Michelle Obama has advice for Americans stuck indoors to help stem the spread of coronavirus
Michelle Obama is reminding Americans practicing social distancing because of the coronavirus that no matter what they’re going through, they “aren’t alone.”
“These past few weeks have been scary and difficult for many of us,” the former first lady said Monday in an Instagram post.
“We just don’t have a roadmap for what we’re currently experiencing — that in and of itself can bring up feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and fear. Not to mention the worry we feel about the health and safety of our parents, children, and loved ones and the financial security of so many families.”
Obama advised calling a friend to combat feeling overwhelmed, as well as finding ways to stay close to the community. Here are some of her suggestions:
- Contact your local school and sign up to volunteer with a food distribution program.
- Call parents you know and offer to give their kids a lesson (or read them a story).
- Offer to pick up groceries for your most at-risk and older neighbors.
- Call your local hospital or fire station and ask if you can order takeout for the staff.
- Buy gift certificates from your favorite local businesses and save them for later.
“Whatever you’re going through right now, I want you to know you aren’t alone. Even as we practice social distancing, this new normal is something we are figuring out together,” Obama wrote.
In a phone call Monday with Ellen DeGeneres, Obama said she was spending her days with her family and trying to get a routine going.
Like a lot of us, Obama and her husband, former President Barack Obama, also have “a little Netflix and chilling happening,” she said.
While the idea of spending weeks — and possibly months — isolated from friends, family, and the rest of the world can seem daunting, we are all in this fight together.
