Los Angeles health officials release tips on how to deal with ‘quarantigue’ amid COVID-19 pandemic
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Public Health Department recently put out a set of guidelines aimed at helping people combat the growing quarantine fatigue that has surfaced as a result of the ongoing pandemic.
“If you haven’t felt as motivated to follow health guidelines, you’re not alone,” tweeted LA Public Health, along with some helpful tips on how to deal with what they call “quarantigue.”
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“Quarantine fatigue is real, but we can’t give up just yet. Here are some ways to deal with Quarantigue,” the post continued.
The Twitter account defined “quarantigue” as something that “occurs when people show lower motivation to comply with safety guidelines and practices.”
The list of ways to combat the issue includes:
- change your mindset
- know the facts
- de-stress
- reach out
The series of tweets featured graphics and instructions on how to follow the steps. It was an apparent attempt to prompt a more proactive approach from individuals in fighting the novel coronavirus.
“Covering our faces, washing our hands, and staying 6’ apart from others is a rewarding experience because it allows us to get back to our lives and our loved ones sooner,” read one tweet from the LA Public Health Department.
LA health officials’ concern over coronavirus fatigue comes four months, 3 million confirmed infections and over 130,000 deaths into the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S.
Americans confronted with a resurgence of the scourge are facing long lines at testing sites in the summer heat or are getting turned away. Others are going a week or more without receiving a diagnosis.
Some sites are running out of kits, while labs are reporting shortages of materials and workers to process the swabs.
Some frustrated Americans are left to wonder why the U.S. can't seem to get its act together, especially after it was given fair warning as the virus wreaked havoc in China and then Italy, Spain and New York.
And while the havoc caused by the pandemic appears to have no end in sight, local health officials are doing what they can to stop people from thinking that the fight is hopeless.
After months of steady progress, new confirmed cases of COVID-19 climbed to near-record levels in the U.S. this week.
Experts blame a nation that’s become complacent, and a recent poll finds evidence to back them up: Support for measures to slow the virus’ spread has declined from the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
A June survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that many Americans never fully embraced the reopening effort now underway in many states. A majority of Americans still have concerns about contracting COVID-19, and significant shares still support the kinds of public health restrictions that states have rolled back.
The survey found that what was once unified opinion about the pandemic has eroded over the past two months. Half of Americans now favor stay-at-home orders, down from about 6 in 10 one month ago and 8 in 10 in April. And about 6 in 10 favor limits on how many people can gather together, down from about 7 in 10 one month ago and about 8 in 10 in April.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.