helping each other in this pandemic essay

Greater Good Science Center • Magazine • In Action • In Education

Community Articles & More

Helping others can help you feel better during the pandemic, a new study suggests that people who volunteer or support others during the pandemic tend to be happier..

In many ways, the coronavirus pandemic has demonstrated the extent to which we rely on others. This year, we’ve been forced to find new ways to stay connected, whether that’s signing up for virtual volunteering , organizing Zoom happy hours, or using resources like Nextdoor’s Help Map to obtain essential supplies.

How are these new ways of connecting impacting our well-being during the pandemic? According to a new research paper published in The Gerontologist , all the help that we’re giving and receiving may be serving to brighten our days and keep our relationships strong.

As shelter-in-place orders were issued in March, a team of researchers began asking participants to complete surveys each night for a week. In total, over 1,000 participants in the United States and Canada responded in the spring and summer. In the surveys, participants were asked if they had helped anyone that day—either as part of an organized volunteer activity or by providing help more informally (for example, by offering emotional support to a friend or bringing a neighbor groceries). In addition, participants also reported on their positive and negative emotions, indicated whether they had received support from anyone that day, and rated how they felt their relationships were going.

The researchers found that participants who helped others more often—whether through formal volunteering or providing more informal types of help—reported higher positive emotions, lower negative emotions, and more satisfaction with their relationships. In addition to these differences between people, the researchers also observed people’s well-being fluctuate over time: On days when participants helped others, they felt greater positive emotions and were happier with their relationships, compared to days when they didn’t help anyone else.

Additionally, providing emotional support (that is, providing a listening ear rather than trying to fix someone’s problem) had a unique benefit: On days when participants offered this kind of support, they reported lower negative emotions.

During the study, older participants (ages 60 and up) were the most likely to participate in formal volunteering activities, and they were the most likely to receive emotional support from others. Older participants also reported the highest levels of well-being, in terms of positive and negative emotions and satisfaction with their relationships. Volunteering and staying socially connected—albeit at a distance—may play a role in helping older adults stay well during the pandemic.

In fact, receiving help seemed to be beneficial for everyone, not just older people: On days when participants received support from others, they reported higher positive emotions and more happiness with their relationships.

While this might seem intuitive, it actually differs from previous research, which has found that receiving help from others can sometimes backfire. For example, receiving support we didn’t ask for can be an unpleasant experience, since it can make us feel like our competence is being called into question. Research also suggests that feeling incompetent or powerless as a result of receiving support is linked to negative consequences, such as having more symptoms of depression.

Why didn’t receiving support have adverse consequences in the present study? Nancy Sin, assistant professor at the University of British Columbia and lead author of the study, explains that one reason may have to do with the nature of the pandemic. Since all of us are going through a huge, collective stressor, reaching out for help is, in a sense, normalized.

Additionally, people may be more likely to receive the kind of helpful, effective support that they want right now. Participants in the study were especially likely to receive emotional support , and, when we’re facing an uncontrollable, unpredictable event—like COVID-19 is—being able to vent is sometimes more effective than having someone jump in to fix whatever’s wrong. It also helps that a lot of the support happening right now is reciprocal: In a conversation with a friend, we might find ourselves taking the role of both support provider and support recipient.

Make Giving Feel Good

How to encourage kindness in ways that also boost happiness

Sin’s advice for people who are feeling lonely or disconnected right now? Seek out opportunities to connect with others, whether through formal volunteer organizations (many of which are offering virtual or socially distanced opportunities to help) or by simply reaching out to a friend you haven’t talked to in a while.

Another way to help out is to get others connected to the digital resources they need to set up Zoom calls or do virtual volunteering. While more and more older adults are connected to the internet, not all are (and socioeconomic inequalities can exacerbate this issue). Helping to bridge this digital gap will have a meaningful impact on people’s sense of connectedness right now.

Sin also suggests that the efforts we’re making now to cultivate our social networks can have long-reaching consequences. The volunteer networks, community groups, and mutual aid organizations we’ve built up while social distancing are resources that we can carry forward, even after the pandemic. She explains, “What I hope is that, by people becoming more active in helping other people, in maybe becoming more involved in their communities, that this will build resources that people can still rely on in the future even after the pandemic is over.”

About the Author

Elizabeth Hopper

Elizabeth Hopper, Ph.D. , received her Ph.D. in psychology from UC Santa Barbara and currently works as a freelance science writer specializing in psychology and mental health.

You May Also Enjoy

This article — and everything on this site — is funded by readers like you.

Become a subscribing member today. Help us continue to bring “the science of a meaningful life” to you and to millions around the globe.

Log in using your username and password

• Search More Search for this keyword Advanced search
• Latest content
• Current issue
• BMJ Journals More You are viewing from: Google Indexer

You are here

• Volume 76, Issue 2
• COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on social relationships and health
• Article Text
• Article info
• Citation Tools
• Rapid Responses
• Article metrics

• http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1512-4471 Emily Long 1 ,
• Susan Patterson 1 ,
• Karen Maxwell 1 ,
• Carolyn Blake 1 ,
• http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7342-4566 Raquel Bosó Pérez 1 ,
• Ruth Lewis 1 ,
• Mark McCann 1 ,
• Julie Riddell 1 ,
• Kathryn Skivington 1 ,
• Rachel Wilson-Lowe 1 ,
• http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4409-6601 Kirstin R Mitchell 2
• 1 MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK
• 2 MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Institute of Health & Wellbeing , University of Glasgow , Glasgow , UK
• Correspondence to Dr Emily Long, MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G3 7HR, UK; emily.long{at}glasgow.ac.uk

This essay examines key aspects of social relationships that were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses explicitly on relational mechanisms of health and brings together theory and emerging evidence on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to make recommendations for future public health policy and recovery. We first provide an overview of the pandemic in the UK context, outlining the nature of the public health response. We then introduce four distinct domains of social relationships: social networks, social support, social interaction and intimacy, highlighting the mechanisms through which the pandemic and associated public health response drastically altered social interactions in each domain. Throughout the essay, the lens of health inequalities, and perspective of relationships as interconnecting elements in a broader system, is used to explore the varying impact of these disruptions. The essay concludes by providing recommendations for longer term recovery ensuring that the social relational cost of COVID-19 is adequately considered in efforts to rebuild.

• inequalities

Data availability statement

Data sharing not applicable as no data sets generated and/or analysed for this study. Data sharing not applicable as no data sets generated or analysed for this essay.

This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to copy, redistribute, remix, transform and build upon this work for any purpose, provided the original work is properly cited, a link to the licence is given, and indication of whether changes were made. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2021-216690

Statistics from Altmetric.com

Request permissions.

If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

Introduction

Infectious disease pandemics, including SARS and COVID-19, demand intrapersonal behaviour change and present highly complex challenges for public health. 1 A pandemic of an airborne infection, spread easily through social contact, assails human relationships by drastically altering the ways through which humans interact. In this essay, we draw on theories of social relationships to examine specific ways in which relational mechanisms key to health and well-being were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Relational mechanisms refer to the processes between people that lead to change in health outcomes.

At the time of writing, the future surrounding COVID-19 was uncertain. Vaccine programmes were being rolled out in countries that could afford them, but new and more contagious variants of the virus were also being discovered. The recovery journey looked long, with continued disruption to social relationships. The social cost of COVID-19 was only just beginning to emerge, but the mental health impact was already considerable, 2 3 and the inequality of the health burden stark. 4 Knowledge of the epidemiology of COVID-19 accrued rapidly, but evidence of the most effective policy responses remained uncertain.

The initial response to COVID-19 in the UK was reactive and aimed at reducing mortality, with little time to consider the social implications, including for interpersonal and community relationships. The terminology of ‘social distancing’ quickly became entrenched both in public and policy discourse. This equation of physical distance with social distance was regrettable, since only physical proximity causes viral transmission, whereas many forms of social proximity (eg, conversations while walking outdoors) are minimal risk, and are crucial to maintaining relationships supportive of health and well-being.

The aim of this essay is to explore four key relational mechanisms that were impacted by the pandemic and associated restrictions: social networks, social support, social interaction and intimacy. We use relational theories and emerging research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic response to make three key recommendations: one regarding public health responses; and two regarding social recovery. Our understanding of these mechanisms stems from a ‘systems’ perspective which casts social relationships as interdependent elements within a connected whole. 5

Social networks

Social networks characterise the individuals and social connections that compose a system (such as a workplace, community or society). Social relationships range from spouses and partners, to coworkers, friends and acquaintances. They vary across many dimensions, including, for example, frequency of contact and emotional closeness. Social networks can be understood both in terms of the individuals and relationships that compose the network, as well as the overall network structure (eg, how many of your friends know each other).

Social networks show a tendency towards homophily, or a phenomenon of associating with individuals who are similar to self. 6 This is particularly true for ‘core’ network ties (eg, close friends), while more distant, sometimes called ‘weak’ ties tend to show more diversity. During the height of COVID-19 restrictions, face-to-face interactions were often reduced to core network members, such as partners, family members or, potentially, live-in roommates; some ‘weak’ ties were lost, and interactions became more limited to those closest. Given that peripheral, weaker social ties provide a diversity of resources, opinions and support, 7 COVID-19 likely resulted in networks that were smaller and more homogenous.

Such changes were not inevitable nor necessarily enduring, since social networks are also adaptive and responsive to change, in that a disruption to usual ways of interacting can be replaced by new ways of engaging (eg, Zoom). Yet, important inequalities exist, wherein networks and individual relationships within networks are not equally able to adapt to such changes. For example, individuals with a large number of newly established relationships (eg, university students) may have struggled to transfer these relationships online, resulting in lost contacts and a heightened risk of social isolation. This is consistent with research suggesting that young adults were the most likely to report a worsening of relationships during COVID-19, whereas older adults were the least likely to report a change. 8

Lastly, social connections give rise to emergent properties of social systems, 9 where a community-level phenomenon develops that cannot be attributed to any one member or portion of the network. For example, local area-based networks emerged due to geographic restrictions (eg, stay-at-home orders), resulting in increases in neighbourly support and local volunteering. 10 In fact, research suggests that relationships with neighbours displayed the largest net gain in ratings of relationship quality compared with a range of relationship types (eg, partner, colleague, friend). 8 Much of this was built from spontaneous individual interactions within local communities, which together contributed to the ‘community spirit’ that many experienced. 11 COVID-19 restrictions thus impacted the personal social networks and the structure of the larger networks within the society.

Social support

Social support, referring to the psychological and material resources provided through social interaction, is a critical mechanism through which social relationships benefit health. In fact, social support has been shown to be one of the most important resilience factors in the aftermath of stressful events. 12 In the context of COVID-19, the usual ways in which individuals interact and obtain social support have been severely disrupted.

One such disruption has been to opportunities for spontaneous social interactions. For example, conversations with colleagues in a break room offer an opportunity for socialising beyond one’s core social network, and these peripheral conversations can provide a form of social support. 13 14 A chance conversation may lead to advice helpful to coping with situations or seeking formal help. Thus, the absence of these spontaneous interactions may mean the reduction of indirect support-seeking opportunities. While direct support-seeking behaviour is more effective at eliciting support, it also requires significantly more effort and may be perceived as forceful and burdensome. 15 The shift to homeworking and closure of community venues reduced the number of opportunities for these spontaneous interactions to occur, and has, second, focused them locally. Consequently, individuals whose core networks are located elsewhere, or who live in communities where spontaneous interaction is less likely, have less opportunity to benefit from spontaneous in-person supportive interactions.

However, alongside this disruption, new opportunities to interact and obtain social support have arisen. The surge in community social support during the initial lockdown mirrored that often seen in response to adverse events (eg, natural disasters 16 ). COVID-19 restrictions that confined individuals to their local area also compelled them to focus their in-person efforts locally. Commentators on the initial lockdown in the UK remarked on extraordinary acts of generosity between individuals who belonged to the same community but were unknown to each other. However, research on adverse events also tells us that such community support is not necessarily maintained in the longer term. 16

Meanwhile, online forms of social support are not bound by geography, thus enabling interactions and social support to be received from a wider network of people. Formal online social support spaces (eg, support groups) existed well before COVID-19, but have vastly increased since. While online interactions can increase perceived social support, it is unclear whether remote communication technologies provide an effective substitute from in-person interaction during periods of social distancing. 17 18 It makes intuitive sense that the usefulness of online social support will vary by the type of support offered, degree of social interaction and ‘online communication skills’ of those taking part. Youth workers, for instance, have struggled to keep vulnerable youth engaged in online youth clubs, 19 despite others finding a positive association between amount of digital technology used by individuals during lockdown and perceived social support. 20 Other research has found that more frequent face-to-face contact and phone/video contact both related to lower levels of depression during the time period of March to August 2020, but the negative effect of a lack of contact was greater for those with higher levels of usual sociability. 21 Relatedly, important inequalities in social support exist, such that individuals who occupy more socially disadvantaged positions in society (eg, low socioeconomic status, older people) tend to have less access to social support, 22 potentially exacerbated by COVID-19.

Social and interactional norms

Interactional norms are key relational mechanisms which build trust, belonging and identity within and across groups in a system. Individuals in groups and societies apply meaning by ‘approving, arranging and redefining’ symbols of interaction. 23 A handshake, for instance, is a powerful symbol of trust and equality. Depending on context, not shaking hands may symbolise a failure to extend friendship, or a failure to reach agreement. The norms governing these symbols represent shared values and identity; and mutual understanding of these symbols enables individuals to achieve orderly interactions, establish supportive relationship accountability and connect socially. 24 25

Physical distancing measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 radically altered these norms of interaction, particularly those used to convey trust, affinity, empathy and respect (eg, hugging, physical comforting). 26 As epidemic waves rose and fell, the work to negotiate these norms required intense cognitive effort; previously taken-for-granted interactions were re-examined, factoring in current restriction levels, own and (assumed) others’ vulnerability and tolerance of risk. This created awkwardness, and uncertainty, for example, around how to bring closure to an in-person interaction or convey warmth. The instability in scripted ways of interacting created particular strain for individuals who already struggled to encode and decode interactions with others (eg, those who are deaf or have autism spectrum disorder); difficulties often intensified by mask wearing. 27

Large social gatherings—for example, weddings, school assemblies, sporting events—also present key opportunities for affirming and assimilating interactional norms, building cohesion and shared identity and facilitating cooperation across social groups. 28 Online ‘equivalents’ do not easily support ‘social-bonding’ activities such as singing and dancing, and rarely enable chance/spontaneous one-on-one conversations with peripheral/weaker network ties (see the Social networks section) which can help strengthen bonds across a larger network. The loss of large gatherings to celebrate rites of passage (eg, bar mitzvah, weddings) has additional relational costs since these events are performed by and for communities to reinforce belonging, and to assist in transitioning to new phases of life. 29 The loss of interaction with diverse others via community and large group gatherings also reduces intergroup contact, which may then tend towards more prejudiced outgroup attitudes. While online interaction can go some way to mimicking these interaction norms, there are key differences. A sense of anonymity, and lack of in-person emotional cues, tends to support norms of polarisation and aggression in expressing differences of opinion online. And while online platforms have potential to provide intergroup contact, the tendency of much social media to form homogeneous ‘echo chambers’ can serve to further reduce intergroup contact. 30 31

Intimacy relates to the feeling of emotional connection and closeness with other human beings. Emotional connection, through romantic, friendship or familial relationships, fulfils a basic human need 32 and strongly benefits health, including reduced stress levels, improved mental health, lowered blood pressure and reduced risk of heart disease. 32 33 Intimacy can be fostered through familiarity, feeling understood and feeling accepted by close others. 34

Intimacy via companionship and closeness is fundamental to mental well-being. Positively, the COVID-19 pandemic has offered opportunities for individuals to (re)connect and (re)strengthen close relationships within their household via quality time together, following closure of many usual external social activities. Research suggests that the first full UK lockdown period led to a net gain in the quality of steady relationships at a population level, 35 but amplified existing inequalities in relationship quality. 35 36 For some in single-person households, the absence of a companion became more conspicuous, leading to feelings of loneliness and lower mental well-being. 37 38 Additional pandemic-related relational strain 39 40 resulted, for some, in the initiation or intensification of domestic abuse. 41 42

Physical touch is another key aspect of intimacy, a fundamental human need crucial in maintaining and developing intimacy within close relationships. 34 Restrictions on social interactions severely restricted the number and range of people with whom physical affection was possible. The reduction in opportunity to give and receive affectionate physical touch was not experienced equally. Many of those living alone found themselves completely without physical contact for extended periods. The deprivation of physical touch is evidenced to take a heavy emotional toll. 43 Even in future, once physical expressions of affection can resume, new levels of anxiety over germs may introduce hesitancy into previously fluent blending of physical and verbal intimate social connections. 44

The pandemic also led to shifts in practices and norms around sexual relationship building and maintenance, as individuals adapted and sought alternative ways of enacting sexual intimacy. This too is important, given that intimate sexual activity has known benefits for health. 45 46 Given that social restrictions hinged on reducing household mixing, possibilities for partnered sexual activity were primarily guided by living arrangements. While those in cohabiting relationships could potentially continue as before, those who were single or in non-cohabiting relationships generally had restricted opportunities to maintain their sexual relationships. Pornography consumption and digital partners were reported to increase since lockdown. 47 However, online interactions are qualitatively different from in-person interactions and do not provide the same opportunities for physical intimacy.

