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Originals March 16, 2020July 13th, 2020

How to Survive COVID-19


photo:    Robin Pailler

photo: Robin Pailler

By now you may be aware that there’s a sneaky virus by the name of COVID-19 running riot.

The cellular audacity. 

Sadly, it’s not a case of business as usual – these are unprecedented times for everyone and we each hold a collective responsibility in preventing the spread of the coronavirus. We strongly urge everyone to take the correct measures as advised by global health experts. Social distancing and self isolation are key. The priority is to slow the spread so as not to overwhelm our public health services. It’s no secret 70-80% of us will undoubtedly contract the virus at some point and fortunately for most of us, this will simply be a case of bad flu. However for much of our older population and those with underlying health conditions, it could be a case of life or death. You only have to look at the recent death statistics in Italy to know this is no joke

Ultimately this may be the greatest test our generation has faced and despite being advised by a host of inept and clueless world leaders, the solution is simple. Stay at home. It’s against our natural intuition but we urge you to stay home. Do yoga, read a book, write a book, write your memoirs, compose a symphony, ring your parents, ring your grandparents, learn a language, re-watch True Detective season one. The quicker we adopt these habits, the quicker things will return to normal. 

As for us, we’ll still be here, continuing to share our love for life albeit from behind closed doors.

For now our boutique in Hossegor is closed and will be for as long as it takes.

Business will suffer but the health of you and your loved ones is the priority.

Our online store is up and running and deliveries for the time being are unaffected.

Stay strong. You got this.

In the meantime here’s our guide to life during COVID-19.

1) FACE THE REALITY

– Get The Facts

First off, understanding the gravity of this epidemic is key.

Worldometer offers a live update on the number of coronavirus cases and deaths.

Bear in mind these numbers only reflect those tested and are probably much higher in reality. Whilst looking at stats can be overwhelming, it’s important in understanding how fast this is spreading.

– Watch an Interview with Michael Osterholm

With so much media coverage it’s hard to know who’s advice to follow at this time. One person we’d recommend is Michael Osterholm, an internationally recognised expert in infectious disease epidemiology and the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP). 

Michael was on the Joe Rogan Experience last week and regardless of your views on Rogan this is a highly informative episode, bringing more education to this issue than most mainstream news outlets.

Essential viewing.

– Read Harry Stevens’ coronavirus article published in The Washington Post

This underlines the importance of enacting social distancing and self isolation and beautifully demonstrates multiple scenarios with simple graphs and data – READ IT HERE.

– Watch China’s Quarantine approach.

To understand how to stop the spread, ARTE’s report on the quarantine China implemented proves how such strict methods were successful in quelling the impact. Without endorsing China’s totalitarian state, it’s hard to argue that their approach hasn’t proved vital in ‘flattening the curve’.

2) STAY AT HOME

We can’t stress this anymore. And whilst for many of us self isolation is unbearable, there are some methods to stop the madness.

– Relax

The first thing to do is relax. Take deep breathes. Listen to our Breathe playlist. Practice Yoga. No doubt someone in your inner circle can advise their best source but if not then 6 million people on YouTube seem to like Yoga with Adriene.

– Meditate

YouTube How To Meditate and there’s a whole range of advice and techniques but the most popular method is undoubtedly HeadSpace, an app that offers a range of methods in how to attain your daily dose of mindfulness. They’re also offering free support during the global crisis.

– Sleep

This is a no brainer. Sleep and rest is the foundation for a healthy mind and body. It’s also imperative in building up our immune system. Set a routine. Use the Bedtime app on your iPhone. Read Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, better still, watch his podcast episode with Joe Rogan.

– Eat Well

Again this is logic. You are what you eat. Work on building up your immune system. Fruit & Veg is key. This is non-negotiable. Understand which foods contain which vitamins and try to eat a balanced diet. Colourful dishes are strongly advised. Understand the importance of turmeric and black pepper and start adding them to your meals. Same with garlic. Don’t worry about the smell. You’re not going anywhere. Self isolation remember? Drink plenty of water, adding lemon and ginger is a bonus.

