This page serves as a repository of resources for all those touched by the current pandemic. These resources are aimed at helping people take care of themselves physically and emotionally.
General Resources for the Public
Coronavirus Anxiety (Covid-19): How to stop worrying about your health – Dr. Ali Mattu reviews how to stop worrying about your health and stay healthy at the same time. Topics include how health anxiety works, how anxiety keeps us safe during a public health scare as well as practical tips for how to manage anxiety.
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public -Stay aware of the latest information on the COVID-19 outbreak, available on the WHO website and through your national and local public health authority. Most people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for others.
Managing Stress Associated with the COVID-19 Virus Outbreak – The COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak has the potential to increase stress and anxiety, both because of the fear of catching the virus and also because of uncertainty about how the outbreak will affect us socially and economically. The National Center for PTSD provides practical steps you can take to improve your wellbeing.
APA Primer: Keeping Your Distance to Stay Safe – With the number of COVID-19 cases increasing every day, psychologists from the APA offer insights on how to separate yourself from others, while still getting the social support you need.
Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19 – The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger, these resources from the CDC aim to help in this regard.
Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health: Tips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation During an Infectious Disease Outbreak – Published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a comprehensive guide to managing your mental health in the context of social distancing, quarantine, and isolation.
Free virtual recovery meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic – During this pandemic, many in-person recovery meetings have been canceled or been made difficult to attend due to current safety measures. This resource offers online recovery support groups which will be available five times daily at 9AM, 12PM, 3PM, 6PM, and 9PM EST, along with one daily family and loved one recovery support meeting at 8PM EST. All recovery meetings are non-denominational, agnostic to any specific recovery pathway, and are open to anyone.
How Loneliness from Coronavirus Isolation Takes Its Toll – From the New Yorker, “For the past century, human life has focussed increasingly on money and material belongings, which, especially with technology, led to neglect of human relationships. Now that we’re suddenly stuck at home, the best means of surviving, psychologically and biologically, is to interact with people by whatever means available”
Wysa: An AI-drive tool set meant to assist individuals with stress, depression & anxiety that states that it uses emperically supported interventions from CBT, DBT, and other areas. Wysa has indicatd that, until the current situation surrounding COVID-19 resolved, their AI chat and other tool packs for anxiety and isolation support will remain free.
Mindfulness Exercise – Some amount of distress during the current pandemic is to be expected. Below is a list of mindfulness exercises curated by William Robiner PhD, clinical psychologist at University of Minnesota to help manage that distress:
4 minute working with difficulty meditation
6 minute working with self-criticism meditation
10 minute working with anger meditation
10 minute feeling overwhelmed meditation
12 minute working with stress and difficult emotion meditation
25 minute working with difficulty meditation
Resources for Parents
Free Remote Homeschooling for Healthcare Providers Who Are Parents – In order to help ease the burden on healthcare workers battling COVID-19, a group of medical students have compiled a list of preprofessional health students in the Greater Philadelphia area who are willing to homeschool children of healthcare providers for free via web streaming services (i.e. Zoom) in different subjects and for different ages. Details are available here.
Talking with children about infectious disease outbreak – This fact sheet provides parents, caregivers, and teachers with strategies for helping children manage their stress during an infectious disease outbreak. It describes potential reactions among youth and the support adults can provide to help them.
Blog from Nationwide Children’s Hospital (OH) – COVID-19, a specific strain from the coronavirus family that causes mild to severe fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, has been in the headlines for weeks. The virus originated in China and cases have spread around the world quickly: in fact, it has just been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. Kids pay attention to the news when hot topics dominate it, and they are often curious enough to ask questions. If your children want answers, we suggest a multi-layered approach.
Helping kids cope with emergencies (CDC) – Regardless of your child’s age, he or she may feel upset or have other strong emotions after an emergency. Some children react right away, while others may show signs of difficulty much later. How a child reacts and the common signs of distress can vary according to the child’s age, previous experiences, and how the child typically copes with stress.
How to talk to and support your children/teens/young adults regarding COVID-19 This guide was put together by Joshua G. Kellison, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist at the DBT Center of Arizona Support ChildTeen During COVID-19
Resources for Parents and Caregivers for Wellness, Resilience, Coping, and Support During COVID-19 – From CHOP, an overview of their comprehensive approach to bolstering their doctors, nurses, and all other staff keeping the hospital open through the current challenge.
