COVID-19: What you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic on 14 April
The latest COVID-19 numbers, plus big stories including WHO's guidance on easing restrictions and a rice ATM. Image: REUTERS/Yen Duong
- In this daily round-up, we'll bring you a selection of the latest news updates on the coronavirus pandemic, as well as tips and tools to help you stay informed and protected.
- Today's big stories: how behaviors will change once restrictions ease and a rice ATM that's feeding the poor in Viet Nam.
1. How COVID-19 is impacting the globe
- Confirmed deaths caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus surpassed 115,000 globally, while worldwide cases climbed above 1.8 million, according to Johns Hopkins.
- Spain eased some lockdown restrictions.
- UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson discharged from the hospital.
- Russia reported 2,550 new cases of coronavirus Monday, the country's largest daily increase so far.
2. Prepare for a 'new normal' as lockdown restrictions ease
At a briefing on Monday 13 April, World Health Organization (WHO) officials stressed that countries easing lockdown restrictions will need to remain vigilant. These countries must continue physical distancing, ensure their health systems have equipment and capacity, and track and trace every case.
“We are going to have to change our behaviors for the foreseeable future," said Michael J. Ryan, Chief Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme.
3. A 'rice ATM' is helping to feed Viet Nam's poorest
A entrepreneur in Ho Chi Minh City invented an automatic dispensing machine that provides free rice for people out of work, reports Reuters. The tool is a response to the ongoing nationwide lockdown put in place to slow the spread of COVID-19. The machine distributes a 3.3lb bagful of rice to waiting workers, many of whom are street sellers or people who earned a living from cash-in-hand jobs like housekeeping or selling lottery tickets.
4. How a fear of math could make some underestimate COVID-19's real risks
A number of math biases – held by a range of people, including children, college students and even some expert mathematicians – can lead some to make incorrect conclusions about coronavirus statistics, psychologists explained in a recent article for Agenda. Furthermore, math anxiety – the apprehension many people feel regarding mathematics – can lead others to completely avoid or not think deeply about the numbers they encounter in daily life. In a time of crisis and real-time data changes, misinterpreting numbers may lead to negative consequences – such as underestimating the deadliness of COVID-19.
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5. 3 ways to protect your mental health during COVID-19
Managing the stress brought on by the coronavirus crisis is key. These three tips can help:
- Focus every day on what you can do and take action. Any action, no matter how small, can help you focus on the things you can control and change.
- Leverage new tech tools. Apps for mental health, mindfulness and even symptom checking can bring comfort and relief.
- Empower others. Connect with friends and family and give them your support, as research shows the most important public health messages have come from the people closest to us.
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