As with many of us, my life has taken a major plot twist with the Coronavirus outbreak. Just a month ago I was in Tulum for a bachelorette party without a care in the world and now it seems like everything has been turned upside down. Everything seemed so normal in NYC until about mid-March, and then within a week, almost everything shut down! Just like that, the city that never sleeps was put to bed – the frustrating, self-isolating, social distancing kind of bed.

I had been trying to keep things “normal” for as long as possible last week by still getting dressed and walking into the office. I do not have to take transit, which helped, and the streets were empty and the office deserted. It was just nice to get out of the apartment for part of the day, especially my small NYC apartment. That lasted for about a week before New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an Executive Order directing all non-essential business statewide to close in-office functions.

So with that, I packed up my work laptop and said goodbye to my office thinking it may be months before I will see it again. I never realized just how much I actually enjoyed going into the office.

How’s NYC? Dead! It is so eerie walking around – it is like something out of a horror or disaster movie. Here are a few photos of the city during COVID19:

Times Square

Lincoln Centre – Central Park West St – The American Museum of Natural History

Central Park

Also, as a travel blogger who was looking forward to hitting up some amazing destinations this Spring/Summer, everything seems to be challenging right now. That said, I am grateful that I am healthy and I know we just have to keep reminding ourselves that this is only temporary. As long as we follow the recommendations suggested by the CDC and WHO, we will “soon” be able to return to our normal lives. It is important to do your part in curbing this virus!

To help, I put together a list of recommendations below, because after all, it’s easy to come across unreliable information online. I do also recommend following reliable news sources and the CDC website for updates.

BACKGROUND

The respiratory disease, COVID-19, caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2, was first detected in China and has now been detected worldwide – declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11. It has been suggested that the outbreak started with animal-to-person spread in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, later leading to person-to-person spread.

Symptoms, which may appear 2 to 14 days after exposure, include dry cough, fever, and shortness of breath. Symptoms can also range from mild to severe – including death – with higher risks to older people or individuals with severe chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease.

CDC Recommendations

 – Stay home. I will be sharing another post soon with ideas on how to keep yourself entertained, while avoiding participating in the next baby boom. Ha

– Call your doctor in advance of a visit

– Limit movement in the community

– Limit visitors

– Consider 2 weeks supply of medication, food, and other essentials. (Two weeks! No need to hoard toilet paper for the next year.)

– Establish ways to communicate with others

– Establish plans to telework

– Avoid public areas and public transportation

– Cover your coughs and sneezes – and wash your hands

– Don’t share dishes, towels or bedding with others

– Clean and disinfect regularly

– Wear masks if you are sick

Together (well, the social distancing version of together), we can get through this!

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/