Recommendations and conclusions

In the sections above we have outlined the ways in which COVID-19 has impacted social relationships, showing how relational mechanisms key to health have been undermined. While some of the damage might well self-repair after the pandemic, there are opportunities inherent in deliberative efforts to build back in ways that facilitate greater resilience in social and community relationships. We conclude by making three recommendations: one regarding public health responses to the pandemic; and two regarding social recovery.

Recommendation 1: explicitly count the relational cost of public health policies to control the pandemic

Effective handling of a pandemic recognises that social, economic and health concerns are intricately interwoven. It is clear that future research and policy attention must focus on the social consequences. As described above, policies which restrict physical mixing across households carry heavy and unequal relational costs. These include for individuals (eg, loss of intimate touch), dyads (eg, loss of warmth, comfort), networks (eg, restricted access to support) and communities (eg, loss of cohesion and identity). Such costs—and their unequal impact—should not be ignored in short-term efforts to control an epidemic. Some public health responses—restrictions on international holiday travel and highly efficient test and trace systems—have relatively small relational costs and should be prioritised. At a national level, an earlier move to proportionate restrictions, and investment in effective test and trace systems, may help prevent escalation of spread to the point where a national lockdown or tight restrictions became an inevitability. Where policies with relational costs are unavoidable, close attention should be paid to the unequal relational impact for those whose personal circumstances differ from normative assumptions of two adult families. This includes consideration of whether expectations are fair (eg, for those who live alone), whether restrictions on social events are equitable across age group, religious/ethnic groupings and social class, and also to ensure that the language promoted by such policies (eg, households; families) is not exclusionary. 48 49 Forethought to unequal impacts on social relationships should thus be integral to the work of epidemic preparedness teams.

Recommendation 2: intelligently balance online and offline ways of relating

A key ingredient for well-being is ‘getting together’ in a physical sense. This is fundamental to a human need for intimate touch, physical comfort, reinforcing interactional norms and providing practical support. Emerging evidence suggests that online ways of relating cannot simply replace physical interactions. But online interaction has many benefits and for some it offers connections that did not exist previously. In particular, online platforms provide new forms of support for those unable to access offline services because of mobility issues (eg, older people) or because they are geographically isolated from their support community (eg, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) youth). Ultimately, multiple forms of online and offline social interactions are required to meet the needs of varying groups of people (eg, LGBTQ, older people). Future research and practice should aim to establish ways of using offline and online support in complementary and even synergistic ways, rather than veering between them as social restrictions expand and contract. Intelligent balancing of online and offline ways of relating also pertains to future policies on home and flexible working. A decision to switch to wholesale or obligatory homeworking should consider the risk to relational ‘group properties’ of the workplace community and their impact on employees’ well-being, focusing in particular on unequal impacts (eg, new vs established employees). Intelligent blending of online and in-person working is required to achieve flexibility while also nurturing supportive networks at work. Intelligent balance also implies strategies to build digital literacy and minimise digital exclusion, as well as coproducing solutions with intended beneficiaries.

Recommendation 3: build stronger and sustainable localised communities

In balancing offline and online ways of interacting, there is opportunity to capitalise on the potential for more localised, coherent communities due to scaled-down travel, homeworking and local focus that will ideally continue after restrictions end. There are potential economic benefits after the pandemic, such as increased trade as home workers use local resources (eg, coffee shops), but also relational benefits from stronger relationships around the orbit of the home and neighbourhood. Experience from previous crises shows that community volunteer efforts generated early on will wane over time in the absence of deliberate work to maintain them. Adequately funded partnerships between local government, third sector and community groups are required to sustain community assets that began as a direct response to the pandemic. Such partnerships could work to secure green spaces and indoor (non-commercial) meeting spaces that promote community interaction. Green spaces in particular provide a triple benefit in encouraging physical activity and mental health, as well as facilitating social bonding. 50 In building local communities, small community networks—that allow for diversity and break down ingroup/outgroup views—may be more helpful than the concept of ‘support bubbles’, which are exclusionary and less sustainable in the longer term. Rigorously designed intervention and evaluation—taking a systems approach—will be crucial in ensuring scale-up and sustainability.

The dramatic change to social interaction necessitated by efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 created stark challenges but also opportunities. Our essay highlights opportunities for learning, both to ensure the equity and humanity of physical restrictions, and to sustain the salutogenic effects of social relationships going forward. The starting point for capitalising on this learning is recognition of the disruption to relational mechanisms as a key part of the socioeconomic and health impact of the pandemic. In recovery planning, a general rule is that what is good for decreasing health inequalities (such as expanding social protection and public services and pursuing green inclusive growth strategies) 4 will also benefit relationships and safeguard relational mechanisms for future generations. Putting this into action will require political will.

Ethics statements

Patient consent for publication.

Not required.

• Office for National Statistics (ONS)
• Ford T , et al
• Riordan R ,
• Ford J , et al
• Glonti K , et al
• McPherson JM ,
• Smith-Lovin L
• Granovetter MS
• Fancourt D et al
• Stadtfeld C
• Office for Civil Society
• Cook J et al
• Rodriguez-Llanes JM ,
• Guha-Sapir D
• Patulny R et al
• Granovetter M
• Winkeler M ,
• Filipp S-H ,
• Kaniasty K ,
• de Terte I ,
• Guilaran J , et al
• Wright KB ,
• Martin J et al
• Gabbiadini A ,
• Baldissarri C ,
• Durante F , et al
• Sommerlad A ,
• Marston L ,
• Huntley J , et al
• Turner RJ ,
• Bicchieri C
• Brennan G et al
• Watson-Jones RE ,
• Amichai-Hamburger Y ,
• McKenna KYA
• Page-Gould E ,
• Aron A , et al
• Pietromonaco PR ,
• Timmerman GM
• Bradbury-Jones C ,
• Mikocka-Walus A ,
• Klas A , et al
• Marshall L ,
• Steptoe A ,
• Stanley SM ,
• Campbell AM
• ↵ (ONS), O.f.N.S., Domestic abuse during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, England and Wales . Available: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/articles/domesticabuseduringthecoronaviruscovid19pandemicenglandandwales/november2020
• Rosenberg M ,
• Hensel D , et al
• Banerjee D ,
• Bruner DW , et al
• Bavel JJV ,
• Baicker K ,
• Boggio PS , et al
• van Barneveld K ,
• Quinlan M ,
• Kriesler P , et al
• Mitchell R ,
• de Vries S , et al

Twitter @karenmaxSPHSU, @Mark_McCann, @Rwilsonlowe, @KMitchinGlasgow

Contributors EL and KM led on the manuscript conceptualisation, review and editing. SP, KM, CB, RBP, RL, MM, JR, KS and RW-L contributed to drafting and revising the article. All authors assisted in revising the final draft.

Funding The research reported in this publication was supported by the Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00022/1, MC_UU_00022/3) and the Chief Scientist Office (SPHSU11, SPHSU14). EL is also supported by MRC Skills Development Fellowship Award (MR/S015078/1). KS and MM are also supported by a Medical Research Council Strategic Award (MC_PC_13027).

Competing interests None declared.

Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Read the full text or download the PDF:

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

• Your Health
• Treatments & Tests
• Health Inc.
• Public Health

Health Reporting in the States

'love and solidarity': amid coronavirus, mutual aid groups resurge in new york city.

Elizabeth Lawrence

When Nancy Perez contracted COVID-19 in March, she stayed in her room for a month, isolating herself from her sons and grandson. The mutual aid group Bed-Stuy Strong regularly sent volunteers to her home with meals for her family. Shelby Knowles for KHN hide caption

When Nancy Perez contracted COVID-19 in March, she stayed in her room for a month, isolating herself from her sons and grandson. The mutual aid group Bed-Stuy Strong regularly sent volunteers to her home with meals for her family.

Nancy Perez, a 45-year-old resident of the Brooklyn, N.Y., neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant, contracted COVID-19 in March. She stayed quarantined in her room for a month to isolate from her two sons and grandson.

A few days before she got the virus, she'd met a volunteer with Bed-Stuy Strong — one of the many mutual aid groups around the country that have rallied to provide help in the face of the pandemic. Bed-Stuy Strong assembled an army of volunteers to help vulnerable neighbors with food deliveries and basic supplies. While Perez was in isolation, volunteers regularly delivered cooked food for her sons, ages 17 and 20, and her 4-year-old grandson.

"If it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have survived my quarantine and any other stuff that's been going on," said Perez, who receives disability benefits and scavenges the city for items she can sell to help cover the family's and others' expenses.

Since recovering, Perez has been helping deliver food with other volunteers and she says she's gotten to know neighbors she never would have met before — she stays in constant communication with other volunteers.

"I say it so happily that my tears are coming out right now. Because it's so refreshing," she said. "There is no age, there is no color, there is no race within Bed-Stuy Strong."

People are hurting financially and medically from the coronavirus pandemic. Millions of Americans are unemployed and food insecurity has doubled since the pandemic began. The struggle is widespread, overwhelming public welfare programs in some cases. Many people are looking to their next-door neighbors for help.

New York City has seen an influx of mutual aid groups — a website called Mutual Aid Hub reports 59 operating in the city now. Though the concept is not new, such efforts have gained energy and attention during the pandemic. Mutual aid involves ordinary people volunteering their time and resources to help one another when the government or large institutions have not adequately addressed their needs.

Since her recovery from COVID-19, Nancy Perez has volunteered regularly with Bed-Stuy Strong, a mutual aid group in her Brooklyn neighborhood, Bedford-Stuyvesant. Shelby Knowles for KHN hide caption

Since her recovery from COVID-19, Nancy Perez has volunteered regularly with Bed-Stuy Strong, a mutual aid group in her Brooklyn neighborhood, Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Bringing together new neighbors and old

The resurgence of mutual aid has meant that in rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods, these efforts may bring neighbors from different backgrounds closer together.

Alyssa Dizon, a 26-year-old product manager at an urban technology company, volunteers with Bed-Stuy Strong, helping to manage the online system that coordinates grocery deliveries. She moved to the area from New Orleans less than a year ago and found herself meeting more neighbors in the past couple of months while helping with the mutual aid than in the nine months before that.

"So, I am a gentrifier and I'm new to New York," Dizon said. "I feel more connected to this neighborhood now than I have before, and I have heard that sentiment even from people who've lived here much longer."

Willie Tolliver, an associate professor of social work at Hunter College, part of the City University of New York, said mutual aid is deeply rooted in African American and immigrant communities. In his research, he's traced mutual aid among African Americans in New York City to as early as the late 1700s. He noted the mutual aid ideology embodied by the Black Panther Party , which coordinated free breakfast programs and errands for the elderly.

Tolliver said these organizations had to exist because the communities "could not depend upon their government to look out for them the way the government did for everyone else."

Tolliver said he's not confident that the bonds forged in gentrifying neighborhoods will be long-lasting, but people are at their best in moments of disaster.

"Hope lives in the possibility of a collective finding itself in moments like this," he said.

Grassroots organizing

Bed-Stuy Strong uses donations from the community and beyond to purchase groceries and essential supplies for neighbors. Those in need can text or call the group with a delivery request, which gets assigned to a volunteer through Bed-Stuy Strong's online network. The volunteer then picks up the groceries and delivers them to the recipient's door. Anyone can become a volunteer — though the use of computer messaging excludes those without access to technology.

Long-standing community organizations also have established mutual aid delivery services. Imani Henry, 50, is the executive director of Equality for Flatbush , a community group known locally as E4F that is dedicated to addressing two pressing neighborhood issues: gentrification and police violence.

Henry, a diversity trainer in his day job, started E4F in 2013, as affordable housing in Brooklyn shrank while higher-income residents streamed in, displacing people who had lived there for years.

"We're grassroots," Henry said. "All of our organizing is led by the people directly impacted. We strategize together; that's how we already were."

At the start of the pandemic, E4F joined with the Brooklyn Anti-Gentrification Network to set up a system to help residents with groceries and other material needs, and to connect people with services such as child care and other food assistance programs. Volunteers use donated money to buy needed items, and deliver two large bags each month for people who sign up.

Henry said that, as a child of Caribbean immigrants, he grew up in a family that looked out for and supported other people in their community. During the current crisis, he has been amazed by the solidarity of neighbors and the energy of volunteers.

"We're not doing relief work," Henry said. "We do not treat people in that way. It's about love and solidarity. It's about, do you love this person?"

E4F has also been active in the "Black Lives Matter" protests spurred by the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Henry said volunteers have effectively split into two groups: One helps lead protests, and the other abstains so members can safely continue delivering aid packages.

'Everybody shares'

Patricia Hall, a resident of another Brooklyn neighborhood, Crown Heights, was watching television one night when she saw a news report about E4F's delivery program. Hall, who is in her 50s and out of work, called Henry and soon was organizing deliveries for herself and many of her fellow tenants.

Mutual aid work is going on even within her tenant community, Hall said.

"If they give lots of coffee, I don't drink coffee, but what do I do?" Hall said. "I would give it to my neighbor. So this building here is a community building. Everybody shares in this building. Everybody shares and helps one another."

Dizon, the Bed-Stuy Strong volunteer, said it's inevitable you will develop a bond with someone when you take their grocery list and step into their shoes to help them with basic needs. It's intimate.

"If you've never experienced food insecurity before, I think there's a lot of power in being this close to it and to empathize and hear the struggle of a stranger who is very close to you," Dizon said.

Perez wants this work to continue so people can make a change.

"We can make a wave at the end, if we have enough ripples," she said.

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a nonprofit news service covering health issues. It is an editorially independent program of KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) that is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

• coronavirus in the U.S.

Coming together: How people around the world give back during COVID-19

Posted on April 6, 2020 by Abby Rolland

Recognizing the destructive path that this virus has taken, Pamala Wiepking, Ph.D. , Visiting Stead Family Chair in International Philanthropy and visiting associate professor of philanthropic studies, also points out that this pandemic, and other crises in the past, has brought out the best in many people.

“Most people want to help in times of crisis,” she explained. “People come together collectively and help others in their community and around the world. By assisting others, humans are better able to make sense of the crisis, of their role in it and add meaning to their own lives.

