MARCH
2020
Coping with COVID-19 Tips to manage stress and maintain mental health during the pandemic
E D ITO RS ’ MESSAGE
Clover & Dayton
Team, these are unprecedented times. Who would have thought at the end of last year that COVID-19 and all its complications were awaiting us? We know we will get through it together. As our Cultural Belief states, ‘Together Wi A Winna’. Let’s support each other through this uncertain time, while remaining positive and confident that VM, Jamaica and the world will emerge from this period stronger than ever. In this edition of VM Buzz we share some tips to help you maintain your mental health during this time. We also share a lighter side of COVID-19 preparations and a look back at some info you might have missed. Stay safe and feel free to share feedback with us at VMCorporateAffairs@myvmgroup.com
CONTENTS
Pages 3 & 4
Coping with COVID-19
Page 5 & 6
Clorox, Corona & Cross in Half-Way Tree
Page 7 & 8 VM Tidbits
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COPING WITH COVID-19
Tips to manage stress and maintain mental health during the pandemic
The outbreak of COVID-19 has been stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Properly coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.
Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations. How you respond to the outbreak can depend on your background, the things that make you different from other people, and the community you live in. • • •
People who may respond more strongly to the stress of a crisis include: Older people and people with chronic diseases who are at higher risk for COVID-19 Children and teens People who are helping with the response to COVID-19, like doctors and other health care providers, or first responders • People who have mental health conditions including problems with substance use • • • • • •
Stress during an infectious disease outbreak can include: Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones Changes in sleep or eating patterns Difficulty sleeping or concentrating Worsening of chronic health problems Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs People with pre-existing mental health conditions should continue with their treatment and be aware of new or worsening symptoms. • Taking care of yourself, your friends, and your family can help you cope with stress. Helping others cope with their stress can also make your community stronger. Things you can do to support yourself: • Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories, including social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting. • Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs.
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• Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy. • Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling • Call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row. Reduce stress in yourself and others • Sharing the facts about COVID-19 and understanding the actual risk to yourself and people you care about can make an outbreak less stressful. • When you share accurate information about COVID-19 you can help make people feel less stressed and allow you to connect with them.
For parents Children and teens react, in part, on what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with the COVID-19 calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children. Parents can be more reassuring to others around them, especially children, if they are better prepared.
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Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way. Some common changes to watch for include: Excessive crying or irritation in younger children Returning to behaviours they have outgrown (for example, toileting accidents or bedwetting) Excessive worry or sadness Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits Irritability and ‘acting out’ behaviours in teens Poor school performance or avoiding school Difficulty with attention and concentration Avoidance of activities enjoyed in the past Unexplained headaches or body pain
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There are many things you can do to support your child • Take time to talk with your child or teen about the COVID-19 outbreak. Answer questions and share facts about COVID-19 in a way that your child or teen can understand. • Reassure your child or teen that they are safe. Let them know it is OK if they feel upset. Share with them how you deal with your own stress so that they can learn how to cope from you. • Limit your family’s exposure to news coverage of the event, including social media. Children may misinterpret what they hear and can be frightened about something they do not understand. • Try to keep up with regular routines. If schools are closed, create a schedule for learning activities and relaxing or fun activities. • Be a role model. Take breaks, get plenty of sleep, exercise, and eat well. Connect with your friends and family members. *Source: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
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CLOROX, CORONA AND CROSSES IN HALF-WAY TREE On a mid-afternoon trek to a Half-Way Tree service station to purchase salty sustenance before a late afternoon meeting, I happened upon a gathering of noticeably disgruntled shoppers. It was inside the service station’s convenience store (which appeared to be failing to deliver on this promise), and the customers had just about had enough. “Mek unnu ah tek so long fi cash di people dem? Unnu nuh hear seh carona ah come?” yelled a particularly irate fellow at the end of a meandering queue. He appeared to have directed his comments to the bespectacled cashier who was frantically packaging the purchases of the customer at the head of the queue. On hearing the complainer’s remarks, the cashier froze, mouth agape. “But is who yuh talking to?” she snapped, looking her antagoniser up and down. Her spectacles shifted lower on her now flaring nostrils. “Mi not gwine mek any one of unnuh mad mi in yah tideh! Not one! Ah coulda corona or Corolla, mi nuh business! I am only one smaddy and I can’t go any faster! If yuh nuh like it, come out!” she yelled. The complainer, faced with the unappealing prospect of having to leave the shop without the small bottle of bleach and bag of napkins which he clutched along with a few crumpled bank notes, scowled but said nothing. The cashier, satisfied that the matter was handled, returned to the business at hand. I joined the queue behind the complainer who was now mumbling something under his breath. He gave his name as Winston and I asked him if he had been in the shop long. “Yes sah!” he said. He glanced at the cashier to ensure she couldn’t hear him. “Is long time mi in here,” he added in a near whisper.
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“Mi just want to buy di likkle bleach so mi can wipe out mi place. Dem seh carona is coming so mi want to wipe out di place before it come,” he said. A middle-aged woman wearing a blue dress with the words ‘Jesus Saves’ printed on the back, turned to the man. “Nat ah carona nat coming!” she said. The fellow seemed unconvinced. “Yuh can tan deh! Mi ah wipe out my place! Mi just want to cash my bleach so mi can go home, but di line nah move,” he said, again glancing at the cashier who appeared to have heard something, but wasn’t sure what it was. She looked him over. The man stood up straight and gazed out the window. “Jesus is the answer!” the dress-wearer continued. “Ef yuh did read yuh Bible den yuh wouldn’t be in here talking foolishness. Philippians chapter 4 already tell yuh seh worrying nat gwine help! Yuh in yah ah buy bleach? Yuh must bleach yuh soul!” Winston looked around at me, then at the bottle of bleach in his hand and back at the cashier who met his glance with a menacing glare. The deliberations taking place in Winston’s mind concluded with him looking dejected and gingerly placing the bottle of bleach and pack of napkins on a shelf before him. “Dis affi guh stay. Watch how crosses people gwine mek carona reach mi,” he said before walking out of the shop. The cashier must have heard his farewell barb – and was not amused. “Ah dat yuh must do! Come out! God know why him mek yuh come out, for I would surely clabba yuh in yah tideh!” she yelled.
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VM Tidbits
Hours Adjusted In order to help minimise risk to our Team Members and our Members in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, effective Wednesday March 25, 2020 the opening hours at all VMBS Branch locations have been temporarily adjusted, until further notice.
The new opening hours are: Monday to Friday – 8:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Our Member Engagement Team’s hours have also been adjusted.
New hours: Mon. – Fri. 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sat. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sun. 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
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All VM Money Express Locations are also operating on reduced hours. The new hours are: Monday to Saturday – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. VM Wealth has also adjusted its hours.
The new hours are:
Monday to Friday – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Following an order by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson regarding measures to contain the spread of COVID-19, all our UK Representative Offices have been closed until further notice. Our New York Office has also been closed.
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