With many people being asked to socially distance themselves from others, while other cities have placed their residents under mandatory lockdown to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus, the United Nations has tips for those seeking to strike the balance between vigilance and the need to maintain some normalcy in their lives.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is rallying international organizations, civil society and private sector partners in a broad coalition to ensure that learning never stops. The agency released a document listing distance-learning solutions and recommendations - digital learning management systems, systems built for mobile phones, offline solutions, MOOC platforms, self-directed learning content, mobile reading applications, live-video collaboration platforms, and tools to create digital learning content.
With school closures, parenting has become increasingly challenging. UNICEF issued six parenting tips for the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak: one-on-one time; keeping it positive; getting structured; managing bad behaviour; keeping calm and managing stress; and talking about COVID-19.
The closure of gyms, sport facilities and playgrounds means many cannot participate in group activities, but people should stay physically active. WHO recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week. Finally, it is always important to protect mental health - WHO released a 31-point guidance targeting the general population, healthcare workers, older adults and those living in isolation.
This is a condensed summary of a long UN resource round-up. Full lists and links are at the source: https://www.un.org/en/un-coronavirus-communications-team/life-under-lockdown-practical-tips-un