“In addition, setting a norm where people help serves as an example to others, and encourages them to help as well.”

In addition to discussing “philanthropy,” Wiepking uses the words “mutual aid” and “generosity” to explain how people help others:

“In developing economies, mutual aid groups and informal network structures have often long existed, are strong, and consist of people who are used to regularly helping their neighbors and other locals.

“In more developed economies, the better the philanthropic infrastructure, the easier it is to coordinate help through formal philanthropy. Those formal philanthropic structures can also help with the expansion or development of informal mutual aid groups and network structures, which are typically less omnipresent in developed economies, although they are certainly also there. This is, for example, illustrated by the list of mutual aid groups in the UK that assist others in times of need.

“What is unique about generosity in times of crisis, is that we are more inclined to help those that are outside our own social groups. Typically, people are inclined predominantly to help those in our ‘in-group,’ or those who look or act like us, or come from similar backgrounds and experiences. During times of crisis, we help those who are in most need, regardless of whether they belong to our own ‘in-group’ or not.”

How have people aided others around the world? Thousands of examples exist.

• In the Netherlands, the Red Cross leads a group called “ Ready2Help ,” a network of 70,000 volunteers ready to assist others in need.
• Norwegians have set up a platform where those recovered from the virus can be of assistance in keeping up critical societal functions.
• An Irish grandmother has begun reading a bedtime story on her Instagram account for not only her own grandchildren, but other children as well.
• People are placing stuffed Teddy bears in windows for children to see when they go outside. An unanticipated but welcomed benefit from the bear hunts are social connections formed when elderly individuals, quarantined and unable to leave their homes, interact with younger generations who walk by and spot a bear.
• Across the world, neighbors sing and play music for one another, while others come together t o applaud and show appreciation for health care workers on their way to shifts.
• Gangs in Brazil’s favelas have enforced a lockdown in order to enforce safety measures.
• Non-governmental organizations in Romania are helping buy COVID-19 testing tools and medical equipment, and many associations are crowdfunding to help hospitals, the sick, and poor.
• In The Guardian article , George Monbiot provides examples of people helping others in India, China, South Africa, the U.S., Norway, Serbia, Ireland, the U.K., and Latvia, crowdsourcing stories via Twitter.
• The Atlantic has a beautiful overview of images of people helping all across the world.
• Formal institutional philanthropy is also playing an important role in helping combat the coronavirus. Resources from WINGS and the Philanthropy Roundtable illustrate that funders around the world, both individual and institutional, have quickly responded to this emerging crisis.

Thousands of other examples of philanthropy, generosity, and mutual aid exist that are not named here, although, as Wiepking points out, they illustrate that generosity plays a crucial role in society, especially during times of crisis:

“Across social status, religion, ethnicity, family, and groups, people are eager to help. By highlighting these examples, we’re able to set a norm and encourage others to give back around the world.”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Subscribe By Email

Get every new post delivered right to your inbox.

Your Email Leave this field blank

This form is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

How to Reconnect with Others in Our Post-Pandemic Society

To find real connection, look beyond your screens..

Posted May 24, 2021 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

“How can you advise me to spend less time looking at my screens?” more than a few people have asked me . “During the pandemic, my screens are all I have to connect with others.”

Feeling Stressed? Connect

Actually, despite the myriad promises to the contrary, texting or emailing rarely leads to the social connection we so desperately need to buffer the loneliness , anxiety , and trauma of the pandemic. A clever study led by Leslie Seltzer at the University of Wisconsin found that girls who were asked to perform math problems in front of strangers, increasing their stress levels, who then instant messaged with their mothers experienced no decrease in cortisol, a biomarker of stress; nor did they experience an increase in oxytocin , a neuropeptide associated with the warm feelings of closeness in a positive relationship.

When these girls interacted with their mothers in person or by phone after the stressful math performance, on the other hand, they did experience a reduction in cortisol and an increase in oxytocin. In other words, they felt less stressed and more connected with their mothers only by interacting face-to-face or on the phone, but not through electronic communication.

What lessons does this study hold for the rest of us after our stress levels have skyrocketed—not from working out math problems in front of strangers for half an hour but from side-stepping and wearing masks in front of strangers for over ten months? Stop texting and call. Defect from the heads-down tribe, lift up your forehead and use your phone as …. a phone. Stop messaging ten people trivial chunks of information and call one person you care about and start connecting.

And then, as soon as conditions allow, leave your phone at home and spend extended periods with your family and friends—regularly. Why? Because we as humans need physical contact and socioemotional support to not only survive, but thrive in our lives.

Sensitive to the Touch

Let’s first consider physical contact. A study led by Berkeley neuroscientist Darlene Francis found that rat pups whose mothers groom and lick them frequently actually develop a stronger immune system and grow up more resilient to stress.

And you may be thinking: “OK, but do these findings hold up among humans?”

To find out, University of Virginia neuroscientist Jim Coan subjected married women to the threat of electric shock while in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner. Some of the women held their husband’s hand, others held the hand of a male stranger (strictly platonic, husbands were assured), and others were subjected to this source of stress with no hand to hold at all.

When the women were holding their husband’s hand, and to a lesser extent a male stranger’s hand (but not when they had no hand to hold), their neural systems that support behavioral and emotional responses to threat became less active. The higher the quality of the marriage , the more human touch reduced the woman’s stress-related response to threat.

What does this finding mean? Physical contact decreases the hyper-sensitivity to threat of our nervous system , especially when it’s the touch of someone we trust and with whom we have a healthy relationship. Yet even the touch of someone we have no relationship with at all can make a difference in reducing our physiological responses to threat. Perhaps this is one of the reasons we choose to get a massage, have our nails done, or hug our friends.

Are You There for Me?

The socioemotional support we give to and receive from others is just as important. Research based on data from three longitudinal studies begun in the 1920s and 1930s (life events included the Great Depression and World War II) examined why some individuals crumble subsequent to adversity while others sustain their well-being. Both children and adults who received frequent social support by dint of being embedded in strong social networks were more likely to find meaning and purpose in the adversity they experienced than those who did not receive strong social support.

Social support is not only needed in adversity, but also in good times. A study of 79 dating couples by University of California Santa Barbara social psychologist Shelly Gable found that, when it comes to both relationship well-being and dissolution, supportive responses to positive news bear more influence than supportive responses to negative news.

Hence, it seems that, in sickness and in health, giving and receiving social support with the people we care about is a Number One activity that should be ratcheted up in priority. How? Offline. Now by phone and mask-wearing social encounters and soon much more freely in person after the pandemic.

Anthony Silard, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Leadership and the Director of the Center for Sustainable Leadership at Luiss Business School in Rome, and the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Leadership at Tecnológico de Monterrey.

• Find a Therapist
• Find a Treatment Center
• Find a Psychiatrist
• Find a Support Group
• Find Teletherapy
• United States
• Brooklyn, NY
• Chicago, IL
• Houston, TX
• Los Angeles, CA
• New York, NY
• Portland, OR
• San Diego, CA
• San Francisco, CA
• Seattle, WA
• Washington, DC
• Asperger's
• Bipolar Disorder
• Chronic Pain
• Eating Disorders
• Passive Aggression
• Personality
• Goal Setting
• Positive Psychology
• Stopping Smoking
• Low Sexual Desire
• Relationships
• Child Development
• Therapy Center NEW
• Diagnosis Dictionary
• Types of Therapy

Understanding what emotional intelligence looks like and the steps needed to improve it could light a path to a more emotionally adept world.

• Coronavirus Disease 2019
• Affective Forecasting
• Neuroscience

• Long COVID Symptoms, Depression, and Help

COVID Anxiety: Coping with Stress, Fear, and Worry

Dealing with depression during coronavirus, sleep problems during coronavirus, parenting during coronavirus.

• Online Therapy: Is it Right for You?
• Mental Health
• Health & Wellness
• Children & Family
• Relationships

Are you or someone you know in crisis?

• Bipolar Disorder
• Eating Disorders
• Grief & Loss
• Personality Disorders
• PTSD & Trauma
• Schizophrenia
• Therapy & Medication
• Exercise & Fitness
• Healthy Eating
• Well-being & Happiness
• Weight Loss
• Work & Career
• Illness & Disability
• Heart Health
• Childhood Issues
• Learning Disabilities
• Family Caregiving
• Teen Issues
• Communication
• Emotional Intelligence
• Love & Friendship
• Domestic Abuse
• Healthy Aging
• Aging Issues
• Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia
• Senior Housing
• End of Life
• Meet Our Team

How you can help during the coronavirus pandemic

Start with your community, make a donation, donate without spending money, use your skills, express gratitude, look for ways to help vulnerable groups, provide mental health support, consider your passions, practice social distancing and self-care, coronavirus: how to help and give back.

It’s easy to feel powerless in the face of COVID-19, but you can make a difference. Here are some ways to help and give back.

As we watch the coronavirus pandemic play out on a global scale, it’s easy to feel helpless. But no matter who you are or what your situation, you can make a difference. Even if you’re quarantined at home, there are still many ways to get involved and give back, including donating money or supplies, volunteering virtually, and checking in on people who might need support.

There is always something you can do to help others. And by helping others you will also help yourself. Research shows that volunteering makes you happier and healthier . Especially now—with most of us isolated from others or confined to interacting with only those in our household— it’s a great way to reinforce your community ties and remind you that we’re all working towards a common goal. Finding ways to give back during COVID-19 will help lower your own anxiety and stress , boost your mood, and give you a sense of purpose during this difficult time.

The easiest way to give back is by reaching out to the people you know. Neighbors, friends, co-workers, and relatives can all benefit from a friendly text or video call. It may seem like a small gesture, but don’t underestimate the positive impact of checking up on someone. Start with those who might feel vulnerable right now. This could be your elderly neighbor who is cut off from their social connections or your friend who suffers from anxiety and depression. Providing a touchstone for someone during this time is one of the best ways to be of service. And it will help ease your own anxieties as well and give you an emotional boost.

If you’re relatively young and healthy, another way to help is by running errands for those who are at higher risk of serious illness. Think of those in your local social circle who are elderly, disabled, or housebound. Reach out and see if they need help picking up groceries or prescriptions. You can leave bags outside their door to maintain a safe distance. Local social media groups or sites like Facebook or Nextdoor can help put you in touch with people in need in your area.

Speak to a Licensed Therapist

BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.

While many people don’t have extra funds right now, if you’re one of the lucky ones who do, consider donating to an organization that’s making a difference during the pandemic. Some possibilities include hospitals and health centers or national and local charities that provide housing, financial assistance, or food.

Another possibility is giving to GoFundMe fundraisers for essential workers impacted by COVID-19 or families who are struggling following illness or death.

You can also help your favorite local businesses stay afloat during this time by purchasing gift cards that can be used later, ordering delivery from restaurants that are still open, and shopping from home if they’re still taking orders.

If you’re strapped for cash, there are ways to donate without spending money. Here are some goods that are in need.

• Food. With more people out of work, demand for food banks is expected to rise. At the same time, panic-buying and hoarding have reduced supplies. Supporting your local food pantry will help close the gap. While the best way to support food banks is through financial assistance so they can purchase what they need, you can also help by donating non-perishables like peanut butter, canned goods, pasta, rice, and beans.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Hospitals and healthcare centers are still facing shortages of PPE such as N95 masks and surgical masks. If you have some to spare, you can donate through organizations such as GetUsPPE and DonatePPE .
• Hard-to-find supplies. Right now, it’s difficult to find things like toilet paper, paper towels, hand sanitizer, bleach, rubbing alcohol, and disinfecting wipes. If you have more than you need, see if a local food bank, essential business, or anyone in your neighborhood or social group could use them.
• Computers. Since schools, offices, and libraries are closed, many of us have to rely on Internet access from home. But not everyone has a personal computer. In the United States, corporate and government organizations are being called on to donate laptops and tablets . Encourage your company to take part.
• Clothing. Although most consignment shops have closed their physical locations, some are still accepting donations by mail. Research the ones in your area to see what their practices are. Spending more time at home might give you a good opportunity to clean out your closet or take on other de-cluttering projects. And as restrictions start to ease up, there may be more demand for clothes to wear on job interviews .

Fewer people are donating blood at this time, which means the Red Cross is facing dire shortages. And as coronavirus cases continue to increase, the number of eligible donors has dropped. While many of us have been warned against “nonessential” errands, the Red Cross and other blood banks have remained open with safety precautions in place.

Get creative with ways you can help out. Chances are you have a talent that can be of service right now. Here are some skills that are in demand.

• Sewing. As hospitals are facing a shortage of personal protective equipment, some are asking for homemade masks. This is a great way to help out on the front lines. Many American hospitals are accepting contributions.
• Web design. As many small brick-and-mortar shops have had to switch to an e-commerce model, business owners need people who can create an appealing website, write copy, and photograph products.
• Legal aid. Many small businesses also need legal help to access funds from the federal stimulus package. If you’re a lawyer, you can volunteer to help.
• Financial services. With many bank branches closed, notary services are also in demand. And if you’re a certified financial planner, you can lend your skills to help those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic.
• Virtual Fitness. Maybe you’re a skilled tap, ballet, or hip-hop dancer. Offering virtual classes are a great way to lift people’s spirits and get them moving . Yoga and guided meditations can help them relax as well.

Healthcare workers are being tested physically and emotionally . Services such as Health Hero Hotline allow you to leave messages of appreciation and support. Call 877-226-HERO (4376). In many communities around the world, people are also gathering at their windows, decks, or front doors at certain times of day to collectively cheer on healthcare workers starting or ending their shifts.

Meals on Wheels , an organization that delivers food to older people, is experiencing a surge in demand as health guidelines recommend that senior citizens stay at home as much as possible. In addition to delivering meals, you can also volunteer from home by checking in with seniors by phone. Another program, Be My Eyes , pairs the blind and visually impaired with volunteers to help them with everyday tasks via video chat.

You can also contact local nursing homes, senior centers, or nonprofits serving those with cancer, disabilities, or other health challenges. Ask them how you can best help. Maybe you can deliver needed supplies, offer rides to the doctor, or simply write letters or make calls to help those who are isolated feel less lonely.

Mental health helplines like Crisis Text Line are looking for volunteers to answer texts from people in crisis. The helpline has reported a surge of messages expressing anxiety about the coronavirus . Helping relieve someone else’s concerns may help you feel less alone and lower your own stress levels too.

Even if you’re not contributing to a cause that directly involves fallout from the coronavirus, any kind of volunteering goes a long way. Many different organizations have a need for remote services. If you’re a bookworm, BookShare.org offers books to people with reading disabilities. As a volunteer, you can scan books online for their collection. If you speak more than one language, Translators Without Borders is accepting services to translate texts into different languages for NGOs and nonprofits.

Don’t underestimate how much you’re helping by simply following public health guidelines. Even by just staying at home as much as you can and practicing social distancing when you do go out, you’re making a vital difference in your community.

Making an effort to stay healthy and avoiding high-risk activities will lower your own chances of contracting the coronavirus. This in turn will keep others from getting sick and overwhelming of the health care system. Sometimes taking care of yourself is the best thing you can do. As the saying goes, put your own mask on before you help someone else, literally and figuratively!

Authors: Anne Artley. Reviewed by Melinda Smith, M.A.

More Information

• Give Blood, Help Save Lives - Outlines the safety precautions in place to donate blood during this time. (American Red Cross)
• A guide to helping and getting help during the coronavirus crisis - Includes links to various organizations accepting donations and suggestions to support your community. (CNN)
• Masks for Heroes - Get information on requesting and donating personal protection equipment worldwide.
• Hospitals Accepting Homemade Masks - A list of American hospitals by state that are accepting donations of handmade masks. (UC Berkeley School of Public Health)
• Feeding America - Help support your local food bank by donating cash or non-perishable items.
• VolunteerMatch - Pairs you with remote volunteer opportunities.
• How to help your community during the Coronavirus crisis - More ideas to use your skills or provide needed services (Consumer Reports)

More in Misc

Symptoms, depression, and help for COVID long haulers

Cope with the fear and stress and protect your mental health

Improving your mood at this difficult time

Overcoming insomnia triggered by the pandemic

Steps you can take to keep a sense of structure (and your sanity)!

