By Red Line Project
COVID-19 Year 3: Global, Local Numbers Still Climbing
It seems only yesterday that the arrival of a highly contagious virus that would permanently change the world was only an idea worthy of a Netflix film. But three years later, COVID-19 has become an unavoidable part of life, and the numbers have proven it highly unlikely to change anytime soon.
As of June 6, there have been 530,266,292 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the world, which means that 7% of the world population has been infected with the virus, including more than six million deaths worldwide. Additionally, over 8 billion vaccine doses have been administered so far.
Despite having decreased its transmission rate significantly, the U.S. continues to be the country with the most COVID-19 cases in the world, with 83,987,071 cases and almost a million deaths. According to the World Health Organization, 575.4 million vaccine doses have been administered in the U.S as of May 20th, 2022.
For Illinois, cases have remained controlled with a 9.4% daily average positivity rate, and 939 daily cases for the city of Chicago. Although numbers still seem concerning for most, it is important to remember that most safety restrictions against the virus have been removed nationwide. Masks are no longer required for most in-door establishments and capacity levels have been restored to their maximum.
For many, life has returned to “normal” since the beginning of the pandemic. Activities such as festival concerts and travel, which seemed impossible to retrieve at one point, are now possible again. Nonetheless, the importance of vaccinations and boosters continues to be a topic of debate amongst people.
With kids as young as 5 years old being able to receive the vaccine, and soon even younger, the nightmare that has been COVID-19 seems to be fading away slowly, but surely. However, it is important to remember the significance of simple measures such as constantly washing hands to protect ourselves and others. — Sofia Diaz
How to Work from Home Like a Pro
After over two years after the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 remote jobs are skyrocketing. Although many jobs have transitioned back into offices, some businesses have chosen to stay as full-time remote jobs.
The demand for these remote jobs is going up due to the flexibility and freedom of working from your own home. However, there are a lot more health disadvantages of working from home than a lot of individuals initially think.
When working from home individuals have the freedom of rolling right out of bed and clock into work without having to shower, get dressed or commute for work. This is very convenient for many as it provides them with the ability to sleep in as much as possible before going to work.
However, what many people don’t know is that getting running around the office doing tasks, going out for your lunch, or talking to your coworkers while on break are all healthy routine things that we often overlook and don’t think are significant.
When working from home individuals often feel like they have no other choice but to stay at home because they have everything they need an arm’s reach. This can ultimately affect your mental and physical health in many ways.
As stated by Forbes, if not managed delicately “working remotely can leave people feeling isolated, or even more stressed out by their work. That’s why having a morning routine in place provides structure to manage the happenings of the day.”
Something as simple as including a morning exercise can enhance attention, visual learning, and decision-making, according to a 2019 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Small changes such as having a balanced routine, being active, eating well, staying hydrated, and stretching throughout your shift can change your morale and motivation when working from home. — Joselyn Bibian
