Exercise remains as important as ever to help keep the population healthy.
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So says Exercise & Sports Science Australia - an association for exercise and sports science practitioners.
"Most Australians are currently nervous about the potential impact of Covid-19," the organisation's chief executive Anita Hobson-Powell said.
"We wanted to remind everyone that we should still consider physical activity for two key reasons.
"Firstly, research does show that exercise can support our immune system. Secondly, exercise is proven to support our mental health," Anita said.
Research shows that a physically active lifestyle "reduces the incidence of communicable and non-communicable diseases [like bacterial and viral infections and cancer].
This implied that immune competency was boosted by "regular exercise bouts".
"Other recent research supported this fact by establishing that those who undertake strenuous exercise such as marathon runners tended to report less annual sick days," she said.
"We all understand that exercise supports our physical health, however, during times of crisis such as this, it is the first activity we tend to ignore.
"Being active can not only keep us healthy, it can also help us fight infection."
The links between exercise and improved mental health are well established.
"During this anxious time, it's more important than ever to keep our minds clear and focused," she said.
Unity Needed
Eunice from Belmont has this unique take on the coronavirus crisis, having discussed the matter with a group she's connected with. [Of course, they all kept their 1.5 metres distance from each other].
"We all agreed that the ghoulish way the presenters are putting over the news is creating division and tension," she said.
She suffered some chest pains "just from the stress created by the relentless pushing on the news channels that we are all going to die, starving and without toilet paper".
"What about unity and 'we're all in this together' for the greater god? We need hope, not the news banging on about confusion in the leadership that makes us more anxious. What about how all the leaders are working together in what is a real wartime situation?"
Her thoughts turned to war in Syria and preventable disease in Africa.
"Up to now we have literally been the lucky country. We're still the lucky country in this global epidemic," she said.
"For the moment it is getting worse, but we can help to make it better."
We also need some humour. One woman in the group, she jested, had "slathered herself in sanitiser gel ... for the fourth time".
As an older member of the community with some health challenges, she says "I am one of the high-risk people".
But she said it shouldn't be forgotten that most people who catch the virus will survive.
"Even in self-isolation, the more we help each other, the more we help ourselves and our country," she said.
Working From Home
Stephanie Peatling, of the SMH, tweeted this on Tuesday about working from home: "On day 2 of working from home and have some observations: snacking has increased; it's not okay to have a glass of wine at 10.45 am; considering having a T- shirt printed that says, 'I'm still the boss even though I'm wearing leggings and the same shirt as yesterday'."