Professional therapy, done online

BetterHelp makes starting therapy easy. Take the assessment and get matched with a professional, licensed therapist.

Help us help others

Millions of readers rely on HelpGuide.org for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges. Please donate today to help us save, support, and change lives.

I Thought We’d Learned Nothing From the Pandemic. I Wasn’t Seeing the Full Picture

M y first home had a back door that opened to a concrete patio with a giant crack down the middle. When my sister and I played, I made sure to stay on the same side of the divide as her, just in case. The 1988 film The Land Before Time was one of the first movies I ever saw, and the image of the earth splintering into pieces planted its roots in my brain. I believed that, even in my own backyard, I could easily become the tiny Triceratops separated from her family, on the other side of the chasm, as everything crumbled into chaos.

Some 30 years later, I marvel at the eerie, unexpected ways that cartoonish nightmare came to life – not just for me and my family, but for all of us. The landscape was already covered in fissures well before COVID-19 made its way across the planet, but the pandemic applied pressure, and the cracks broke wide open, separating us from each other physically and ideologically. Under the weight of the crisis, we scattered and landed on such different patches of earth we could barely see each other’s faces, even when we squinted. We disagreed viciously with each other, about how to respond, but also about what was true.

Recently, someone asked me if we’ve learned anything from the pandemic, and my first thought was a flat no. Nothing. There was a time when I thought it would be the very thing to draw us together and catapult us – as a capital “S” Society – into a kinder future. It’s surreal to remember those early days when people rallied together, sewing masks for health care workers during critical shortages and gathering on balconies in cities from Dallas to New York City to clap and sing songs like “Yellow Submarine.” It felt like a giant lightning bolt shot across the sky, and for one breath, we all saw something that had been hidden in the dark – the inherent vulnerability in being human or maybe our inescapable connectedness .

More from TIME

Read More: The Family Time the Pandemic Stole

But it turns out, it was just a flash. The goodwill vanished as quickly as it appeared. A couple of years later, people feel lied to, abandoned, and all on their own. I’ve felt my own curiosity shrinking, my willingness to reach out waning , my ability to keep my hands open dwindling. I look out across the landscape and see selfishness and rage, burnt earth and so many dead bodies. Game over. We lost. And if we’ve already lost, why try?

Still, the question kept nagging me. I wondered, am I seeing the full picture? What happens when we focus not on the collective society but at one face, one story at a time? I’m not asking for a bow to minimize the suffering – a pretty flourish to put on top and make the whole thing “worth it.” Yuck. That’s not what we need. But I wondered about deep, quiet growth. The kind we feel in our bodies, relationships, homes, places of work, neighborhoods.

Like a walkie-talkie message sent to my allies on the ground, I posted a call on my Instagram. What do you see? What do you hear? What feels possible? Is there life out here? Sprouting up among the rubble? I heard human voices calling back – reports of life, personal and specific. I heard one story at a time – stories of grief and distrust, fury and disappointment. Also gratitude. Discovery. Determination.

Among the most prevalent were the stories of self-revelation. Almost as if machines were given the chance to live as humans, people described blossoming into fuller selves. They listened to their bodies’ cues, recognized their desires and comforts, tuned into their gut instincts, and honored the intuition they hadn’t realized belonged to them. Alex, a writer and fellow disabled parent, found the freedom to explore a fuller version of herself in the privacy the pandemic provided. “The way I dress, the way I love, and the way I carry myself have both shrunk and expanded,” she shared. “I don’t love myself very well with an audience.” Without the daily ritual of trying to pass as “normal” in public, Tamar, a queer mom in the Netherlands, realized she’s autistic. “I think the pandemic helped me to recognize the mask,” she wrote. “Not that unmasking is easy now. But at least I know it’s there.” In a time of widespread suffering that none of us could solve on our own, many tended to our internal wounds and misalignments, large and small, and found clarity.

Read More: A Tool for Staying Grounded in This Era of Constant Uncertainty

I wonder if this flourishing of self-awareness is at least partially responsible for the life alterations people pursued. The pandemic broke open our personal notions of work and pushed us to reevaluate things like time and money. Lucy, a disabled writer in the U.K., made the hard decision to leave her job as a journalist covering Westminster to write freelance about her beloved disability community. “This work feels important in a way nothing else has ever felt,” she wrote. “I don’t think I’d have realized this was what I should be doing without the pandemic.” And she wasn’t alone – many people changed jobs , moved, learned new skills and hobbies, became politically engaged.

Perhaps more than any other shifts, people described a significant reassessment of their relationships. They set boundaries, said no, had challenging conversations. They also reconnected, fell in love, and learned to trust. Jeanne, a quilter in Indiana, got to know relatives she wouldn’t have connected with if lockdowns hadn’t prompted weekly family Zooms. “We are all over the map as regards to our belief systems,” she emphasized, “but it is possible to love people you don’t see eye to eye with on every issue.” Anna, an anti-violence advocate in Maine, learned she could trust her new marriage: “Life was not a honeymoon. But we still chose to turn to each other with kindness and curiosity.” So many bonds forged and broken, strengthened and strained.

Instead of relying on default relationships or institutional structures, widespread recalibrations allowed for going off script and fortifying smaller communities. Mara from Idyllwild, Calif., described the tangible plan for care enacted in her town. “We started a mutual-aid group at the beginning of the pandemic,” she wrote, “and it grew so quickly before we knew it we were feeding 400 of the 4000 residents.” She didn’t pretend the conditions were ideal. In fact, she expressed immense frustration with our collective response to the pandemic. Even so, the local group rallied and continues to offer assistance to their community with help from donations and volunteers (many of whom were originally on the receiving end of support). “I’ve learned that people thrive when they feel their connection to others,” she wrote. Clare, a teacher from the U.K., voiced similar conviction as she described a giant scarf she’s woven out of ribbons, each representing a single person. The scarf is “a collection of stories, moments and wisdom we are sharing with each other,” she wrote. It now stretches well over 1,000 feet.

A few hours into reading the comments, I lay back on my bed, phone held against my chest. The room was quiet, but my internal world was lighting up with firefly flickers. What felt different? Surely part of it was receiving personal accounts of deep-rooted growth. And also, there was something to the mere act of asking and listening. Maybe it connected me to humans before battle cries. Maybe it was the chance to be in conversation with others who were also trying to understand – what is happening to us? Underneath it all, an undeniable thread remained; I saw people peering into the mess and narrating their findings onto the shared frequency. Every comment was like a flare into the sky. I’m here! And if the sky is full of flares, we aren’t alone.

I recognized my own pandemic discoveries – some minor, others massive. Like washing off thick eyeliner and mascara every night is more effort than it’s worth; I can transform the mundane into the magical with a bedsheet, a movie projector, and twinkle lights; my paralyzed body can mother an infant in ways I’d never seen modeled for me. I remembered disappointing, bewildering conversations within my own family of origin and our imperfect attempts to remain close while also seeing things so differently. I realized that every time I get the weekly invite to my virtual “Find the Mumsies” call, with a tiny group of moms living hundreds of miles apart, I’m being welcomed into a pocket of unexpected community. Even though we’ve never been in one room all together, I’ve felt an uncommon kind of solace in their now-familiar faces.

Hope is a slippery thing. I desperately want to hold onto it, but everywhere I look there are real, weighty reasons to despair. The pandemic marks a stretch on the timeline that tangles with a teetering democracy, a deteriorating planet , the loss of human rights that once felt unshakable . When the world is falling apart Land Before Time style, it can feel trite, sniffing out the beauty – useless, firing off flares to anyone looking for signs of life. But, while I’m under no delusions that if we just keep trudging forward we’ll find our own oasis of waterfalls and grassy meadows glistening in the sunshine beneath a heavenly chorus, I wonder if trivializing small acts of beauty, connection, and hope actually cuts us off from resources essential to our survival. The group of abandoned dinosaurs were keeping each other alive and making each other laugh well before they made it to their fantasy ending.

Read More: How Ice Cream Became My Own Personal Act of Resistance

After the monarch butterfly went on the endangered-species list, my friend and fellow writer Hannah Soyer sent me wildflower seeds to plant in my yard. A simple act of big hope – that I will actually plant them, that they will grow, that a monarch butterfly will receive nourishment from whatever blossoms are able to push their way through the dirt. There are so many ways that could fail. But maybe the outcome wasn’t exactly the point. Maybe hope is the dogged insistence – the stubborn defiance – to continue cultivating moments of beauty regardless. There is value in the planting apart from the harvest.

I can’t point out a single collective lesson from the pandemic. It’s hard to see any great “we.” Still, I see the faces in my moms’ group, making pancakes for their kids and popping on between strings of meetings while we try to figure out how to raise these small people in this chaotic world. I think of my friends on Instagram tending to the selves they discovered when no one was watching and the scarf of ribbons stretching the length of more than three football fields. I remember my family of three, holding hands on the way up the ramp to the library. These bits of growth and rings of support might not be loud or right on the surface, but that’s not the same thing as nothing. If we only cared about the bottom-line defeats or sweeping successes of the big picture, we’d never plant flowers at all.

More Must-Reads From TIME

• Exclusive: Google Workers Revolt Over $1.2 Billion Contract With Israel
• Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
• Stop Looking for Your Forever Home
• The Sympathizer Counters 50 Years of Hollywood Vietnam War Narratives
• The Bliss of Seeing the Eclipse From Cleveland
• Hormonal Birth Control Doesn’t Deserve Its Bad Reputation
• The Best TV Shows to Watch on Peacock
• Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Contact us at [email protected]

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

current events conversation

What Students Are Saying About Living Through a Pandemic

Teenage comments in response to our recent writing prompts, and an invitation to join the ongoing conversation.

By The Learning Network

The rapidly-developing coronavirus crisis is dominating global headlines and altering life as we know it. Many schools worldwide have closed. In the United States alone, 55 million students are rapidly adjusting to learning and socializing remotely, spending more time with family, and sacrificing comfort and convenience for the greater good.

For this week’s roundup of student comments on our writing prompts , it was only fitting to ask teenagers to react to various dimensions of this unprecedented situation: how the coronavirus outbreak is affecting their daily lives, how we can all help one another during the crisis and what thoughts or stories the term “social distancing” conjures for them.

Every week, we shout out new schools who have commented on our writing prompts. This week, perhaps because of many districts’ move to remote online learning, we had nearly 90 new classes join us from around the world. Welcome to the conversation to students from:

Academy of St. Elizabeth; Abilene, Tex.; Alabama; Anna High School, Tex.; Arlington, Va.; Austria-Hungary; Baltimore, Md.; Bellingham, Wash.; Ben Lippen School; Bloomington, Ind.; Branham High School, San Jose, Calif.; Boston; Buffalo High School, Wyo.; Camdenton, Mo.; Cincinnati, Ohio; Collierville, Tenn.; Dawson High School, Tex.; Denmark; Desert Vista High School; Doylestown, Penn.; Dublin, Calif.; Dunkirk, N.Y. ; Eleanor Murray Fallon Middle School; Elmhurst, Ill.; Fairfax, Va.; Framingham, Mass.; Frederick, Md.; Hartford, Conn.; Jefferson, N.J.; Kantonschule Uster, Switzerland; Laconia, N.H.; Las Vegas; Lashon Academy; Lebanon, N.H.; Ledyard High School; Leuzinger High School; Livonia, Mich.; Manistee Middle School; Miami, Fla.; Melrose High School; Milton Hershey School, Hershey, Penn.; Milwaukee; Montreal; Naguabo, Puerto Rico; Nebraska; Nessacus Regional Middle School; New Rochelle, N.Y.; Newport, Ky.; Newton, Mass.; North Stanly High School; Oakland, Calif.; Papillion Middle School; Polaris Expeditionary Learning School; Pomona, Calif.; Portsmouth, N.H.; Pueblo, Colo.; Reading, Mass.; Redmond Wash.; Richland, Wash.; Richmond Hill Ontario; Ridgeley, W.Va.; Rockford, Mich.; Rovereto, Italy; Salem, Mass.; Scottsdale, Ariz.; Seattle, Wash.; Sequoyah School Pasadena; Shackelford Junior High, Arlington, Tex.; South El Monte High School; Sugar Grove, Ill.; St. Louis, Mo.; Timberview High School; Topsfield, Mass.; Valley Stream North High School; Vienna, Va.; Waupun, Wis.; Wauwatosa, Wis.; Wenatchee, Wash.; Westborough Mass.; White Oak Middle School, Ohio; and Winter Park High School.

We’re so glad to have you here! Now, on to this week’s comments.

Please note: Student comments have been lightly edited for length, but otherwise appear as they were originally submitted.

How Is the Coronavirus Outbreak Affecting Your Life?

The coronavirus has changed how we work, play and learn : Schools are closing, sports leagues have been canceled, and many people have been asked to work from home.

We asked students how their lives have changed since the onset of this pandemic. They told us about all the things they miss, what it’s like to learn online, and how they’re dealing with the uncertainty. But, they also pointed out the things that have brought them joy and peace amid the chaos.

Life as we know it, upended

Yesterday my school district announced that our school would be closed until May 5. Upon receiving the email, I immediately contacted my friends to share our responses. To most of my friends and me, this news was no surprise. Already finishing week one of quarantine, I find myself in a state of pessimism in regards to life in the midst of a pandemic. My days have blurred into Google Classroom assignments, hobby seeking, aimless searching on Netflix, and on exceptionally boring days, existential contemplation.

The dichotomy of chance freedom from school and yet the discombobulated feelings of helplessness and loneliness plague my time home alone. My parents are yet working and as an only child, I try my best to stay sane with blasting music and shows. Other times I call my friends to pass the time doing school assignments. Even then, schoolwork seems increasingly pointless.

With most of my classes being APs, the recent CollegeBoard update for the 2020 AP exams was a blow to my educational motivation. I am naturally a driven, passionate learner with intense intellectual curiosity. But in the midst of this chaos, I can’t help feeling like all the assignments from my classes are just busywork. I manage to stay afloat, keeping in mind that everyone is doing their best. Despite no ostensible end in sight, I hope this quarantine brings out the best in me, in society, and in nature.

— Brenda Kim, Valencia High School

The struggles (and joys) of distance learning

Although we do have online school now, it is not the same. Working from home is worse as I don’t care to admit, my work habits from home are not the best. I am easily able to procrastinate at home and having class in bed is not the best idea. Plus, I can no longer get the one on one help teachers provide if needed.

— larisa, california

The coronavirus affected me because now having to do school virtually is kinda hard because I don’t have much of a good wi-fi, and its nerve-racking to know about what we’re gonna do about the tests we have to take in order to pass because I do care about graduating, and going to next grade in order to keep going to finally graduate school and get my diploma I just hope this virus doesn’t affect anything else besides school.

— julien phillips, texas

I personally have to do 2-3 hours of work a day instead of the usual 8 hours (including homework), and it feels more tiring somehow. I’m in the comfort of my home all the time, but have to do this for a few hours, and it feels much more monotonous than 8 hours in a classroom, and that’s what everybody has been doing for a lot of their life.

But in that sense, it also feels a lot calmer not being around people constantly, having anxiety and autism. The people in classrooms are insane. It didn’t affect my life negatively by much, but it really makes me think. If the school system were like this in the near future, I think it would be much more sustainable, in many ways.