How to handle Autism-related clinical care during social distancing and school/program closures – From Autism Speaks, tips help prepare for service adjustments caused by COVID-19 precautions.
Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 – From the The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, information for parents and caregivers about infectious disease outbreaks in your community. Knowing important information about the outbreak and learning how to be prepared can reduce stress and help calm likely anxieties. This resource will help parents and caregivers think about how an infectious disease outbreak might affect their family— both physically and emotionally—and what they can do to help their family cope.
National Public Radio piece – Dr. Mary Alvord https://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2020-03-24/maintaining-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus
American Psychological Association https://www.apa.org/practice/programs/dmhi/research-information/social-distancing https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/pandemics https://www.apa.org/practice/programs/dmhi/research-information/pandemics https://www.apa.org/practice/programs/dmhi/research-information/social-distancing
Related research from APA https://www.apa.org/news/apa/2020/03/covid-19-research-findings https://www.apa.org/research/action/speaking-of-psychology/coronavirus-anxiety
Consortium for Science-based Information about Children, Youth and Families (CSICYF) www.infoaboutkids.org (This is an evidence-based web resource center developed by 7 APA divisions – 7, 15, 16, 37, 43, 53, 54.) https://infoaboutkids.org/blog/parents-and-covid-19-helping-your-children/
Dr. Rosenthal (psychologist), New York City https://manhattanpsychologygroup.com/4-key-ways-to-cope-with-the-social-impact-of-coronavirus/
American Academy of Pediatrics https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/chest-lungs/Pages/2019-Novel-Coronavirus.aspx
Center on the Developing Child https://developingchild.harvard.edu/stress-resilience-and-the-role-of-science-responding-to-the-coronavirus-pandemic/
Positive Coaching Alliance, regarding youth athletes https://positivecoach.org/ask-pca/dealing-with-disappointment-during-coronavirus-cancellations-postponements/?utm_source=pcaemail&utm_campaign=devzone&utm_content=button
National Association of School Psychologists https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-(coronavirus)-a-parent-resource
National Traumatic Stress Network https://www.nctsn.org/resources/parent-caregiver-guide-to-helping-families-cope-with-the-coronavirus-disease-2019 https://www.nctsn.org/resources/simple-activities-children-and-adolescents
Early Learning Nation: http://earlylearningnation.com/2020/03/a-parents-guide-to-surviving-covid-19-8-strategies-to-keep-children-healthy-and-happy/
Harvard Graduate School of Education: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/20/03/helping-children-cope-coronavirus-and-uncertainty
Zero to Three https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/3210-tips-for-families-coronavirus
Resources for Children
Just for Kids: A Comic Exploring COVID-19 – Based on a radio story that NPR education reporter Cory Turner did. He asked some experts what kids might want to know about the new coronavirus discovered in China.
Spanish-language story for children about COVID – Written by Ana M. Gomez, licensed professional counselor, a free downloadable book to help children understand the Coronavirus and COVID-19.
Video Gaming (for teens) related to spreading outbreaks https://www.ndemiccreations.com/en/22-plague-inc
ABSOLUTE EHS: Environmental, Health and Safety Consulting and Support Services: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dggEBYJNEQ0
National Public Radio https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/02/28/809580453/just-for-kids-a-comic-exploring-the-new-coronavirus https://www.npr.org/2020/03/13/815715527/the-buzz-on-bee-barf-sticky-science-behind-bumblebee-vomit
PBS https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-coronavirus
Free Subscriptions for Children: https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/135609/list-of-education-companies-offering-free-subscriptions/?fbclid=IwAR1rJJfeWcU-eD8B1Ak97E8g_w9UThq54lo-6kPKQsq_ltODtc1zXhN-HKU
Science: https://www.facebook.com/TheScienceMom/posts/2555301844707352?hc_location=ufi
Educational shows
- Netflix: Brainchild, The Who Was? Show, Julie’s Greenroom (about the arts), Ask the StoryBots, The Magic School Bus
- Disney +: Brain Games, National Geographic
- PBS: Wild Kratts, Xavier Riddle, Reading Rainbow, Between the Lions, Peg + Cat
- Amazon Prime: Horrible Histories (for slightly older kids in late elementary, middle school)
- Educational apps: from Originator Kids: Endless Alphabet, Endless Reader and Endless Numbers; Raz-Kids and Kiddopia.