The issue of creating a pod always comes up when coronavirus numbers spike. Develop protocols with a small group of family and friends, like Camp Quarantine, for keeping safe while staying
social.
We all
know humans are social animals, but with Covid-19, it’s become clearer than ever.
While some people do fine with isolation, these folks are atypical. The vast
majority of people need to be around other people. We need to socialize, hug, chat, gossip, care for one another, be
cared for, etc. If we don’t, we are not well, mentally and, it turns out,
physically. Whereas we knew that intellectually prior to Covid-19, many more of us
now know it through experience. Have you hugged someone recently? It’s striking
how emotional that can be these days.
So how do
we maintain our sanity while staying safe? How do we set up our lives so we,
and our kids, can have a semblance of physical normalcy, of contact?
Behold the
rise of the pod. How to do it? What to bear in mind? In “Camp Quarantine: 6 tips for forming your
COVID-19 winter pod,” Britta Greene of the Duluth News-Tribune has some helpful tips.
READ MORE: Helping children understand the pandemic
Unless you
are an oceanographer who studies dolphins, you’ve probably heard the word “pod”
– as both a noun and a verb – more in the last nine months than in your entire
life. (Dolphin groupings are called “pods.”) I know I have. Several friends of
mine regularly refer to their pods, meaning friends they can touch, and spend
quality time together maskless. They’ve figured out protocols so they can stay
safe. And they have.
Put together a well-defined group and identify your comfort level
Greene
says, “The idea is to get together with a set group of friends and mutually
agree to limit outside interaction, to a level that everyone is comfortable
with. Then: Only hang out inside with each other. That way, everyone can let
their guard down together safely as a group.”
Develop a joint schedule
She cites
a co-worker’s tactics: “They have a detailed schedule, a miles-long list of
activities, matching T-shirts, and a name: Camp Quarantine.”
Smaller is better; but no defined size
She notes
there no perfect pod size, but of course smaller is better. Be honest with your
comfort level. Set standards and stick to them. External relationships are ok,
but all in the pod should know about them and be kept abreast of contact.
Be generous about sharing especially among kids
With specific regard to
children, Greene notes the paramount need to share. Kids need to be generous
about sharing toys and space. Of course the same could, and should, be said of
adults.