— Alexen, Lawrence, Massachusetts

I never understood how much social interaction I experienced at school until the end of the first week of my self quarantine. I had been trapped in my house with my family for about 5 days at that point, when my AP Language and Composition class had a Zoom conference. I had done them for other classes so I wasn’t exactly excited for the opportunity. It was just another zoom lecture.

As it turned out, it wasn’t a lecture, it was a conversation. It was a discussion about our last current events assignment that I didn’t know I desperately needed. The conversation was explosive. Differing opinions flew left and right, people brought their cats to join in the fun, family members popped in and out of the frames, and the controlled chaos felt incredible. I relished in the opportunity to argue and challenge their opinions. I didn’t even realize how isolated I was feeling until I was able to talk to them in a creative and intellectual setting once again.

— Yaffa Segal, New Rochelle High School

Finding new ways to socialize

Finding new ways to stay social has been essential, and recently, my friends and I all drove our cars to a large parking lot, parked more than 6 feet apart from each other, sat in our trunks, talked and enjoyed each other’s company for over an hour and a half. This was crucial in keeping our sanity. We missed each other and being in the presence of people other than our family; however, we were sure to maintain our distance and continue social distancing. We did not touch anything new and we stayed more than 6 feet apart from each other speaking about the adjustments we have been making and the ways we have been coping with all of the changes we are experiencing.

— Carly Rieger, New Rochelle High School

…[T]his “corona-cation” has given me a lot of time to reflect, and while I haven’t seen my friends in person for a week and half, I feel closer to them than ever. We’ve FaceTimed almost every day and we play some of our favorite group games; Psych and PhotoRoulette are two apps I highly recommend to have fun from the comfort of everyone’s homes.

Because my mom has a weak immune system, I’ve been quarantined since the moment my school closed, so social distancing has been a little more than 6 feet for me. However, my friends did make me a care package filled with my favorite candy and a puzzle which my family completed in a week.

— Jessica Griffin, Glenbard West HS Glen Ellyn, IL

Mourning canceled events

To say that this virus has completely changed my day to day living would just be an understatement. I went from having things to do from 7:20am to 8:45pm every week day to absolutely nothing. The whole month of March was going to be booked as well. I had activities such as the Wilmington Marathon that I work at and the Masters Swim meet that I was going to volunteer for. Then I had a club swim meet but everything got canceled. Everything that I was looking forward to just came to a halt and nothing is going to be postponed, just canceled.

— Ellen Phillips, Hoggard

As a High School senior, this quarantine has seemed to just chop off the fun part of our senior year. We had made it so far, and were so close to getting to experience all of the exciting events and traditions set aside for seniors. This includes our graduation, prom (which is a seniors only event at my school), senior picnic, theme weeks, and much more.

— Cesar, Los Angeles

Like many other students involved in their school theatre programs, I was severely affected by the closing of schools due the growing pandemic. My theatre company had been rehearsing our play for months and in an instant, we were no longer allowed to work on our show. The Texas UIL One-Act Play Contest was postponed because of the coronavirus, and while it is a reasonable action, it left an army of theatre students with nothing to do but vent through memes, TikTok, and other forms of social media. These coping mechanisms helped me, as well as my fellow company members, process the reality that after all the hard work we put in, we may never get to perform for an audience.

— Ryan C, Dawson High School

Living with mental, emotional and financial strain

The coronavirus is having a pretty significant impact on me. Physically, it’s reducing my daily physical activity to the point where the most exercise I get is walking around my house and dancing around my room to songs that make me feel like I’m not in the middle of a pandemic. Emotionally, it has also been very straining. My mom is a substitute teacher and she is out of work for the rest of the school year with no pay. I myself am missing my closest friends a lot right now, and feel lonely often.

— Sela Jasim, Branham High School

I struggle a lot with mental health. I have had depression and ptsd, as well as anxiety for years. Seeing people outside of my family is what keeps me sane, especially those closest to me. Having to FaceTime my therapist is weird and scary. Things are so different now, and I’m slowly losing motivation. My thoughts recently have been “don’t think about it” when I think of how long this could possibly last. I am scared for my grandparents, who live across the country. I feel like I haven’t spent enough time with them and I’m losing my chance. Everything is weird. I can’t find a better way to describe it without being negative. This is a really strange time and I don’t like it. I’m trying my hardest to stay positive but that has never been one of my strong suits.

— Caileigh Robinson, Bellingham, Washington

My mom is a nurse so she has to face the virus, in fact today she is at work, her unit is also the unit that will be taking care of coronavirus patients. My whole family is very afraid that she will get very sick.

— Maddie H., Maryland

Appreciating the good

Although we are going through a horrific time filled with all kinds of uncertainty, we are given the opportunity to spend more time with our loved family and learn more about ourselves to a broader extent while also strengthening our mental mindset. I can’t stress the amount of frustration I have to return to class and my everyday routine however, I’ve learned to become stronger mentality while also becoming creative on how I live my life without being surrounded by tons of people everyday.

— anthony naranjo, Los Angeles

Although I could list all the negatives that come with Covid-19, being a junior in high school, this quarantine has been a really nice calm break from a life that seemed to never stop. A break from 35 hour school weeks along with 15 hours worth of work, being able to sit down and do hobbies I missed is something I am really appreciating.

— Ella Fredrikson, Glenbard West, Glen Ellyn, IL

An upside to these past weeks of quarantine is being able to see my usually busy family more, especially my father. I’ve had more talks and laughs with my family the last few days than I’ve had in the past couple of months, which helped lighten such a stressful time in my opinion.

— Marlin Flores, Classical High School

Several months before the outbreak my mom randomly asked me what would I study if I could choose anything, not for a grade, not for any credit. Now, because of corona, I am learning Greek with my father! He can’t travel for work now and doesn’t attend meetings as frequently, so he is at home too.

— Lily, Seoul, Korea

How Can We Help One Another During the Coronavirus Outbreak?

In a series of recent Times articles , authors wrote about the need for solidarity and generosity in this time of fear and anxiety and the need for Americans to make sacrifices to ensure their safety and that of others in their community.

So we asked students what they and their friends, family and community could do to help and look out for one another during the coronavirus outbreak. Here is what they said:

Help your neighbors, especially the sick and elderly.

There are so many things we can do to help each other during this pandemic. Use gloves when you go shopping or are in public, masks if you think that it would be best for you, those who have more wiggle room financially can help out others who don’t have that same wiggle room financially and who are now struggling, buy groceries for those who can’t afford it or are at risk if they were to go out in public. Donate if you can, and help the elderly or those who desperately need it, and for goodness sake wash your hands and (for all that need to hear the reminder) SOCIAL DISTANCING IS A FRIEND. Social distancing is proven to help drastically, so please, social distance.

— Dakodah, Camdenton, MO

As a person, we have the ability to help our friends, families, elders, people with illnesses in our community and people with high risks of getting the virus. We can accomplish this by simply observing who may need help with shopping, for groceries or clothes, with yard work, or any kind of outside work that is done where there are rooms full of people, such as going to the bank. As a younger person and a person with a low risk of getting the virus, I have the capability to walk to places and go in and out of buildings with a smaller chance of getting the virus as compared to one of my elder neighbors. My friends and I can go around the neighborhood and see who needs help during this hard time, whether I have to give them money or food to help them out.

— Adrianna P, New York

Many elderly people in my vicinity suffer from chronic conditions and illnesses and there are others who often live alone. Going to the grocery store or the pharmacy can also be hassle for many. Due to the recent pandemic, people are stocking up necessities however, some people are not being practical and overstock, not leaving anything for others. Fights are breaking out in grocery stores and this is a dangerous situation to put the elderly in.

— Sydney, B

In our American society we tend to be very individualistic. This pandemic has truly proved that point as people do not care for other but themselves. During this time we should consider not only ourselves but the people in need, which are the elderly and young children. Instead of hoarding all the food share some with a neighbor or an old person that doesn’t quite have the ability to run around store to store grabbing what they can. Make sure when you feel ill or if a family member feels ill to stay contained in your home. If this is not an option you could always take your ideas to social media, posting ways to stay clean and making sure we support the people who need it.

— Marley Gutierrez, Pomona, CA

Stay connected.

We could help one another just by the simple ways of: texting your friends every now and then and keep them in check and give them positive reinforcements; call your far away family and report to them on how you are doing and make sure that they are doing OK as well; help elders that are not safe to go out by running errands for them.

— Xammy Yang, California

It’s really important for everyone to stay in contact with others. Be open to talking to people you don’t necessarily talk to all the time just so you can fulfill your own social requirements. It’s also important to listen to others and take into account their feelings. We are all in a time of stress and anxiety about the unknown and we have to just go with the flow and wait it out. I’m stressed about possibly missing milestones in my life, like prom and graduation, but there are others suffering. We all just need to be prepared, stay healthy, and reach out to others.

— Elysia P., Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn, IL

Stay apart.

The most important thing one can do during this time of uncertainty is to protect oneself, that is how one can protect others. By practicing social distancing, the risk of spreading germs or disease is reduced. From within one’s home, much can be done. Keeping in touch with close friends and family, donating money and food to those in need and not hoarding or stockpiling too much are all things one could do to support one’s community. Every little thing counts.

— Francheska M-Q, Valley Stream North

Honestly, as boring as it sounds, staying home is the best way we can help against the coronavirus. The second best in my opinion would be spreading the word and encouraging others to wash their hands often and to not go in large groups. Our number one priority should be protecting the elderly and people more vulnerable to getting the disease, or more likely for it to be fatal. If I were to get the virus, my chances of death would be very low, but I would be most worried about accidentally passing on the virus to an elderly person who might not be so lucky. Staying home, clean, and avoiding large groups is the safest and best way for us to help in efforts against the coronavirus.

— Christian Cammack, Hoggard High School In Wilmington, NC

Stay informed.

During this time of crisis, seeking accurate information should remain people’s main focus. Reading articles from trusted sources such as the CDC and New York Times rather than sensationalized media that spreads false rumors for attention will improve reactions to this scary situation because it has the potential to reduce panic and allow people to find ways proven to slow the spread of the virus.

— Argelina J., NY

Donate to those in need.

We can help one another during the virus break by doing online donations to people who need it the most, not taking supplies that you know you don’t need, and/or offering online support for those who have relatives that have the virus and want someone to talk to. We, as a community, can keep distance and update each other on the constant updating news.

— Marisa Mohan<3, NY

… donate food to food banks or homeless shelters. Food is even more of a necessity right now, so it is crucial that everyone has what they need because some people get their food from school or from work, which isn’t available at the moment. Finally, even if we feel we’re healthy and we’re not afraid to get the Coronavirus, it is very vital to participate in social distancing because it will help society overall.

— Bridget McBride, Glenbard West HS, Glen Ellyn, IL

Encourage positivity.

In my opinion, we should all do our best to help and encourage each other with healthy habits and staying positive. Too many people are worried about the coronavirus. What will happen because of this is more stress and anxiety. In turn, this leads to people stocking up on products and taking resources from other people who need them. As long as we all contribute and help one another, we will be able to keep things under control.

— Mieko, CA

Learn lessons for future preparedness.

I believe that this horrible trouble we are all put into is teaching our younger generations such as me, to be prepared when these unexpected events happen. We can help the elders and take care of them because if we don’t prepare next time then we will struggle to survive if the coronavirus becomes a long term thing. This situation is also bringing our communities together, or at least teaching us to. We can learn to share resources that maybe we have to much of. Just a couple days ago, my grandma had ran out of cleaning supplies and she didn’t have a working car at the time. My family and I decided to give her some of our extra supplies since we stocked up on so much. I believe that we can definitely use this time to help our minds grow and learn new things.

— Becky Alonso, CA

Things we shouldn’t do

“Desperate times call for desperate measures.” -Hippocrates This quote describes my opinion of the COVID-19 crisis. Our communities must make sacrifices in order to overcome the trials we are facing. Instead of describing what we should do, I am going to shortly convey examples of what our local communities shouldn’t do. We shouldn’t panic. Panic causes the nervous system to spark and will create unsettling emotions that will produce nothing helpful for the situation at hand. We shouldn’t buy abundant amounts of resources unless instructed to. Please be considerate towards these people because they probably are struggling a lot more than you at the moment. We should be mindful of others. I am not saying we have to interact with everyone (DO NOT DO THAT), but I am saying we should be kind when we do interact.

— Adrianna Waterford, Bloomington, IN

What Story Could This Image Tell?

In our Picture Prompt, “ Social Distancing, ” we asked students to write memoirs and poems inspired by the illustration above, or tell a short story from the perspective of one of the people pictured. In prose and poetry, they expressed a range of responses to the pandemic , from fear, panic and anxiety to resilience and hope.

Creative short stories

From the perspective of the Binocular guy:

I thought social distancing would be great, no one would bother me or interrupt my work. But actually doing it makes me realize that those things, those pains in my neck that would annoy me, are the things I miss the most. I miss the smell of Phyllis’s choking perfume. I miss Michael pacing around the office. I miss the way that Pam would bite her pen when she was focusing. I miss people. Now that I’m alone in my apartment, I hunger for human interaction. I have taken to staring out the window at people walking past and imagining the conversations they have. Oh how I wish to be a part of them, but I can’t risk going outside. I thought my window would cure my loneliness, but it has only made it worse. Social distancing has hurt me more than any virus could.

— Andrew B., Abilene

It’s another day in the city. Car horns honking, people scurrying over town, and there I am. No, not that person or the other. In the upper left corner. Do you see me? Yes, you found me! The only creature not on a screen. I have never understood why they sit there and look at their own devices. I enjoy sitting on the roof and looking at others. People watching is my favorite, but the only thing that most people are watching is a tiny screen. Everyone is wrapped up in their circumstances. Sick in bed with their computer, walking down the stairs with a device. But I’ll be here, waiting for someone to notice me — just the dog on the rooftop.

— Hope Heinrichs, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC

Opening to short story for the homeless man:

It’s so cold out today. My blanket is the only that is keeping me partially warm. Before today, my HELP sign got me a few dimes. That way I could buy some food. But today, the streets are empty. The only people passing by either have masks covering their face or run past me with their hands full of food and supplies. I wonder what’s going on?

— Ariel S., Los Angeles

Cold: That’s all he feels as he’s reclining on a random door.

Scared: That’s what he wants to avoid feeling as he sees people coughing around him.

Alone: That’s what he is as he wanders from place to place, looking for somewhere to spend the night.

Worried: That the door’s owner might make him leave his only sanctuary.

Pity: That’s the emotion he evokes on the few that are brave enough to wander the streets.

Remorse: That’s the emotion that the passersby show when they refuse to stop to help.

Cold: That’s all he feels as he realizes that he has no one.

— Laura Arbona, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC

Memoirs in the time of coronavirus

Trapped. The walls are closing in. Someone coughs from outside, I immediately close the blinds and clorox the window. The television is on loud. The person on the other end of the line of dad’s phone is obviously deaf because dad is yelling into our end. In line for the computer, I have been waiting for two hours.

— Allison Coble, Hoggard High School

It all began with just one human. After days there where more and more infected people and everything started to be different. We all thought it isn’t that bad and China is the only one who suffers but we were absolutely wrong … Now there are too much cities which are in quarantine and there are about 16 thousand deaths. I’m scared. And I can#t do anything than staying at home and pray. I often watch videos and try to distract myself. When people ask me what has changed I can say: Everything. The human has changed. The human attitude has changed. Just everything. It’s not surprising for me if you can’t find toilet paper or water. The people are going crazy because of this virus. They know that they can be in danger fast if they just make one false decision. In this time we all have our anxiety. Either we are scared of being infected or we are scared that a loved one is infected.

