Unless you’ve been competing on Big Brother or you’ve been living under a rock, the chances are virtually nonexistent that you haven’t heard of the novel coronavirus outbreak. Also known as COVID-19, this virus and outbreak originated in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and rapidly spread around the world. With nearly 400,000 confirmed cases as of late March and over 15,000 deaths in more than 190 countries, this global pandemic has had many effects on life as we know it. With governmental and health organizations advising us to practice social distancing and self-isolation to flatten the curve and slow the spread of COVID-19, it’s important to make sure you do as much as you can to stay safe, especially if you’re living with roommates! Below are some general tips to follow to ensure you’re staying healthy and safe in the weeks to come!

Make sure everyone’s on the same page

In the last several weeks, the amount of news and updates on social media and news outlets has figuratively exploded, and with it has come the proliferation of fake news. From fake news on treatments that will cure coronavirus to announcements about Daniel Radcliffe testing positive for COVID-19, it can be hard to know what’s real during times like these. When seeing how the situation is developing, especially in your local area, always double-check the source or use fact-checking websites like AP Fact Check. Other sources you can rely on include the World Health Organization, the CDC, and your local governmental body. By using sources like these, you and and your roommates can make the best decisions based on trustworthy and reputable sources. 

Surviving self-isolation and social distancing 

Virtually all governmental bodies, health organizations, and other sources of authority have recommended self-isolation and social distancing to slow the spread of coronavirus. If you or your roommate have exhibited symptoms of COVID-19 (you can check the current lists of symptoms on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site), you will need to go into self-isolation. If you start exhibit symptoms, you’ll have to self-isolate for 7 days. If your roommate has symptoms, you’ll need to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning from when their symptoms started. 

If you’re not already working from home, try to get an isolation note from your doctor if possible to give to your employer. However, with more and more states enforcing stay-at-home orders, this may not even be necessary, as you may already be required to work from home. In general, you’ll need to go out as little as possible and avoid contact with other people in order to avoid infecting others.

Social distancing is necessary to further reduce the exponential growth of COVID-19, which means cancelling those Tinder dates, avoiding the gym, and generally limiting close physical social contact for the near future. Sure, it sucks to put our social life on hold for now, but it’s absolutely necessary to help ensure that we can go back to our normal lives ASAP, all while not overwhelming the healthcare system with everyone getting sick all at once. 

Curious how you and your roomies can best stay safe (and sane!) during self-isolation or while practicing social distancing? Here are some tips and advice to make it a little bit easier and safer! 

Whether you’re self-isolating because your roomie has symptoms or you’re practicing social distancing to keep your loved ones and community safe, make the best of all this extra free time you have now, all while staying safe!

Keeping clean

While we hope that you always try your best to practice great hygiene, it’s more important than ever during the coronavirus outbreak. Here are some general tips to implement ASAP to help keep your roommates safe during this time! As a rule of thumb, follow these tips even if you our your roomies aren’t exhibiting any signs of COVID-19, as these will help to minimize your chances of contracting the virus and spreading it on.

Keep calm!

These are understandably stressful and unpredictable times, with rapidly changing news and information coming in at all hours of the day. At roommates.com, we want you and your roomies to stay safe, above everything else! But while it’s important to stay clean and do your best to slow the spread of the coronavirus, your mental health is also just as important! Make sure you schedule downtime from all the news, have some me-time, and maybe meditate or do some yoga. Find activities or exercises that help you calm down and relax—while making sure you don’t put others at risk, of course! After all, the world will still be there when you plug back in. 

But for now, stay safe, and stay healthy!