EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING -- COPING DURING COVID-19
In these unprecedented times, we can expect to have a lot of mixed feelings. While it’s true that we may experience many strong and some unpleasant emotional responses to the current health situation, there are many things we can do to help ourselves feel safer and in control of ourselves. May is Mental Health Month, and Mercer County will present information weekly to help people cope. The following information is provided by the Mercer County Division of Mental Health and Mental Health America.
Owning Your Feelings
|
FAST FACTS
• The English language has over 3,000 words for emotions.
• People who are good at being specific about identifying and labeling their emotions are less likely to binge drink, be physically aggressive, or self-injure when distressed.
• When school-age kids are taught about emotions for 20-30 minutes per week, their social behavior and school performance improves.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Allow yourself to feel. Sometimes there are societal pressures that encourage people to shut down their emotions. Remember, everyone has emotions- they are part of the human experience – and you have every right to feel them, regardless of gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, race, religion or age. It’s especially important now to give yourself permission to feel your feelings.
Don’t ignore how you’re feeling. Most of us have heard the term “bottling up your feelings.” When we try to push feelings aside without addressing them, they build strength and may cause problems in the future. It may not always be appropriate to process your emotions at the very moment you are feeling them, but try to do so as soon as soon as you can.
Talk it out. Find someone you trust that you can talk to about how you’re feeling. Take time to share your feelings and to listen and support others. Talking with others who have our best interests at heart helps us feel safe. Use phone, video, text or email in order to maintain physical distancing and create feelings of connectedness.
Try journaling. Each night, write down at least three feelings you had over the course of the day and what caused them. This helps us build you emotional vocabulary and become comfortable with identifying and expressing our emotions.
See a mental health professional. If you are having trouble dealing with your feelings, mental health counselors and therapists can help. You can call your health insurance provider, mental health administrator, clergy person or trusted others for recommendation. For immediate support, you can call the NJ Mental Health Cares at 866-202-4357. The Suicide Prevention Lifeline number is 1-800-273-8255.
Mercer testing sites: Quaker Bridge Mall, Trenton, Hightstown
Mercer County, in collaboration with health care and municipal partners, is operating an appointment-only, drive-up testing site for COVID-19 at Quaker Bridge Mall in Lawrence, and appointment-only walk-up testing sites in Trenton and Hightstown for individuals who lack transportation to the mall location.
Testing will be provided for symptomatic Mercer County residents age 18 or older who have an appointment. In addition to fever, cough and shortness of breath, symptoms of COVID-19 can include chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste and smell.
If you are symptomatic for COVID-19 and want to be tested, contact your primary health care practitioner. If a test is needed, your doctor will fax a prescription to the Mercer County health call center at 609-630-4031, and the center will contact you to schedule an appointment. If you lack transportation to get to Quaker Bridge Mall, you will be offered an appointment at a walk-up site along with instructions on when and where to go. The Trenton sites are open in each city ward one day a week. The Hightstown site will be open Fridays at 12 noon in the parking lot of St. Anthony of Padua Church, 156 Maxwell Ave.
|
If you do not have a doctor, call an urgent care center or call the Henry J. Austin Health Center at 609-259-5900 to see if you need testing. They can help you to talk with a doctor by phone or video. Henry J. Austin will serve all patients, including those without health insurance. There is no charge for the test at Mercer County testing sites.
For the health, safety and security of staff at the Quaker Bridge Mall testing site, patients will not be permitted to leave their vehicles. Walk-ups are not permitted at that testing location.
You must have an appointment to be tested. Those who show up at a testing site without an appointment will not be able to be tested.
If you have questions about the testing process, call 609-337-4081 Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Español, call 609-436-5038 Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
The testing sites are collaborative efforts between the County of Mercer, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, Capital Health System, St. Francis Medical Center in Trenton, the Trenton Health Team, Henry J. Austin Health Center, the City of Trenton, Lawrence Township and Quaker Bridge Mall management.
If you believe you may have symptoms of COVID-19, the State of New Jersey’s COVID-19 Information Hub provides a self-assessment tool that will help you determine whether you should be tested. Visit self.covid19.nj.gov.
HAVE GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID-19?
The NJ Poison Control Center and 211 have partnered with the State to provide information to the public on COVID-19:
Call: 2-1-1
Call (24/7): 1-800-962-1253
Text: NJCOVID to 898-211
Visit covid19.nj.gov or nj.gov/health for additional information
PREVENTION
To ensure the lowest chance of obtaining the virus, and spreading the virus to others:
- Practice social distancing.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when you have to go out in public; for example, to the grocery store or to pick up other necessities. Do not use a facemask meant for a health care worker. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.
- If you are in a private setting and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the trash and wash your hands or clean them with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces
|
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms can appear between 2-14 days after exposure, though some people may not have any symptoms while still being contagious. It's also important to consider whether you've been in contact with an infected person, as well as any symptoms you may be experiencing. In addition to fever, cough and shortness of breath, symptoms can include chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and new loss of taste or smell.
If you believe you've been infected and you are not in immediate danger, you should contact your doctor by phone. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911, and notify the dispatch personnel that you may have COVID-19.
COVID-19 Symptom Checker.
|
BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
For information on COVID-19/Novel Coronavirus and its impact on businesses – including resources, assistance and regulations -- visit the State of New Jersey business portal and the Mercer County Office of Economic Development.
CENSUS 2020
It’s not too late to complete your 2020 Census form! It's safe and easy, and it’s your opportunity to bring education, health care, housing and political power to your community.
People across America are keeping their families and communities safe and healthy by staying home, or serving the public by providing essential services. Responding to the Census yourself — is another way to do your part and help keep your community strong.
If the paper form you received in the mail doesn’t work for you, you can respond online or by phone. There are so many ways to count yourself in the 2020 Census -- don’t wait! To respond online, visit https://my2020census.gov/login; to respond by phone, call 844-330-2020 (English) or 844-468-2020 (Spanish).
|
JOBS AND HIRING
Did you lose your job or have your hours reduced as a result of COVID-19? Businesses across New Jersey need thousands of workers for immediate hire. Learn more about who is hiring in your community at jobs.covid19.nj.gov. The New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development has prepared a frequently asked questions document for workers affected by the coronavirus emergency.
CONSUMER COMPLAINTS
If you receive a call from a scammer or suspect price gouging, please report it to the Division of Consumer Affairs at (973) 504-6240 or https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/.
CURRENT STATUS
The New Jersey Department of Health on May 6 announced 1,513 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of positive cases in the state to 131,890 with 8,549 deaths. Mercer County has had 4,860 positive cases, with 298 deaths. To view Mercer County data by municipality, please visit the Mercer County COVID-19 Dashboard at https://arcg.is/1y1eHO. Please note that municipal data lags behind the state data and will update as information becomes available. Visit the New Jersey Department of Health's COVID-19 Dashboard for more statewide information.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on May 5 announced 19,138 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of positive cases in the United States to 1,171,510 with 68,279 deaths, with 55 locations (50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, North Mariana Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands) reporting cases. For more information, visit cdc.gov.
|
|
