submitted by President Andrea Kaminski
Are your hands chapped from so much washing? Do you miss your colleagues? Wish you could hug your grandchildren? Miss seeing your friends at Rotary luncheons?
Yes? Then keep up the good work!
As community leaders, Rotarians need to practice and model assiduous social distancing to the extent that our jobs or family needs allow. In fact, without widely available protective gear, testing and, ultimately, vaccination, physical distancing is the only way to contain the coronavirus threat and minimize infection.
While we look forward to a time when we can safely ease up on the restrictions, there are lessons we can learn from this experience. And I’m not just referring to my enhanced ability to connect with people online! For example, while I have at times been frustrated by the difficulty of shopping or ordering groceries online, I’ve learned that the brands we normally buy are less important than the actual family meals in our house that bring together our kids and granddaughter.
For life to go back to “normal” we will have to keep social distancing for the foreseeable future. We can’t let our guard down before our first responders and healthcare professionals are adequately equipped to do their essential work. Here are some resources to help get us through these challenging times:
- CDC guidelines for effective social distancing
- Dealing with Mental Health Issues in the Time of the Coronavirus — April 15 Presentation to Rotary by Lynn Brady, President & CEO, Journey Mental Health
Rotary Club of Madison, Wisconsin 