Part 3 Health Questions
Do you think health is important? Why?
Yes, your health is extremely important. Your mental and physical health affects your entire life.
If you are unable to work because of a health condition, you might become dependent on government social security benefits.
And if your mental health suffers, you might become depressed and even suicidal. You need to invest in your health because you are looking after your future.
What kinds of activities do you think can help people stay healthy?
Well, various activities can help people stay physically and mentally healthy.
Probably, the most important is regular cardiovascular exercise to maintain a healthy heart and maintain a healthy flow of blood and nutrients throughout the body.
Many people run, jog, or swim because those are the most popular forms of cardiovascular exercise.
But you can also walk briskly, skip, or join a cardio class at the local gym or fitness center.
For mental health, it’s good to do mindfulness activities, meditation and activities like yoga. This helps you relax, alleviate stress, and yoga helps you stretch and maintain physical flexibility.
It’s important to have a balanced approach to your health. Some people do extreme sports but don't pay too much attention to their mental health. I think it’s better to have a well-rounded physical and mental exercise routine that takes care of both aspects of your health.
Then, there’s also the aspect of diet. What you eat is just as important as the exercise you do. A well-balanced diet, regular cardiovascular exercise and mindfulness and meditation exercise will keep you in top form throughout your life.
How do physical health and mental health differ?
When we take care of our physical health, we are focusing on our body and its functions. We exercise our muscles and respiratory system and this helps ensure that the vital organs like the heart and lungs are functioning well.
A good diet and a healthy lifestyle help keep our digestive system and immune system strong and functioning optimally.
Dealing with mental health is not as easy because the signs of neglect aren’t as immediately obvious.
Stress is one of the biggest killers nowadays. And it’s directly related to mental health and our ability to deal with daily life, stressful situations, and other challenges.
It’s more about your way of thinking; your outlook on life. But it’s just as important to have a positive mental attitude as it is to have a healthy body.
What are some of the difficulties people face in a health crisis like the coronavirus (covid-19) outbreak?
Well, social distancing and being asked to stay indoors all the time is a challenge both physically and mentally.
We are social, and living in lockdown is unnatural for us. As is maintaining a fixed distance from other people. Physically it means that people can’t enjoy many of the regular exercise activities they once did, like going to the gym or taking a Zumba class.
And being cooped up at home all day can drive some people crazy! We’re just not used to it. Social isolation is a difficult thing to deal with when it’s forced upon us.
So it’s harder to stay fit and healthy, and mentally it’s challenging because it’s a stressful situation which we have very little control over.
Most of us are impatient to get out and about again like before. And many people are experiencing greater levels of stress because of money problems; they have lost their source of income and the future is very uncertain.
What can people do to maintain a positive attitude at times like that?
There are various things people can do to stay positive and healthy. Some people might be lucky and able to continue working from home.
Others might take advantage of the unexpected free time to dedicate themselves to hobbies, pastimes, or creative projects they don’t normally have time to do.
Physically, there are a lot of things you can do to stay healthy. I’ve seen a lot of YouTube videos about home workouts you can do.
For cardiovascular exercise, you might be able to run outside a few times a week. Or maybe you could jump rope inside your house or in your garden to stay fit.
Some people have a static bike at home which is a great way to exercise without going outside.
There’s always something you can do to stay busy, mentally and physically. You just need to be more creative than usual.
In what ways does technology help in a health crisis like coronavirus (covid-19)?
Technology has been deployed in various ways to help control the outbreak of the virus.
From the simple body temperature checks at airports and other places to the sophisticated technology used in labs to help develop a vaccine.
Some countries have implemented mobile-based track and trace apps to track infected people and those they have been in contact with.
And then there’s obviously the medical technology used in hospitals for the treatment of Covid-19 victims. Equipment such as diagnostic computers, monitors, respirators and such are essential for effective health testing and treatment.
During a health crisis like the outbreak of Covid-19, some people do courageous things. Can you give an example from your country?
A lot of people do courageous things during such a health crisis. Many people have to keep on working, in essential services.
Then there are the staff working in the health services, doctors, nurses, care home staff, nursing assistants, and many more who are on the front lines.
They risk their lives every day when they go to work because they are in direct contact with coronavirus victims and risk becoming infected themselves.
Many such people have died of the virus while doing their jobs. I think they were very courageous, putting the well-being of others before their own health and safety.
What could governments have done better or differently to deal with the outbreak?
It’s difficult to make comparisons because each country is slightly different.
The time frame too can be different. For example, China had already locked down Wuhan and got the outbreak there under control before other countries like Italy, Spain and the USA reached the peak of the epidemic.
Most countries declared they were guided by science, but there were still debates about the best way to deal with the outbreak.
One common criticism seems to have been the lack of intensive testing early on at the start of the pandemic.
Implementing lockdown is effective in controlling the spread of the virus, but it doesn’t provide a long-term solution.
Taiwan seems to have learned a lot from the previous SARS and MERS outbreaks. The country managed to test, track and control the spread of the virus better than many other countries.
What might be some of the long-term effects of such a health crisis?
People might have to get used to undergoing a test for the virus in the future.
Even the IELTS test has been affected by the coronavirus outbreak.
Although it started in Wuhan in China, it quickly spread across the world. There was little health information available in the beginning that the governments could act on.
Eventually, students were sent home from university and schools. That was one of the first steps taken to stop the spread of the virus further.
We’ve become used to seeing daily updates on the outbreak, the number of cases, travel restrictions and other measures taken. And this will likely continue for some time which affects many industries.
IELTS test takers or those doing IELTS preparation have had to cancel or rearrange their test date. Test centers like IDP IELTS have also had to implement special measures to maintain social distancing during exam sessions in the test room.
The World Health Organization has predicted that the effects of the coronavirus outbreak will be wide-reaching and long-lasting after making its health declaration on the pandemic.
Many international students from mainland China normally travel to other countries. That has been stopped.
Student visa applications are not being processed, and many academic institutions will feel the economic impact of the international travel ban in the future.
There are many providers of student accommodation who have already lost a lot of money. And there may be many restrictions or extra safety measures in the future.
The coronavirus pandemic will change many aspects of life and has already destroyed a lot of businesses.
Although the risk of coronavirus infection may be less during lockdown, people can’t live inside for long periods. The virus outbreak is still not fully under control.
And we are still not sure how the coronavirus situation will develop in the future.
Further health advice from experts will likely try to avoid overloading the health service with novel coronavirus victims.
And although the daily coronavirus update bulletins from the government seem to be showing positive signs, the long-term social, economic, and health effects are impossible to calculate or define at this moment.