Maintaining Sanity in Quarantine

For the past two months the world has been battling a heavy pandemic of the Covid-19. Governments have taken measures to quarantine those exposed to the virus. In addition, those negative are advised to stay home and quarantine themselves. However, quarantine has a serious effect on mental health.

Before shaming others for going to the park or labelling staying indoors as a 'minor inconvenience' as has happened on twitter, know that medical quarantine and isolation in general, is associated with serious mental health effects.

Whether in quarantine or not, anxieties are only worsened by confusion and social judgement as people try to figure out the appropriate response. This may be, a sense of community and connection with others and purpose of effectiveness. Trying to create all this while in quarantine, whether by skyping friends, assigning yourself structured work or exercised indoors or making dance videos as seen in most Kenyans who have actually been making use of Tiktok. All this can help keep the mind active.

However, things are different for those in restricted quarantine. Kenyans who are in government designated mandatory quarantine sites have described how they are coping with life in isolation.

Some, who are housed in government-owned schools and colleges, have told local broadcasters that the crowding and sharing of washrooms and bathrooms is exposing them to the risk of contracting Coronavirus.

The government placed all people who had arrived in the country during the last few days before international flights were stopped in mandatory quarantine at their cost.

More measures should be taken to make sure those in quarantine stay protected and healthy. One may actually go into quarantine healthy but due to poor and inadequate resources, they might come out testing positive. This may be the main reason why the Covid-19 cases keep on increasing day by day. We stay positive everyday praying that this global pandemic will come to an end!

Above all, let us obey and stay home but most importantly, STAY SANE!