– Call Your (Grand)Parents

If you’re unable to physically visit family members then give them a call. As far as we know Covid-19 is unable to transmit through the airwaves, so there’s nothing stopping you surprising Grandma with a phone call. Send them reassurances and good vibes. Remember the importance of family.

– Take a cold shower.

No one likes a cold shower but guess what? Your immune system fucking loves it. Not only does it improve blood circulation, it also increases awareness, accelerates metabolism, detoxifies your organs, decreases inflammation, lowers cortisol levels, relieves depression and tightens your skin. The list goes on.

3) LEARN A NEW SKILL

Whilst many will complain of boredom during self isolation, try looking at this as a free pass for self improvement. All those skills you complained about not having the time to work on, well now’s the time.

– Learn a language

Because why not? People who speak more than one language have improved memory, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, enhanced concentration, ability to multitask, and better listening skills. You can start by simply downloading Duolingo. After that FaceTime your [insert nationality] mate and practice.

– Learn New Software

Remember how you always wanted to learn After Effects, improve your Photoshop knowledge or simply learn how to manage those Excel spreadsheets properly? Well get stuck in to some online tutorials and expand your knowledge. Lynda Training is actually legit and the first month is free so no excuses.

– Learn to cook

If this quarantined life teaches us anything it’s that cooking for ones self is of the utmost importance. Deliveroo probably has COVID-19 and Uber Eats won’t be around during the apocalypse so learn to embrace it. It’s actually super fucking easy and incredibly therapeutic.

4) IMMERSE YOURSELF IN ARTS AND CULTURE

So whilst you can’t socialise, go to the cinema, dance with your friends or explore museums and art galleries, you can still immerse yourself in a whole host of cultural activities from home.

– Read A Book

It’s easy to forget how good for the soul reading a book can be. For some it’s a simply a way of obtaining information. For others it’s escapism in its purest form. Other than the aforementioned Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, there’s a few recommendations on our very own Book Club; of which more will be added in the upcoming days. If you want to understand a pandemic then look no further than Albert Camus’ The Plague.

– Watch A Film

And by this we don’t mean binge watching C-grade Netflix shows, or 10 seasons of Friends again for that matter. As we’ve previously stated the only tv show worth watching is True Detective Season 1 and/or Twin Peaks.

When it comes to movies watch something good. Watch something long. Watch 2001 A Space Odyssey. Re-watch 2001 A Space Odyssey. Make your way through Andrei Tarkovsky’s filmography and have your mind blown on the real power of cinema. Find a stream for Parasite and revel in the fact the Academy got it right for once.

If you’re after films reflecting the current pandemic then the obvious choice is Contagion. Once you’re done with that make your way onto the highly underrated 2008 indie hit Right At Your Door. For a slightly different spin on a broken future try Children of Men.

For those with families, Paddington & Paddington 2 are highly recommended. There’s obviously four Toy Story movies now so that kills a day. A Star Wars marathon never hurt anyone. In fact if you’re screening classics then don’t hesitate to include the likes of The Goonies, The Princess Bride, E.T., Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, The Wizard of Oz as well as every animated Disney film pre-2000.

There’s also our very own Film Club, where you can find lists of recommendations from some of our favourite humans on the planet.

And let’s not the forget the art of a full length surf or skate film. How long has it been since you watched Year Zero in full? Now might be a good time to stick Mindfield on.

*MUBI just announced a 3 month subscription for €1/£1!

– Paint & Draw

As a primary visual language, essential for communication and expression, drawing is as important as the development of written and verbal skills. It’s easy and there are no rules. Pick up a pen/pencil/paintbrush and draw. It’s arguably the most powerful tool of creative exploration that informs visual discovery. 

– Music

Both listen and play. How neglected is that guitar and/or keyboard of yours? Pick it up. Play a tune. Learn a tune. If that fails, listen to music. Four Tet just released his new album Sixteen Oceans.

Can’t sleep. Listen to The Disintegration Loops by William Basinski.

5) WASH YOUR HANDS

Kinda basic. Non negotiable.

©Wasted Talent Magazine
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