— jana.hhg, Germany

This pic remind to me that we live in this period. Under from the outbreak of pandemic’s coronavirus, we stop to go out in order to avoid each social contact. So, we stay our home every day, all day. Most of the people stop working regularly and they work from home. The schools and other utilities are closed down and remain still open grocery stores and services for essential products. The whole world is in quarantine. Our effort to be uninfected is captured from this pic.

— Joanna, Greece

This photo shows that even in a time where socializing is not advising, humans are naturally social and are still coexisting in this time of distancing. The way the artist drew this made me feel a sense of separation but also togetherness at the same time, which is similar to the way I feel now. We’re all living our different lives with different situations and yet, we’re all somewhat connected.

— Ella Shynett, Hoggard High School in Wilmington, NC

Its Day 3 of quarantine and its starting to hit. This picture shows us how people are pretty much keeping as much distance away from people as possible. They’re still living their lives normally, just alone. But at my house it’s anything but normal. Every time I touch a light switch, my mom swoops in and wipes it down with a Clorox wipe. When I have to itch my nose, my mom screams at me. But I know deep down she’s just trying to keep me and my sister safe from the virus. She mainly wants to protect my grandma, who is very vulnerable at this time. Its gonna take some time to adjust to this type of living, not seeing friends in person for weeks, or just going to starbucks. But I know that it will all pass in no time and we can go back to living our normal lives. I actually can’t wait for school to start for once.

— Dean, Glenbard West Highschool

Stuck inside with nothing to do I’m really bored can’t think of anything at all :/. All I can do is homework woohoo Cant see my friends all I can do is call Trying to get it all done before its due With this virus I sadly can’t even go to the mall Thinking of you and you and you Can’t wait to go back to school and walk the fourth grade hall!

— Isabella V Grade 4, Jefferson Township, NJ

Poem by The Lady Running With Toilet Paper:

TP TP Why do people have to hoard it It’s the coronavirus, not diarrhea Don’t’ jack up the prices, I can’t afford it One pack, that’s it It’s all I could find To those hoarding the toilet paper You make me lose my hope in mankind

As I rush down the vacant street I pass by some stores Some open, some closed As I scramble past the doors No one seems to be coughing But I can feel it in the air A dull creeping paranoia Assembling into a scare

Up the stairs I make sure to not touch anything Don’t forget to use your elbows Don’t touch the key ring In through the door, drop the TP, wash my hands Wipe down the counter, wipe down the door Make sure to cancel any plans

Sit in solitude Turn on the TV and watch the news All I’m able to think is, “Oh god we’re screwed!”

— Ellinor Jonasson, Minnesota

Is social distancing impractical, when we live at such close proximity, drink tea with the neighbors, or buy food from the Deli,

You could choose to be stubborn, and get frustrated from being indoors, or you could be compliant, And watch the birds soar,

In the end it’s our choice where we decide to look, The dirty wall to the left, or the canvas on the right,

— Saharsh Satheesh, Collierville High School, Tennessee

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• BMJ Open Access

COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on social relationships and health

1 MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

Susan Patterson

Karen maxwell, carolyn blake, raquel bosó pérez, mark mccann, julie riddell, kathryn skivington, rachel wilson-lowe, kirstin r mitchell.

2 MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Institute of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

Associated Data

Data sharing not applicable as no data sets generated and/or analysed for this study. Data sharing not applicable as no data sets generated or analysed for this essay.

This essay examines key aspects of social relationships that were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses explicitly on relational mechanisms of health and brings together theory and emerging evidence on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to make recommendations for future public health policy and recovery. We first provide an overview of the pandemic in the UK context, outlining the nature of the public health response. We then introduce four distinct domains of social relationships: social networks, social support, social interaction and intimacy, highlighting the mechanisms through which the pandemic and associated public health response drastically altered social interactions in each domain. Throughout the essay, the lens of health inequalities, and perspective of relationships as interconnecting elements in a broader system, is used to explore the varying impact of these disruptions. The essay concludes by providing recommendations for longer term recovery ensuring that the social relational cost of COVID-19 is adequately considered in efforts to rebuild.

Introduction

Infectious disease pandemics, including SARS and COVID-19, demand intrapersonal behaviour change and present highly complex challenges for public health. 1 A pandemic of an airborne infection, spread easily through social contact, assails human relationships by drastically altering the ways through which humans interact. In this essay, we draw on theories of social relationships to examine specific ways in which relational mechanisms key to health and well-being were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Relational mechanisms refer to the processes between people that lead to change in health outcomes.

At the time of writing, the future surrounding COVID-19 was uncertain. Vaccine programmes were being rolled out in countries that could afford them, but new and more contagious variants of the virus were also being discovered. The recovery journey looked long, with continued disruption to social relationships. The social cost of COVID-19 was only just beginning to emerge, but the mental health impact was already considerable, 2 3 and the inequality of the health burden stark. 4 Knowledge of the epidemiology of COVID-19 accrued rapidly, but evidence of the most effective policy responses remained uncertain.

The initial response to COVID-19 in the UK was reactive and aimed at reducing mortality, with little time to consider the social implications, including for interpersonal and community relationships. The terminology of ‘social distancing’ quickly became entrenched both in public and policy discourse. This equation of physical distance with social distance was regrettable, since only physical proximity causes viral transmission, whereas many forms of social proximity (eg, conversations while walking outdoors) are minimal risk, and are crucial to maintaining relationships supportive of health and well-being.

The aim of this essay is to explore four key relational mechanisms that were impacted by the pandemic and associated restrictions: social networks, social support, social interaction and intimacy. We use relational theories and emerging research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic response to make three key recommendations: one regarding public health responses; and two regarding social recovery. Our understanding of these mechanisms stems from a ‘systems’ perspective which casts social relationships as interdependent elements within a connected whole. 5

Social networks

Social networks characterise the individuals and social connections that compose a system (such as a workplace, community or society). Social relationships range from spouses and partners, to coworkers, friends and acquaintances. They vary across many dimensions, including, for example, frequency of contact and emotional closeness. Social networks can be understood both in terms of the individuals and relationships that compose the network, as well as the overall network structure (eg, how many of your friends know each other).

Social networks show a tendency towards homophily, or a phenomenon of associating with individuals who are similar to self. 6 This is particularly true for ‘core’ network ties (eg, close friends), while more distant, sometimes called ‘weak’ ties tend to show more diversity. During the height of COVID-19 restrictions, face-to-face interactions were often reduced to core network members, such as partners, family members or, potentially, live-in roommates; some ‘weak’ ties were lost, and interactions became more limited to those closest. Given that peripheral, weaker social ties provide a diversity of resources, opinions and support, 7 COVID-19 likely resulted in networks that were smaller and more homogenous.

Such changes were not inevitable nor necessarily enduring, since social networks are also adaptive and responsive to change, in that a disruption to usual ways of interacting can be replaced by new ways of engaging (eg, Zoom). Yet, important inequalities exist, wherein networks and individual relationships within networks are not equally able to adapt to such changes. For example, individuals with a large number of newly established relationships (eg, university students) may have struggled to transfer these relationships online, resulting in lost contacts and a heightened risk of social isolation. This is consistent with research suggesting that young adults were the most likely to report a worsening of relationships during COVID-19, whereas older adults were the least likely to report a change. 8

Lastly, social connections give rise to emergent properties of social systems, 9 where a community-level phenomenon develops that cannot be attributed to any one member or portion of the network. For example, local area-based networks emerged due to geographic restrictions (eg, stay-at-home orders), resulting in increases in neighbourly support and local volunteering. 10 In fact, research suggests that relationships with neighbours displayed the largest net gain in ratings of relationship quality compared with a range of relationship types (eg, partner, colleague, friend). 8 Much of this was built from spontaneous individual interactions within local communities, which together contributed to the ‘community spirit’ that many experienced. 11 COVID-19 restrictions thus impacted the personal social networks and the structure of the larger networks within the society.

Social support

Social support, referring to the psychological and material resources provided through social interaction, is a critical mechanism through which social relationships benefit health. In fact, social support has been shown to be one of the most important resilience factors in the aftermath of stressful events. 12 In the context of COVID-19, the usual ways in which individuals interact and obtain social support have been severely disrupted.

One such disruption has been to opportunities for spontaneous social interactions. For example, conversations with colleagues in a break room offer an opportunity for socialising beyond one’s core social network, and these peripheral conversations can provide a form of social support. 13 14 A chance conversation may lead to advice helpful to coping with situations or seeking formal help. Thus, the absence of these spontaneous interactions may mean the reduction of indirect support-seeking opportunities. While direct support-seeking behaviour is more effective at eliciting support, it also requires significantly more effort and may be perceived as forceful and burdensome. 15 The shift to homeworking and closure of community venues reduced the number of opportunities for these spontaneous interactions to occur, and has, second, focused them locally. Consequently, individuals whose core networks are located elsewhere, or who live in communities where spontaneous interaction is less likely, have less opportunity to benefit from spontaneous in-person supportive interactions.

However, alongside this disruption, new opportunities to interact and obtain social support have arisen. The surge in community social support during the initial lockdown mirrored that often seen in response to adverse events (eg, natural disasters 16 ). COVID-19 restrictions that confined individuals to their local area also compelled them to focus their in-person efforts locally. Commentators on the initial lockdown in the UK remarked on extraordinary acts of generosity between individuals who belonged to the same community but were unknown to each other. However, research on adverse events also tells us that such community support is not necessarily maintained in the longer term. 16

Meanwhile, online forms of social support are not bound by geography, thus enabling interactions and social support to be received from a wider network of people. Formal online social support spaces (eg, support groups) existed well before COVID-19, but have vastly increased since. While online interactions can increase perceived social support, it is unclear whether remote communication technologies provide an effective substitute from in-person interaction during periods of social distancing. 17 18 It makes intuitive sense that the usefulness of online social support will vary by the type of support offered, degree of social interaction and ‘online communication skills’ of those taking part. Youth workers, for instance, have struggled to keep vulnerable youth engaged in online youth clubs, 19 despite others finding a positive association between amount of digital technology used by individuals during lockdown and perceived social support. 20 Other research has found that more frequent face-to-face contact and phone/video contact both related to lower levels of depression during the time period of March to August 2020, but the negative effect of a lack of contact was greater for those with higher levels of usual sociability. 21 Relatedly, important inequalities in social support exist, such that individuals who occupy more socially disadvantaged positions in society (eg, low socioeconomic status, older people) tend to have less access to social support, 22 potentially exacerbated by COVID-19.

Social and interactional norms

Interactional norms are key relational mechanisms which build trust, belonging and identity within and across groups in a system. Individuals in groups and societies apply meaning by ‘approving, arranging and redefining’ symbols of interaction. 23 A handshake, for instance, is a powerful symbol of trust and equality. Depending on context, not shaking hands may symbolise a failure to extend friendship, or a failure to reach agreement. The norms governing these symbols represent shared values and identity; and mutual understanding of these symbols enables individuals to achieve orderly interactions, establish supportive relationship accountability and connect socially. 24 25

Physical distancing measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 radically altered these norms of interaction, particularly those used to convey trust, affinity, empathy and respect (eg, hugging, physical comforting). 26 As epidemic waves rose and fell, the work to negotiate these norms required intense cognitive effort; previously taken-for-granted interactions were re-examined, factoring in current restriction levels, own and (assumed) others’ vulnerability and tolerance of risk. This created awkwardness, and uncertainty, for example, around how to bring closure to an in-person interaction or convey warmth. The instability in scripted ways of interacting created particular strain for individuals who already struggled to encode and decode interactions with others (eg, those who are deaf or have autism spectrum disorder); difficulties often intensified by mask wearing. 27

Large social gatherings—for example, weddings, school assemblies, sporting events—also present key opportunities for affirming and assimilating interactional norms, building cohesion and shared identity and facilitating cooperation across social groups. 28 Online ‘equivalents’ do not easily support ‘social-bonding’ activities such as singing and dancing, and rarely enable chance/spontaneous one-on-one conversations with peripheral/weaker network ties (see the Social networks section) which can help strengthen bonds across a larger network. The loss of large gatherings to celebrate rites of passage (eg, bar mitzvah, weddings) has additional relational costs since these events are performed by and for communities to reinforce belonging, and to assist in transitioning to new phases of life. 29 The loss of interaction with diverse others via community and large group gatherings also reduces intergroup contact, which may then tend towards more prejudiced outgroup attitudes. While online interaction can go some way to mimicking these interaction norms, there are key differences. A sense of anonymity, and lack of in-person emotional cues, tends to support norms of polarisation and aggression in expressing differences of opinion online. And while online platforms have potential to provide intergroup contact, the tendency of much social media to form homogeneous ‘echo chambers’ can serve to further reduce intergroup contact. 30 31

Intimacy relates to the feeling of emotional connection and closeness with other human beings. Emotional connection, through romantic, friendship or familial relationships, fulfils a basic human need 32 and strongly benefits health, including reduced stress levels, improved mental health, lowered blood pressure and reduced risk of heart disease. 32 33 Intimacy can be fostered through familiarity, feeling understood and feeling accepted by close others. 34

Intimacy via companionship and closeness is fundamental to mental well-being. Positively, the COVID-19 pandemic has offered opportunities for individuals to (re)connect and (re)strengthen close relationships within their household via quality time together, following closure of many usual external social activities. Research suggests that the first full UK lockdown period led to a net gain in the quality of steady relationships at a population level, 35 but amplified existing inequalities in relationship quality. 35 36 For some in single-person households, the absence of a companion became more conspicuous, leading to feelings of loneliness and lower mental well-being. 37 38 Additional pandemic-related relational strain 39 40 resulted, for some, in the initiation or intensification of domestic abuse. 41 42

Physical touch is another key aspect of intimacy, a fundamental human need crucial in maintaining and developing intimacy within close relationships. 34 Restrictions on social interactions severely restricted the number and range of people with whom physical affection was possible. The reduction in opportunity to give and receive affectionate physical touch was not experienced equally. Many of those living alone found themselves completely without physical contact for extended periods. The deprivation of physical touch is evidenced to take a heavy emotional toll. 43 Even in future, once physical expressions of affection can resume, new levels of anxiety over germs may introduce hesitancy into previously fluent blending of physical and verbal intimate social connections. 44

The pandemic also led to shifts in practices and norms around sexual relationship building and maintenance, as individuals adapted and sought alternative ways of enacting sexual intimacy. This too is important, given that intimate sexual activity has known benefits for health. 45 46 Given that social restrictions hinged on reducing household mixing, possibilities for partnered sexual activity were primarily guided by living arrangements. While those in cohabiting relationships could potentially continue as before, those who were single or in non-cohabiting relationships generally had restricted opportunities to maintain their sexual relationships. Pornography consumption and digital partners were reported to increase since lockdown. 47 However, online interactions are qualitatively different from in-person interactions and do not provide the same opportunities for physical intimacy.

Recommendations and conclusions

In the sections above we have outlined the ways in which COVID-19 has impacted social relationships, showing how relational mechanisms key to health have been undermined. While some of the damage might well self-repair after the pandemic, there are opportunities inherent in deliberative efforts to build back in ways that facilitate greater resilience in social and community relationships. We conclude by making three recommendations: one regarding public health responses to the pandemic; and two regarding social recovery.

Recommendation 1: explicitly count the relational cost of public health policies to control the pandemic

Effective handling of a pandemic recognises that social, economic and health concerns are intricately interwoven. It is clear that future research and policy attention must focus on the social consequences. As described above, policies which restrict physical mixing across households carry heavy and unequal relational costs. These include for individuals (eg, loss of intimate touch), dyads (eg, loss of warmth, comfort), networks (eg, restricted access to support) and communities (eg, loss of cohesion and identity). Such costs—and their unequal impact—should not be ignored in short-term efforts to control an epidemic. Some public health responses—restrictions on international holiday travel and highly efficient test and trace systems—have relatively small relational costs and should be prioritised. At a national level, an earlier move to proportionate restrictions, and investment in effective test and trace systems, may help prevent escalation of spread to the point where a national lockdown or tight restrictions became an inevitability. Where policies with relational costs are unavoidable, close attention should be paid to the unequal relational impact for those whose personal circumstances differ from normative assumptions of two adult families. This includes consideration of whether expectations are fair (eg, for those who live alone), whether restrictions on social events are equitable across age group, religious/ethnic groupings and social class, and also to ensure that the language promoted by such policies (eg, households; families) is not exclusionary. 48 49 Forethought to unequal impacts on social relationships should thus be integral to the work of epidemic preparedness teams.

