Wellness Wednesday: 5 Good Things Amid Coronavirus Pt. 2

As days roll by, so does Coronavirus case loads. It seems each day is greeted with a new piece of heart-breaking news. There are challenging times, we will never discount that. While many are struggling, there still are pockets of positivity happening all over the world. To piggy-back off last week's piece, let’s take a deeper look at more good things amid the Coronavirus pandemic to raise our spirits. 

1. A Shortage of Pets on the Streets
   Finally, a shortage to be happy about! Animal shelters have a track record concerning overwhelming amounts of rescues desperately needing a home. However, it seems we are not the only ones sheltering in place. Agencies and shelters across the country are reporting record high adoption and foster rates of our furry friends. Even big businesses are doing their part to do good things amid the coronavirus pandemic. Back in February, Coors Light offered to cover over 1,000 pet adoption fees. Since then, celebrities and organizations have pitched in helping people foster a new furry friend to self quarantine with. Adoption agencies are also doing what they can to social distance, offering adoption appointments even with closed shelters. Not only is this a good thing for the animals, but individuals report feeling more at ease having someone to pass the time with.
   
   
2. The Surge to Shop Local
   Through non-essential business closings and social distancing, many of your favorite restaurants, bars, salons and shops have felt the heat. Losses for businesses, their employees and communities are tremendous. It is easy to believe we will be back at our favorite happy hour spot, gym or boutique in the blink of an eye. While the reality is, our neighborhood gems may not make it through the Coronavirus. I know this sounds grim, but through these hardships communities have created an unusual surge to shop local. Cities have heard their cries, and are asking what they can do to save their community livelihood. President Trump even acknowledged small businesses as the “backbone of our country,” hence their part in the $2 trillion stimulus plan. If you want to learn how to support small businesses and do good things amid the pandemic here is a great resource. To start, it is as simple as ordering take-out, purchasing gift cards, shopping online and spreading awareness.
   
   
3. The Rise of Book Sales
   Do people still read? It is reported that 24 percent of adult Americans have yet to pick up a book in the last year. Despite that it turns out we are still reading, just not through conventional paper pages. Tablets, Kindles, blogs and audiobooks have overloaded the digital content market in 2020-and for good reason! These mediums fit with our hustle and bustle lives. There is something comforting about turning the page of a good book though, and since the Coronavirus pandemic others seem to agree. Fiction book sales rose by a third while puzzle books and true-crime sharply inclined to 234% of original sales as others find ways to have fun social distancing. Physical book sales are predicted to stagnate though with the closing of department stores. Yet it is a good thing amid the pandemic to see online book sales skyrocket while people search for wholesome ways to stay engaged.
   
   
4. Medicine Is Advancing
   The Coronavirus pandemic put an unusual stress on the medical industry to provide tests, and fast! Coronavirus treatment is on the forefront with vaccine trials being expedited by the day, but other good things are rising behind the scenes. Huge breakthroughs in cancer research including a new FDA approved drug for pancreatic cancer seeming to double patients’ life span are breaching the horizon. A most recent development is one that could change cancer detection forever. Researchers published a paper on March 31st showing a new blood test detecting over 50 types of cancer often before clinical symptoms occur. The test combines a powerhouse approach observing the amount of cancerous DNA in the blood with targeting over 30 million methylation sites in the human body. Things look promising with a .7% false positive rate, ensuring people are diagnosed timely and correctly. Roughly 1.8 million people will be diagnosed with cancer each year in America, these tests pose inspiring results as catching the disease early is pivotal in recovery.
   
   
5. Did Someone Say Live Stream?
   In last week's article, we explored how this pandemic sparked deeper communication thanks to social media, technology and especially live streams. But did you know there is a live stream for just about everything? Just this morning I tuned into a live three day music festival on YouTube. With Coronavirus cancelling highly anticipated concerts, I was pleasantly surprised to see my favorite artist performing in the comfort of my living room. Oh, and it is free! Check out this megalist of live concerts and support your favorite artist. Besides music, people are turning to educational means to spark up social distancing. The ExO foundation and Singularity University are teaming up hosting an online conference featuring global leaders having conversations about fixing the global crisis. The conference holds 100,000 attendees and is being offered at a fraction of the price. No matter the subject, there is a live stream spreading good things amid the pandemic.

Whatever the situation, we are all struggling to a certain extent. Even with a global pandemic, there are plenty of good things happening behind closed doors. There has never been a better time to look for good news and stay optimistic about a brighter future. Hope you all are staying healthy and safe. What good things are you seeing in your community?