Why Is The Coronavirus a Global Problem And a Bully!

Bullying must have the potential to repeat.

Bullying isn’t someone accidentally hurting you. Bullying must repeat, or have the potential to repeat.  It usually does not happen once. If someone makes fun of you once, or is physical with you once…they’re just mean; it’s not necessarily bullying. If these things happen more than once, or have the potential to happen frequently, then it becomes bullying.

Why is the coronavirus a global problem? Because viruses are contagious, meaning you can contract them directly or indirectly. They don’t just happen once or to just one person, they spread from person to person directly or indirectly from countertops, door handles, etc.  The Coronavirus is highly contagious; it repeats just as bullying does. So in my opinion, viruses are bullies, and COVID-19 is the biggest bully of them all. It’s more contagious than anything we’ve seen in quite some time. As it stands right now, the Coronavirus has infected over 2 million people around the world.

Bullying Involves an imbalance of power.

Getting bullied can lead you to feeling alone, isolated, and always overpowered. Why is the coronavirus a global problem? Because it’s done just that. Bullying always involves an imbalance of power. For instance…

• The boy who’s afraid to go to the cafeteria because that’s where he gets bullied the most— COVID-19 has shut down our cafeterias and restaurants. Curbside pickup and deliveries are what we’ve been limited to.
• What about the quiet kid who hates going to gym class for fear of being picked on, or not picked at all— COVID-19 has canceled all sports and entertainment.
• What about the kids who avoid going to the park because the bullies are always there— COVID-19 has made everyone stay clear of the playgrounds.
• When you’re a victim of bullying, you feel alone like you’re the only one going through this— COVID-19 has our friends and loved ones in the hospital without any visitors and many are dying without the emotional support to pull them through.
• Some bullies use popularity, fear, intimidation and rumors to ostracize their victims— COVID-19 through fear has almost the entire world practicing social distancing, where the closest we can get is within 6 feet and gatherings cap off at 9 people.
• Cyberbullying follows us home giving us no respite from abuse— COVID-19 has many of us stuck at home through quarantines and stay-at-home orders with family bullies, without our usual escapes.

  So how do we fight a bully we can’t see?

  Since bullies prey on the weak, we must strengthen our immune systems. Be active. No one is telling you to go back to partying and hanging with your friends. But do home exercises— you don’t need a gym or weights. Body weight exercises are all you need to be stronger and healthier to beef up your immune system. Research has shown exercising regularly increases the production of antibodies and T-cells, forcing them to move throughout your body quicker. Exercise also helps to get rid of the toxins from your body which gives your cells and metabolism an energetic boost. Exercise reduces the amount of adrenalin and cortisol in your body, which are your stress hormones— which will make your immune system stronger. According to a recent study, “Exercising at least 5 days/week reduced the risk of getting an upper respiratory infection by nearly 50% compared with being sedentary. This exercise regimen also made symptoms less severe—by 32% to 41%”(MDLinx).

  Eat Right.

  Mediterranean foods are relatively healthy. That, combined with Vitamin D supplements, has been proven to increase the circulation of T-cells in the body.  Also, try adding in some fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut to put good bacteria in your gut— because a healthy gut is symbiotically connected to a stronger immune system!  Oh, while we’re on the topic, though you might not want to hear this, given the fact that many of you are quarantine binge eating— try to eat less meats, processed foods, and fried foods which are inflammatory, and can be problematic to your immune system.

  Sleep, Sleep, Sleep!

  Get plenty of sleep. Sleep strengthens the mind, the body and yes— the immune system! “Researchers found that getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night can make you 4 times less likely to catch a cold compared with less than 6 hours per night”(MDLinx).

  Reversing its potential to repeat.

  Since this deadly bully is highly contagious, we need to limit its potential to repeat by wearing protective gear and washing our hands religiously.

  Wash your hands

  My wife used to always tell me to wash my hands before leaving work and to wash them again as soon as I came home. At first, in my careless mind I thought it was unnecessary. Eventually, I took her advice and became less sick throughout the remainder of my teaching career. People constantly touch their face, eyes, nose and mouth without realizing it, and that’s how germs get inside our bodies— through the mouth, nose, eyes. Wash your produce. According to research, teaching people to wash their hands “reduces respiratory illnesses, like colds, in the general population by 16-21%,” and “can prevent about 20% of respiratory infections.” (CDC)

  Reversing the imbalance of power.

  In my Anti-Bullying Program, I teach students the strategy of doing the opposite of what the bully expects, in order to stop the bullying. In this instance, the same principle applies. Unfortunately, standing up to, or confronting this bully is exactly what it wants. We must do the opposite in an act called social distancing to defeat this bully. This bully attacks within 6 feet…so keep that distance when out in public!  New York has already seen a dip in new infected cases because of it.

  Hopefully we have the courage, the social recognition and the willingness to continue this strategy and flatten the curve.  Stay safe!

  *For more insight to these topics, please subscribe to my YouTube channel. I hope this has been helpful.