Recommendation 2: intelligently balance online and offline ways of relating

A key ingredient for well-being is ‘getting together’ in a physical sense. This is fundamental to a human need for intimate touch, physical comfort, reinforcing interactional norms and providing practical support. Emerging evidence suggests that online ways of relating cannot simply replace physical interactions. But online interaction has many benefits and for some it offers connections that did not exist previously. In particular, online platforms provide new forms of support for those unable to access offline services because of mobility issues (eg, older people) or because they are geographically isolated from their support community (eg, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) youth). Ultimately, multiple forms of online and offline social interactions are required to meet the needs of varying groups of people (eg, LGBTQ, older people). Future research and practice should aim to establish ways of using offline and online support in complementary and even synergistic ways, rather than veering between them as social restrictions expand and contract. Intelligent balancing of online and offline ways of relating also pertains to future policies on home and flexible working. A decision to switch to wholesale or obligatory homeworking should consider the risk to relational ‘group properties’ of the workplace community and their impact on employees’ well-being, focusing in particular on unequal impacts (eg, new vs established employees). Intelligent blending of online and in-person working is required to achieve flexibility while also nurturing supportive networks at work. Intelligent balance also implies strategies to build digital literacy and minimise digital exclusion, as well as coproducing solutions with intended beneficiaries.

Recommendation 3: build stronger and sustainable localised communities

In balancing offline and online ways of interacting, there is opportunity to capitalise on the potential for more localised, coherent communities due to scaled-down travel, homeworking and local focus that will ideally continue after restrictions end. There are potential economic benefits after the pandemic, such as increased trade as home workers use local resources (eg, coffee shops), but also relational benefits from stronger relationships around the orbit of the home and neighbourhood. Experience from previous crises shows that community volunteer efforts generated early on will wane over time in the absence of deliberate work to maintain them. Adequately funded partnerships between local government, third sector and community groups are required to sustain community assets that began as a direct response to the pandemic. Such partnerships could work to secure green spaces and indoor (non-commercial) meeting spaces that promote community interaction. Green spaces in particular provide a triple benefit in encouraging physical activity and mental health, as well as facilitating social bonding. 50 In building local communities, small community networks—that allow for diversity and break down ingroup/outgroup views—may be more helpful than the concept of ‘support bubbles’, which are exclusionary and less sustainable in the longer term. Rigorously designed intervention and evaluation—taking a systems approach—will be crucial in ensuring scale-up and sustainability.

The dramatic change to social interaction necessitated by efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 created stark challenges but also opportunities. Our essay highlights opportunities for learning, both to ensure the equity and humanity of physical restrictions, and to sustain the salutogenic effects of social relationships going forward. The starting point for capitalising on this learning is recognition of the disruption to relational mechanisms as a key part of the socioeconomic and health impact of the pandemic. In recovery planning, a general rule is that what is good for decreasing health inequalities (such as expanding social protection and public services and pursuing green inclusive growth strategies) 4 will also benefit relationships and safeguard relational mechanisms for future generations. Putting this into action will require political will.

Twitter: @karenmaxSPHSU, @Mark_McCann, @Rwilsonlowe, @KMitchinGlasgow

Contributors: EL and KM led on the manuscript conceptualisation, review and editing. SP, KM, CB, RBP, RL, MM, JR, KS and RW-L contributed to drafting and revising the article. All authors assisted in revising the final draft.

Funding: The research reported in this publication was supported by the Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00022/1, MC_UU_00022/3) and the Chief Scientist Office (SPHSU11, SPHSU14). EL is also supported by MRC Skills Development Fellowship Award (MR/S015078/1). KS and MM are also supported by a Medical Research Council Strategic Award (MC_PC_13027).

Competing interests: None declared.

Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Data availability statement

Ethics statements, patient consent for publication.

Not required.

clock This article was published more than  4 years ago

If we’re all caught in a dangerous pandemic, where does the impulse to help others come from?

My husband is a registered nurse. On the evenings that he works until 7, I usually have dinner waiting for him. One recent Friday, however, he came home already full. An unnamed donor had bought the hospital staff takeout from a local burger shack.

It was a two-birds-one-stone kind of thing: an anonymous thank you to front-line workers (although, luckily, covid-19 hasn’t yet hit our town) and a boost to a small business. It was also an example of the many ways people have recently stepped up, all over the country: sewing homemade masks, stocking free lending libraries, creating seed banks for neighborhood gardeners or scouring stores to purchase toilet paper for the elderly.

These are heartwarming examples. But they raise an interesting question. Why, when their own welfare is so clearly at stake, do people share resources or risk exposure to the virus to help others? 

Today's woolly mammoth

It comes down to the term “prosocial.” According to Craig Parks, a professor of social psychology and a vice provost at Washington State University, “ ‘Prosocial’ means that when you have a choice between acting in your personal best interests or acting in the best interest of the collective, that you opt for the latter.”

‘A minute later, she forgets.’ Pandemic brings new challenges when a loved one has dementia.

While looking out only for ourselves is sometimes extremely important, we have evolved to be concerned with the greater good. “Humans are naturally prosocial,” says Parks. “They had to be in order to survive.”

Imagine being a prehistoric man, hunting woolly mammoth. Alone, you might manage to kill the beast, but it would be difficult to protect the carcass from other predators. Form a multi-person hunting party, though, and “you’re not going to get nearly as much meat as if you hunted by yourself, but you’ve got a much greater chance of success and a much greater chance of living to see another day,” Parks says.

Today, the “beast” isn’t a huge, tusked animal but a microscopic, ruthless virus. And it’s not something you can battle on your own.

 Nature vs. nurture

In pre-covid-19 life, examples of how we’re prosocial abound. We donate blood, give money to charity. If we see someone with a flat tire and can offer aid, we stop and lend a hand. We help someone in a wheelchair get unstuck from a rut.

One possible reason for this behavior is because society expects it of us. “In most cultures, there is a norm that if you see somebody who is truly struggling, clearly worse off than you, then you should try to help if you’re at all able,” says Parks.

Those who deliver supplies to isolated or quarantined households during the pandemic, therefore, may be doing so because they’ve been raised to think: “Let’s pitch in and try to get something to them.”

But there may also be selfish reasons to deliver goods. If we’re enabling others to stay home and thereby slowing the spread of the virus, we’re ultimately protecting ourselves. A principle called generalized reciprocity also might be at work: “I will help somebody now, because eventually somebody will provide help for me.”

Could we come out of the coronavirus crisis with new, more healthful, habits?

Then again, prosocial behaviors may be driven by emotions other than selfishness or societal pressures. One study looked at 36 2-year-old children. The researchers measured the dilation of the children’s pupils, which increases when a person sees an emotionally arousing event, including someone needing help. In this experiment, an adult couldn’t reach an item like a crayon. When seeing the adult in distress, the children’s pupils generally expanded. If no one aided the adult, the pupils remained large. If the children were allowed to hand over the crayon, the pupils contracted. Interestingly, the children’s pupils also contracted if someone else aided the adult. It seems the children weren’t motivated by wanting praise, and were too young to be bowing to cultural demands. They simply wanted the adult’s need to be met.

All hands on board

When it comes to giving, Parks said there are three types of people overall.

The first are already actively prosocial; they will continue to be so during this crisis.

The second focus more on themselves, while caring little about what happens to others. In today’s unprecedented circumstances, however, even they would likely act prosocial, Parks says. This comes back to that idea of generalized reciprocity, plus slowing the spread of the virus to protect themselves.

The final are competitive; they care how they’re doing in relation to others and want to come out on top. However, there are situations “when even a really competitive person will set aside their competitive urge because they know if they behave competitively, they will really be opening themselves up for a lot of social scorn,” Parks says.

Even professional sports teams have canceled their seasons, he adds. “This not the time to be emphasizing winners and losers. This is the time for all of us to pull together.”

 Pro-social pros

In addition to survival, there are many other reasons to give.

Lara Aknin is an associate professor of social psychology at Canada’s Simon Fraser University and director of its Helping and Happiness Lab. As indicated by the name of the lab, research shows that helping and happiness go hand in hand.

“Around the world,” she says, “people who engage in generous actions report higher levels of life satisfaction.” The World Happiness Report , for example, looks at the state of happiness in 156 countries; it has found that generosity is one of the top six predictors of happiness.

This could be because happier people do more prosocial acts, but Aknin’s own studies show it also works the other way around. “Humans derive pleasure from helping others,” she says.

One of her studies looked at 20 toddlers. It found that, even before age 2, the children expressed more happiness when handing over treats to others (in this case, a puppet) than when receiving treats themselves; researchers noted that a “warm glow” often followed this prosocial act.

In another of her studies, to be published later this year, researchers gave more than 700 university students money to buy a goody bag of treats and drinks. They were randomly assigned to keep the goody bags for themselves or to donate them to sick children at a children’s hospital. Afterward, they reported on their levels of happiness. “Those who bought the goody bag for the sick child were significantly happier,” she says.

Parks add that at this nerve-racking time, being prosocial can also help you alleviate anxiety, tension and fear. It can boost your feelings of pride — for the way people in your community are pulling together and for yourself.  He says, “It might lead you to see yourself as a somewhat better person than perhaps you did.” 

Contributing by doing nothing

No matter your motivations, there are myriad ways to help others over the coming weeks or months: drop off a “self-isolation survival kit” to a family , play an instrument for others to enjoy , purchase gift cards to support a restaurant , donate to food banks , decorate your yard to lift moods or clap for the efforts of health care workers .

Parks says, “You should engage in behaviors to the best of your ability.” If you feel you could be participating, but aren’t, however, don’t feel too guilty. Aknin emphasizes this is an extraordinary situation.  

“This is one of those unique times in which just staying off the streets is actually a prosocial act.”

Galadriel Watson is a freelance writer and author of many books for kids, including “ Extreme Abilities ” and the upcoming “ Running Wild .”

Coronavirus: What you need to know

Covid isolation guidelines: Americans who test positive for the coronavirus no longer need to routinely stay home from work and school for five days under new guidance planned by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The change has raised concerns among medically vulnerable people .

New coronavirus variant: The United States is in the throes of another covid-19 uptick and coronavirus samples detected in wastewater suggests infections could be as rampant as they were last winter. JN.1, the new dominant variant , appears to be especially adept at infecting those who have been vaccinated or previously infected. Here’s how this covid surge compares with earlier spikes .

Latest coronavirus booster: The CDC recommends that anyone 6 months or older gets an updated coronavirus shot , but the vaccine rollout has seen some hiccups , especially for children . Here’s what you need to know about the latest coronavirus vaccines , including when you should get it.

5 Feel-Good Stories of Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Quarantine

Right on their block, these Texans are keeping each other positive in this pandemic era.

Of all the things we’ve learned this past year, one that deeply resonates, perhaps more than most: In challenging times when you can’t have close friends or family nearby, your neighbors can fill that void. In this exclusive OprahMag.com portfolio, meet five sets of strangers who’ve weathered both a viral pandemic, and then a debilitating winter storm, by relying on each other.

At first bound only by the East Austin streets they live on, they came together in surprising ways to give each other a lift (or a laugh), and make the day-to-day so much better. (As one remarked, “There’s always been a sense of community here, and in the pandemic, that’s been beautifully amplified.”) Their stories of big gestures and small acts of kindness remind us that there can still be real, profound beauty in a neighborhood block—if you just know where to find it.

Rose and Thor

People call me Coach. They’ll be like, “Just call Coach. If she doesn’t have it, she can tell you how to get it or who to go to.” I’m the founder of Black Women in Business [a leadership- and entrepreneurship-focused nonprofit]. When the pandemic hit, we started providing groceries to those in need and masks for essential workers. Our neighborhood is near and dear to me because my husband Charles was born and raised here. He’s been in the home we live in now for 58 years!

Our neighbor Thor is a renowned percussionist for [the rock band] the Swans and also a handyman and a sculptor. He’s eccentric with a capital E. I remember passing his house for the first time and seeing this totem pole–type thing in front. I’m thinking, What’s going on there? And people are like, Oh, that’s Thor.

.css-meat1u:before{margin-bottom:1.2rem;height:2.25rem;content:'“';display:block;font-size:4.375rem;line-height:1.1;font-family:Juana,Juana-weight300-roboto,Juana-weight300-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;font-weight:300;} .css-mn32pc{font-family:Juana,Juana-weight300-upcase-roboto,Juana-weight300-upcase-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;font-size:1.625rem;font-weight:300;letter-spacing:0.0075rem;line-height:1.2;margin:0rem;text-transform:uppercase;}@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-mn32pc{font-size:2.25rem;line-height:1;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-mn32pc{font-size:2.375rem;line-height:1;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-mn32pc{font-size:2.75rem;line-height:1;}}.css-mn32pc b,.css-mn32pc strong{font-family:inherit;font-weight:bold;}.css-mn32pc em,.css-mn32pc i{font-style:italic;font-family:inherit;} Thor makes it his business to go all over, fixing things, checking in on people...I can count on him.

You don’t invite Thor over; he just comes over. Charles will be putting something on the pit and Thor will be like, “Hey, what you got cooking?” You can tell he’s genuine. He makes it his business to go all over, fixing things, checking in on people...I’m so grateful whenever I see him walking up and down our street. I can count on him to be in the trenches with me. The pandemic has been an eye-opening time, and mentally it would be isolating and stressful without his smiling face.

I am not shy. I think people can be bashful about storming into other people’s spaces, and that’s kind of a shame. I just do it. That’s how you build community.

Central East Austin is really diverse. This community is magical. I’m in a band and when people come over to rehearse, we walk around the neighborhood and they’re amazed that everybody knows each other. I started volunteering when I first moved in, and that’s how I got to know Charles’ dad, who was on the neighborhood board. We run a low-income housing program called Blackland, which rents about 50 houses to low-income families. It’s on a shoestring budget so I’m fixing up some of the houses myself. I also make enormous public art commemorating the history of the neighborhood. And my day job is plumbing. That’s what I’m up to these days, balancing the volunteer work with paid work.

In the past I wasn’t around much because of the band, but this year I have been. The pandemic hit our area hard; several of my neighbors had COVID. But we’ve got a good mix of people with different skills who want to help others. Rose is at the center of this network. She takes on all this social work herself and just makes things happen. When she smiles, she’s so beautiful, you’re just like, What can I do for you?

Shannon and Sana

Shannon says:

We live in a young, energetic area. There’s always been a sense of community here, and in the pandemic that’s been beautifully amplified. I’m part of the “new parent support group,” where parents have given us swaddles, I donated my breast milk to a local mom who had just adopted, and we all trade baby clothes and gear. Neighbors will grocery shop for you any time if you post in the Facebook group. And we support each others’ “homemade hustles”—baking, cooking, crafting, dog-walking. One neighbor who volunteers at a farm and food bank created a “front porch bodega” with all her spoils, free to any and all in need.

Our next-door neighbors Sana and Munir have a baby, Camila, who is a few months older than [our son] Camden. They are first-generation from Pakistan and Sana’s mother lives with them. She feeds us Pakistani meals every week! We’ve had challenging conversations. Jason is Hispanic and has been able to talk freely about racism and inequality with them, and they’ve shared stories with us that were heartbreaking and eye-opening. We have supported each other through pregnancy, losing and gaining jobs, the loss of parents and siblings, and the mental and emotional agony of the pandemic. We’ve also been picking things up for each other at Costco, and Jason taught Munir to change the oil in his car so he wouldn’t have to bring it in. Having this support system within arm’s reach during COVID has been a true blessing.

