As millions across the country gear up for self-isolaton and so-called "social distancing" becomes the new normal, conservative commentator Ben Shapiro offered four tips to guide the public through these unfamiliar times.
"We’re all still here. It’s gonna be OK. We just have to do what we have to do and that mainly means ... stay at home, make sure your family is taken care of," Shapiro said Monday on "The Ben Shapiro Show."
"Here are a few things for you to do today:"
1. Phone five friends
While U.S. public health officials encourage social distancing, some people are experiencing elevated levels of loneliness and anxiety as they remain in their homes, Shapiro explained on his podcast titled, "The weeks the earth stood still."
"Social distancing means that we are not allowed as human beings to do all the things we usually do in times of crisis. Usually, you get together with friends ... with your religious community, but now ... we are being encouraged to stay away from friends and family and local community and this does increase loneliness ... [and] feelings of angst."
"Do something to reach out to five people to find out how they’re doing today."
"Call five friends," Shapiro continued. "Do something to reach out to five people to find out how they’re doing today."
2. Help those most vulnerable
The elderly population and those with underlying medical issues are the most vulnerable to the coronavirus, and are at a much higher risk, according to medical experts.
"Find out if an elderly neighbor or relative needs pharmacy or grocery goods and bring them over to them," Shapiro said.
"Find out if an elderly neighbor or relative needs pharmacy or grocery goods and bring them over to them."
" If you have someone in your family who is over the age of 65, make sure that they’re actually stocked up. If they’re not stocked up, and you are young, go buy the groceries and bring them to them."
3. Purchase gift cards to support local businesses
Local businesses are likely to take a significant hit as officials race to coordinate a response to the outbreak. Governors in the nation's largest metropolitan area have collectively decided to shutter bars, restaurants and movie theaters in an attempt to stem the growing number of coronavirus cases -- leaving small business owners to fear for their future.
"Call a local store and buy a gift card," Shapiro said. "You know you’re going to use that gift card later, and right now, everybody’s in a cash crunch ... so many stores are shutting down."
"Buy a gift card, buy gift cards for your friends... give them the temporary float of paying them upfront."
Shapiro said he "personally know[s] people who run small businesses and they are seeing their businesses basically be destroyed by the coronavirus because they’re operating on slim margins and trying to keep people paid."
He added, "If you know you’re going to go to the store later and you just can’t go to the store right now, buy a gift card, buy gift cards for your friends if you have the expendable cash to do so, and just make clear to those businesses that you are going to keep patronizing the businesses and give them the temporary float of basically paying them upfront. It’ll help tide them over."
4. Go for a walk outdoors
For his final tip, Shapiro encouraged those spending their days indoors to change out of their pajamas and go for a stroll outside.
"There is something inherently optimistic about going outside for a walk."
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"Go for a walk ... seriously," he said. "Turn off the news. Turn off Twitter. Don’t hang out with people ... but get outside, look at the sky ... the sun. Just because we are supposed to self-isolate does not mean that we can’t engage with the world around us, and there is something inherently optimistic about going outside for a walk."
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