Living through the Coronavirus Pandemic seems almost surreal.  We, as most people, have not experienced anything like this in our lifetime.  I know that we are all feeling the personal effects of COVID-19 through school closures, work disruptions, and social distancing.  But this pandemic goes so far beyond that. It has and will continue to affect our economy and healthcare system. 

As healthcare providers ourselves, we can’t help but think about how unprepared we might be at this time.  We are not currently working, which I am grateful for in a way, but we have heard stories from friends who report that they do not have the equipment that they need to safely take care of both themselves and their patients.  There is also a lot of misinformation, policy changes, and just the general unknown that gives me an uneasy feeling. Unfortunately, working in healthcare is often a thankless job. Healthcare workers show up to work day after day to be on the front line.  They put their lives on the line everyday and especially during a time like this. The least we can do is provide them with the equipment and information that they need to safely do their job. 

Another way that COVID-19 has directly affected us is from it’s blow on our personal finances.  We have all watched the stock market crash and fluctuate over the past few weeks. No one knows for sure what will happen and only you can decide what the best action is for you. We are choosing to stay positive and to try to see this as a financial opportunity.  

Lastly, we previously planned on taking this year off to travel throughout the U.S. and the world. Apparently that is not going to happen anytime soon. We are disappointed, but thankful that we did not plan our travels in advance or worse, got stuck in another country.   

This post isn’t going to include recommendations on what you should or should not be doing.  We will leave that up to the professionals. For up to date information directly linked to the coronavirus you can visit the CDC and WHO websites as well as your own state’s legislature and department of health.  

We are all affected by this pandemic in several different ways. We thought we’d provide you with some useful and some intriguing information regarding the Coronavirus.  And we have found some great articles and podcasts that will hopefully keep you entertained as well as provide you with some education.  

FINANCE:

List of Banks Offering Relief to Customers Affected by COVID-19: Forbes has a good article pertaining to what banks are willing and able to do to assist customers at this time.  Including financial hardship programs to waive fees and penalties.  

What Does the Trump Student Loan Interest Waiver Mean? On March 13, 2020, President Trump stated that interest on Federal Student Loans would be waived.  The details are still being worked out but in the meantime this article by Student Loan Planner gives you good information on how this will affect student loans, repayment, and remaining questions that need to be answered. 

The Stock Market Trauma: What COVID-19 Means for Your 401k: Market Watch says “Don’t panic: History says stocks will recover, given time.” This article recalls historical market crashes and highlights how they recovered.  

When Are Taxes Due in 2020?: It was announced today that the deadline to file your federal taxes has been changed from April 15 to July 15. This gives people an extra 90 days to prepare, file, and pay for their federal taxes. You will not incur interest or penalties if your taxes are filed by the July 15 deadline. Most states follow the federal guidelines but you should be sure to check with your individual state for details.

TRAVEL: 

Complete Guide to Traveling During the Deadly Coronavirus Outbreak: The Points Guy covers everything from travel insurance, safety while traveling, how COVID-19 is affecting the travel industry and how airlines, hotels and cruise lines are responding to this pandemic. 

HEALTH: 

How to Keep Your Gut Microbiome Healthy to Fight COVID-19: We all know about the external precautions that we should be following including washing your hands, avoiding touching your face, and social distancing.  This article talks about ways you can boost your immunity to help you fight off infection, which is not only useful at this time but in our everyday lives outside of COVID-19.  

The Extraordinary Decisions Facing Italian Doctors: This article discusses the stress on the healthcare system in Italy at this time and how that can become a reality here in the U.S. There are simply not enough beds and not enough medical equipment to treat everyone in need there. Despite the high pressure to act medically, doctors and medical professionals are also faced with questions of morality.

INFORMATIONAL: 

Here’s How Long the Coronavirus Lasts on Surfaces and How to Disinfect Those Surfaces: Live Science provides information on how long Coronaviruses have been found to live on different types of materials. They also include how to properly disinfect to efficiently inactivate coronaviruses which will hopefully carryover to COVID-19.

A coronavirus cautionary tale from Italy: Don’t do what we did: “Many of us were too selfish to follow suggestions to change our behavior. Now we’re in lock down and people are needlessly dying.”

**NPR: Where’s The Vaccine?: This NPR Podcast explains how vaccines are produced and discusses the challenges associated with developing a vaccine for a novel virus.  It also includes information on past outbreaks of coronaviruses, such as SARS. 

10 Positive updates on the COVID-19 outbreaks from around the world: There is so much negative and controversial information out there. It is nice to hear about how businesses and people are working together and looking out for each other during this ominous time.  

There is so much information as well as lack of information out there. This makes it hard to know for sure what is really happening with COVID-19.  The unknown of how bad it can and will be is unsettling.  

We think that the important thing to remember is that we all have an obligation to keep ourselves and others safe and healthy.  Choosing to work together to stop the spread of the virus is one thing that we have control over. Be accountable, be responsible, and wash your hands.