pay for college.

Amelia

Amelia

High School Class of 2023

CollegeXpress helped open me up to many colleges that fit my interests. I’m only a sophomore in high school, so I like having a lot to look at, and CX does a great job of picking colleges that meet my wants. It's a great website that I'll continue to use until it comes time for me to apply for colleges. I also like that it notifies me through email with options to look at. Thanks CX!

College Matches
X

Colleges You May Be Interested In

High Point University

High Point, NC

Hillsdale College

Hillsdale, MI

Dean College

Franklin, MA

Miami University

Oxford, OH