Living through a pandemic means daily exposure to news of Covid-19 deaths.
Each newly released figure represents the individual bereavements of so many families involved, but as the numbers rise to previously unthinkable levels, they can also be distressing and confusing to everyone, whether or not you’ve lost anyone close to you.
Even as the global coronavirus death toll surpasses one million and we witness the highest rise in cases for months in the UK, health officials are pointing out that headline figures are statistically flawed and inaccurate, due to a percentage of
Coronavirus deaths not being officially classified.
It’s easy to get sucked into number watching – and it can be overwhelming. The daily, weekly and monthly death figures are a stark reminder of the dangers of Covid-19, and the reasons why we are being asked to follow rules and accept ongoing restrictions to our lives.
So what’s the best way to stay informed and make sense of the numbers without letting them totally consume us?Related... Your Self-Care Toolkit For Dealing With The Tough Months Ahead Focus on what we do knowSpeculation is at an all-time high – in conversations among
Friends and family, in government updates and interviews, and across the media – because the pandemic is an ever-changing situation. No wonder coronavirus anxiety levels are through the roof and our brains are feeling a little frazzled right now.
“The important thing is to put everything into context. Focus on what we do know and not on what we don’t know,” psychologist Dr Rose Aghdami, who specialises in anxiety and resilience, tells HuffPost UK. “Although the pandemic is very central to our lives, it’s still only part of our lives.”
Recognise what we can and can’t control. “We might not be able to control the spread of the virus except in our very immediate surroundings, but we can control how we respond to it, and one of those aspects could be that we decide to minimise or at least reduce the amount of exposure to all of this very confusing data,” she advises.Related... Here's What The Coronavirus R Rate Means Numbers don’t tell the whole storyObsessing and getting caught up with figures is no good for anyone’s mental health, especially when it’s difficult to know exactly what those numbers mean.
Data that tells us where we’re currently at with the pandemic is important in for government policy-making – and for holding that policy to account – and the numbers represent a daily reality for those working on the medical front-line. But they don’t come with an easy users’ guide – it’s the work of professionals to analyse and interpret them.
Death figures reported daily in the
UK are of hospital cases where a person dies with the coronavirus in their body – Covid-19 is a notifiable disease, so cases must be reported. However, there are other facts to be taken into account, such as whether the virus is present but not the main cause of death – in other words, if that person died from something else.We’re still learning about Covid-19“At the moment the rate is ‘low’ compared to where we were at the peak of the horrors when we will watching footage on the news every night of people fighting for breath in intensive care,” says Professor Daniel Altmann, Department of Medicine, Imperial College.
“To my mind, if you look at where we are on the curve behind other countries, there’s no miracle going to happen and save us from Covid deaths. The virus is here to stay and it’s the same virus.”
There is progress, he adds. “Our immunity hasn’t increased [but] our clinical acumen to deal with it has progressed somewhat. So you’d hope that the outcome of people hospitalised might be getting better and better with time.” Anxiety and fatigue are both natural reactions“It’s okay to feel confused and shocked when we process confusing information and to hear saddening news from all these families and individuals affected by the deaths,” says Dr Aghdami.
Equally, it’s important to acknowledge that Covid fatigue is a “totally normal and real thing,” she adds. Shutting off from the figures can be instinctive.The ongoing duration of the pandemic, combined with no real light at the end of the tunnel, can desensitise and dull people’s sense of shock. Simply put, our brains have got used to hearing about deaths to the point where the higher the number, the less it registers emotionally.
Whatever your reaction – anxiety, sadness or fatigue (and we all experience a range of these) – don’t judge yourself. “These emotions are normal responses to an abnormal situation,” says Dr Aghdami. “We should keep in mind that we’re allowed to feel hopeful and enjoy what we have in the moment.”Take Covid-19 seriously enough to stay safe“The main question we’ve all been talking about is ‘how do we grapple with lockdown fatigue?’ Because it is going to cost us lives,” says Dr Altmann. “I don’t know the magic answer on the ways in which people grapple with it, but shouting louder and terrorising people isn’t the way forward.”
These are challenging times. Lockdown and social distancing has prevented those bereaved from being able to mourn properly. Many family members of victims have found their grief put on hold because they can’t attend funerals, be there for one another, or visit memorials that have yet to be built.
At the same time, while the death toll is high, a lot of people in the UK haven’t experienced the direct loss of a loved one or know anyone affected in their circles. This can make a big and grave number feel far removed and distant.
Too much disassociation isn’t helpful, says Dr Altmann. “I think some people perceive that because they’re not an elderly person, it won’t affect them.”
However, we naturally gravitate to protecting ourselves, our families, and our immediate communities, and if we follow the necessary precautions – from mask-wearing and hand-washing to social distancing and quarantining where necessary – we’ll all be reducing the spread of Covid-19.
“The pandemic isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and it’s an ongoing process,” says Dr Aghdami – but these measures do make a difference. “Judging from previous pandemics and history, we should know that it is only temporary and time-limited. Things will eventually come to an end or gradually get better.”Related... The Pandemic Put Our Grief On Hold. Here's How We're Coping The Psychology Behind Why Some People Hide That They Have Covid-19 From Sex To Service Stations, The Covid Rules You Might've Missed