We have supported each other through pregnancy, losing and gaining jobs, the loss of parents and siblings, and the mental and emotional agony of the pandemic.

When we moved in, Shannon and Jason were doing yard work and the husbands hit it off talking about grass. We didn’t see each other much pre-COVID but we became friends. I was there for Shannon during her pregnancy because I had just gone through it. She lost her brother during that time, and I had lost my dad so I knew that grief. We did our best to show up for them. When Shannon went into labor early, Munir and I got the house ready, and the night they came home, Munir took Jason to Target with our baby list to get everything they needed.

With the pandemic, our only outlet was going on walks together. Shannon and I would put the kids in the strollers and laugh, cry or vent. When George Floyd and other unarmed Black men and women were murdered, we had deep conversations with Jason and Shannon about systemic racism and social justice. On the day of the insurrection, I texted Shannon, “Hey, can I meet you outside?” and we ran out to give each other hugs.

I don’t know if this is uniquely our neighborhood or not, but if you post on the community page, people respond at all hours. During the big winter storm, someone started a Google doc so you could list emergency items you needed, and people with four-wheel drive volunteered to get it or rescue anyone snowed in. It was pretty sweet to see that.

Raasin and Reverend Dixon

Raasin says:

This neighborhood is historically Black and has tons of character. The first thing my partner Alexandria and I did when we moved in is join the Martin Luther King Neighborhood Association, and now she’s the vice president. That’s how we got to know the stories of the streets and the people who came before us. We’re friends with people like Wilhemina Delco, the first Black female elected to represent Travis County in the Texas House of Representatives, and Reverend Freddie Dixon, who was the pastor of one of the oldest Black churches in Austin. They’re huge figures who give us knowledge about how to build a resilient community.

Alexandria is a health and wellness coach and I’m the founder and creative director of Raasin in the Sun, a nonprofit focusing on local art and environmental initiatives. During the pandemic I started running errands and doing house repairs for neighbors. We’ve both been helping the older ones with technology so they can get online for association meetings and stay engaged.

Reverend Dixon comes every week to work out with Alexandria in our garage-gym setup. Other times I talk with him in our backyard to keep him busy. My dad couldn’t be here when Alexandria and I got engaged in December, so Reverend Dixon took me to pick out the ring. We’re always fussing at him, like, “Wear a mask!” and “Don’t go out for groceries! We’ll get them!” We would be lost without him.

Reverend Dixon says:

Raasin and Alexandria are picking my brain all the time. My wife Melonie is president of the neighborhood association and Alexandria is vice president, so we work with them on trying to keep the history of our area alive. Raasin’s organization oversees beautiful painted murals around the city and I help with historical references so they can depict what the community was like and is about. We’ll also just sit in the yard and have snacks together.

One evening during the pandemic Raasin asked if I would help her select a ring for Alex. Her daddy lives out of town and couldn’t be there, and she said I remind her of him a whole lot. I was happy she gave me that honor. I took her to a jeweler I know, and the one she picked was elegant. When her daddy did drop in on them [eventually], she called me: “Reverend Dixon, come on over here to the house, I want you to meet him!” We broke bread together and that was a great fellowship for me.

I’ve been in Austin so long that I get all kinds of people doing things for me. Just the other day there were some young ladies from my church...never would I have thought that we would have a whole year without going to church. They knocked on my door and said, “We just wanted to check on you and your wife to make sure you’re alright.” Can’t ask for anything better.

Nick and Patti (and Betty)

My daughter, Edie, was born early, just as the pandemic was ramping up. The day my wife Sara and I brought her home from the NICU, our neighbor Betty dropped off this really badass toy rabbit that sings and has ears that move. Since then, she is always bringing Edie toys and clothes, like for her birthday and at Easter. Another older lady on the block regularly leaves us groceries and treats for our dog. All our neighbors have shown us overwhelming love and support.

We were one of the first young couples to live here. People have been in this neighborhood since the ’60s, and no one ever moves out! In the rare moments when we go outside at eight in the morning, the streets are just filled with old people taking a walk.

Betty’s health has dwindled, so I’ve started taking her trash and recycling out to the street every Tuesday night. Sometimes I also help her and her daughter Patti move furniture around in the house. To thank us, she makes us tacos, cakes, cookies, muffins….all kinds of bready things.

Patti says:

My mom’s joy comes from baking and cooking for others. Betty is a friend to everyone she meets, and she connects with people through food. Anyone who comes to visit her leaves with baked goods or jars of jelly or hot sauce she’s made herself. The neighborhood is predominantly retirees and the elderly, so during the pandemic it became even more important to reach out to those around us.

When she learned that Nick’s baby Edie was born premature, prayers went up for the family. Being in the middle of a pandemic and experiencing a premature birth….it was heartbreaking that we couldn’t visit them when they came home. My mom left them a stuffed rabbit that plays the tune “Do Your Ears Hang Low?” because that’s what she used to sing to all her grandchildren.

In the past two years she’s suffered a number of health issues, including a broken leg and two strokes, but she insists on living at home. So Nick has been quite the gem, helping her put out the trash, picking up her mail, checking in on her for me. He always comes through. And her way of thanking him is always, “I’m going to bake you something soon!”

Allie and Paul

Allie says:

Our neighborhood is a hidden gem of older homes tucked among big trees. All of us are always emailing our little group to see when others need help. My next-door neighbors have left us gifts for my 8-year-old’s birthday, and I make sure their grandchildren can grab toys off our porch. Our neighbors across the street sit in their yard with their dogs, and folks walking by are offered a chair to sit and hang out, socially distanced. And for Halloween the elderly families were out on their lawns with tables of crafts or candy bags, and the kiddos walked around all costumed up.

I’ve noticed during this crazy year that people have chilled out and are really present. They wave and say hello, and help each other with acts of kindness.

Our neighbor on one side, Paul, plays in a band. We knew those guys pre-pandemic but we were busy living our lives. Suddenly we were working from home and the kids were home. We now hear music during the day. We yell over the fence letting them know we love it and they yell thank you. Around here, instead of people complaining about loud music, they come out to listen. This is Austin!

I’ve noticed during this crazy year that people have chilled out and are really present. They wave and say hello, and help each other with acts of kindness. In the past I was an introvert, and now I know everyone’s name. Neighbors have become more like family.

I live in a big house with my friend’s family. At first it was me, my friend and his fiancé, and then one by one the others moved in from South Texas. Now there are almost 10 of us.

I started talking to my neighbor Allie originally because we have eight cars and needed to park in front of her house. She’s been so sweet. When we saw a birthday sign in her yard for her daughter, we brought a present. In lockdown there’s just been this sense that we’re all in this together. I’m in a band called Pai Pai with my brother and a friend. Our music is a version of rock; some songs we’re singing melodically and in others I’m literally screaming. We used to rent a room to play in but COVID messed everything up and the place went out of business. I went around and asked our neighbors, “If we keep it before dark and one or two hours, would it be OK if we practiced at my house?” Everyone agreed. Allie’s husband was like, “I get it—we’re all stranded at home.” I was worried they wouldn’t like our music but I can see their kids from our deck, and it wasn’t that at all. It makes me feel good to see people enjoying it. We did get complaints once from the other side of the creek, and the sheriff came, but he was just like, “Y’all sound really good.”

Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.

Beyond the connections neighbors have made, COVID has impacted the tax situation for so many, leading to uncertainties this year. H&R Block is committed to building people’s financial confidence by helping them understand their unique 2020 tax filing situation, and can help people file safely whether in person at an office, online, or virtually.

Unique Mother’s Day Gifts She Doesn’t Already Own

50 Graduation Gifts That Deserve an A+

Oprah and Brooke Shields on Healing a Mother Wound

“The Most Devastating Thing My Mother Said to Me”

What Is the Mother Wound?

What I Learned from My Schizophrenic Mom

The Birthday Present That Rewrote My Childhood

The Day I Broke Up with My Mother

How to Move on from Mom’s Tiny, Painful Criticisms

I Tried to Quit My Mom and Failed

How to Fill a Mother-Shaped Hole in Your Life

Five ways you can show support for others during the pandemic

Social distancing makes helping others a little trickier. but there are still ways you can pitch in and show support for your community..

We may be seeing a lot less of each other these days, but that doesn’t mean we’re not still thinking about each other. And over the past few weeks, the UM-Dearborn community has stepped up in a number of ways to support students, spring graduates, faculty, staff, frontline health care workers, essential workers and perfect strangers. Want to lend a hand too? Here are some quick and easy ways to do some good — and acknowledge the generosity of others.

Donate to the Immediate Student Relief Fund

Many of our students are facing financial hardship directly related to the pandemic. In response, the university has set up a relief fund to help with critical needs like medical expenses and internet access for remote learning. To date, 95 members of the UM-Dearborn community have given more than $17,000 in cash and pledges. Make a donation of any amount.

Donate blood

Disruption of community blood drives is causing shortages of donated blood in some areas. But your local American Red Cross is still open. Go here to make an appointment . The Red Cross has also recently launched a COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Program, which is seeking people who are fully recovered from the coronavirus to donate plasma to help current COVID-19 patients. Scientists think antibodies in the plasma of recovered patients could help those with serious or life-threatening infections. Read more to donate blood . 

Make a monetary donation to the student food pantry

Here’s a cool fact courtesy of Coordinator of Civic Engagement Julie Colbath: Your monetary donations to the Student Food Pantry can multiply your impact by as much as 10 times. The secret? The pantry’s buying power goes 10 times further when they buy food from food banks compared to food donations bought at grocery store retail prices. Make a donation to the student food pantry . 

Check in with colleagues you haven't seen in a while

Before all this, your work day probably included dozens of little conversations with colleagues and co-workers. The campus closure makes it easy to lose touch. Take five minutes and send a note to a colleague or friend to let them know you’re still thinking about them. It’ll make their day.

Acknowledge the giving of others

One of the easiest things you can do: Give a shout out to someone who’s stepping up. Here on our campus, for example, we’re lucky to have leaders directly pitching in to keep the budget on track. Chancellor Grasso, senior officers, college deans, a number of faculty, and other campus leaders are even taking voluntary salary reductions to help the university’s finances. If you know someone who’s doing this — or has made some other kind of personal sacrifice — take a few minutes to thank them. If you’re personally interested in a voluntary salary reduction, reduced hours or furlough, you can reach out to the HR consultant who supports your unit or Human Resources Director Rima Berry-Hung .

Related News

Amanda Esquivel is pushing student research into its next phase at UM-Dearborn

The Renick University Center renovation is kicking off next month

Campus building to be renamed for pioneering dean

Current news.

Congrats to the CECS and CEHHS Medallion awardees

America needs more farmers. Could robots help?

Congrats to the CASL and COB Medallion awardees

• COVID-19 Full Coverage
• Cover Stories
• Ulat Filipino
• Special Reports
• Personal Finance
• Other sports
• Pinoy Achievers
• Immigration Guide
• Science and Research
• Technology, Gadgets and Gaming
• Chika Minute
• Showbiz Abroad
• Family and Relationships
• Art and Culture
• Health and Wellness
• Shopping and Fashion
• Hobbies and Activities
• News Hardcore
• Walang Pasok
• Transportation
• Missing Persons
• Community Bulletin Board
• GMA Public Affairs
• State of the Nation
• Unang Balita
• Balitanghali
• News TV Live

Helping communities heal in the time of a pandemic

The day will come when we take off our masks, feel safe to be close to each other, and finally get back to our firm handshakes and visible smiles, but we should remember how we got through the difficult times and how some practices can get us through future difficulties, too.

We've learned several important things during this pandemic, and these are things that we should carry with us even as the world returns to 'normalcy' - or something close to it.

Help others heal through malasakit

One very powerful thing we’ve learned is that helping each other is the only way through a crisis like this. We've experienced a rise of stories about selfless individuals helping the less fortunate, economic frontliners like delivery riders using their tips to help the homeless , donation drives for health workers and under equipped hospitals, and more.

The current surge of community pantries that aim to feed those who have fallen on hard times have garnered praise from foreign nationals . So many individuals have stepped up and restored our faith in humanity after facing so many struggles. The growth of true concern for others or malasakit is really a welcome contagion.

Corporations have also stepped up in protecting lives and livelihoods. The COVID-19 response program of Unilever Philippines called Malasakit for All has completed purchase agreements for COVID-19 vaccines for their employees and their dependents.

“Our vaccination program is an assurance that the safety and wellbeing our employees and their families continue to be our priority,” shares Benjie Yap, Chairman and CEO of Unilever Philippines. In giving importance to protecting the workforce, consumers, and communities, people grow more hopeful of the promise that they will return to a life where they can be secure in their physical and financial states to be able to provide for their families and loved ones now and in the future.

Cleanliness is crucial to health and safety

It would be safe to say that we have ingrained into our daily lives the processes of sanitizing, disinfecting, and personal hygiene. Cleanliness clearly plays a large role in staying safe and healthy. It is at the forefront of many health programs to keep us safe from illness and infection. This should become second nature to everyone, if it isn’t already part of your life. The calls to 'wash your hands for at least 20 seconds' or 'keep disinfecting high touch surfaces' are constantly heard as we try to make public health and safety during a pandemic easier and more reachable for ordinary citizens.

Fatigue may be setting in, which perhaps renders some people careless when it comes to cleanliness, but it is our duty to keep reminding each other about how this can save lives and curb the spread of illness. Clean equals safe, before, during, or after a pandemic, that is why the fight against germs should be done every day.

The continued fight of the Filipino to stay safe and healthy is shared by Unilever’s hygiene brands Breeze and Domex. Part of the Malasakit for All program, Breeze and Domex donated up to PHP 1,000,000 worth of antibacterial detergents and multipurpose cleaners for World Health Day to highlight the role of hygiene in staying safe and healthy. In fact, even early on in the pandemic, Unilever took quick action and provided food and hygiene products for frontliners and communities in need.

Adults who have to leave their homes occasionally for work or to purchase supplies, health care workers who carry out their jobs of healing, and families at home trying to get by with their everyday activities, all of them require clothes that are both germ-free and stain-free. Breeze is determined to provide you with confidence in cleaning clothes through the new Breeze Antibacterial Powder Detergent with GERM ATTACK technology which kills up to 99.9% of germs, including Coronavirus, in one wash.

Domex also offers all-around protection and provides sanitation in homes, offices, and other establishments to keep the community safe. Toilets, barriers, door handles, floors, faucets, and sinks are just some of the areas or surfaces that require our attention when it comes to hygiene and sanitation. This is why Domex has taken on the mission to keep homes and public areas clean by becoming your go-to cleaning product for killing germs and keeping surfaces disinfected. Domex is proven to kill all known germs including the coronavirus - it is the unstoppable germ-kill expert that provides long-lasting protection.

Malasakit For All may be a Unilever program, but it is the spirit that every Filipino should embody as we struggle to reopen and repair communities that have been taken apart by the pandemic. True concern for others and acting upon it will be the answer to the call of restoring the country and our lives.

• nagpur News

Helping Hands: People realized the power of supporting each other

About the Author

Chaitanya Deshpande is Principal Correspondent at The Times of India, Nagpur. He has a PG degree in English literature and Mass communication. Chaitanya covers public health, medical issues, medical education, research in the fields of medicine, microbiology, biotechnology. He also covers culture, fine arts, theatre, folk arts, literature, and life. Proficient in Marathi and Hindi along with English, Chaitanya loves music, theatre and literature of all three languages. Read More

Visual Stories