Fifth Street Blog Post

A recent modeling study in the journal of Nature Medicine suggests that if 95% of Americans wore masks, over 100,000 lives could be saved between now and February. While the efficacy of masks can be hard to study, most reputable research suggests that they make a tangible improvement in the health of an overall community where there is a significant spread of the COVID-19 virus. In one notable study, two masked hairstylists were symptomatic with COVID-19 but did not transmit the virus to any of their 67 masked clients. In an outbreak aboard the U.S.S Theodore Roosevelt, masks reduced the risk of infection by 70%. Scientifically, mask-wearing creates noticeable mitigation of the spread of COVID-19.

While mask-wearing may not be 100% effective in stopping the spread of the virus, it is a very powerful tool in keeping communities as safe as possible. If mask-wearing makes such a big difference, why do 14 states still not have statewide mandates? Why do so many people refuse to wear masks at all, or only wear them when it’s mandatory? Are there any steps government or health officials could take to increase the public’s trust and use of masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19?

This past summer, many brands were publicly slammed for posting public messages of support for BLM while not practicing antiracism or an inclusive work environment within their organization. It’s not uncommon for brands to do hypocritical CRM campaigns like this. In 2001 Avon sold shades of lipstick in a campaign called “Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer,” which aimed to support breast cancer research. But unknown to many, the products sold contained parabens, which are being investigated as a potential carcinogen.

While drawing attention to causes that need support is great, using the causes as a ploy to get customers to support a company with practices that are actually contributing to the problem is unethical. If a company wants to make a difference in helping end institutional racism or beating breast cancer, they should restructure their harmful practices instead of projecting a false image of concern.

My first day working from home due to COVID-19, I made several devastating errors in rapid succession. I started the day by waking up at 11 a.m, even though I had a full day’s workload. Not great. I had a load of school work to complete that day, but I put it off until later that night. I stayed in my PJs the whole day. By nighttime, I felt like the day had been wasted, and my evening was saturated with work. I decided to make a few changes that I want to share with you here because they’ve made my sheltering-in-place much more sustainable (AKA I’m still pretty sane). 

Tip #1: Create a work-life balance When you are working in the same place you eat and sleep, it’s incredibly easy to let your work/school life and your home life to blend completely together. It’s not a very healthy thing to do, because people need time to rest and recharge. What’s worked really well for me is to schedule all my work and meetings between nine and five, and keep my weekends free, similar to a typical full-time job. And when you’re off the clock try to be off the clock᠆ keep checking emails to a minimum and don’t schedule any work meetings over the evenings or the weekends. And it’s not just me who recommends this, the experts agree. It’s okay to not always be successful (I’m writing part of this blog at 8 p.m.) but it’s important to extend yourself a little grace and do what’s best for your health. Also as a quick disclaimer: I do recommend taking breaks throughout your day. I’d recommend filling them with something from tip #4.