To fend off despair that come with facing an epidemic like the coronavirus, mental health experts recommend exercise, deep breathing, mindfulness and keeping connected with your loved ones.
While some New Yorkers are clearing out the shelves and leaving parts of the city a "ghost town," there are some who aren't exactly doing their part to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Aside from the people who are coughing into their hands and touching everything on the subway, there are people walking out and about down the streets of Brooklyn -- and some residents who are locked up inside aren't too happy about it.
One video posted to Twitter shows a few people poking their heads out the windows while yelling "Flatten the curve, go home" at others on the street below.
The "curve" they're referring to is the epidemic curve that is commonly used to visualize responses to disease outbreaks — and illustrates why public and individual efforts to contain the spread of the virus are crucial, NBC News reports.
Public efforts such as shutting down schools, limiting restaurants to only takeouts and deliveries and implementing curfews, are just a few measures city and state officials have directed to slow down COVID-19 cases. For individuals, people can make sure to wash their hands, cough or sneeze into a tissue and avoid going outside if they're sick.
So far, there are over 300 cases in New York City and over 800 in tri-state alone.
In another video posted to social media, another Brooklyn resident took out a microphone and "politely" urged people to go home. In another video of what appears to be the same man, he can be heard informing people that "we know people who have not shown symptoms could still spread the disease."
While the man on the balcony, on what appears to be 7th Avenue in Park Slope, is correct about asymptomatic people possibly spreading the disease without knowing, it's not believed to be the main way the virus is spread.
While photos of long lines at Trader Joe's and empty shelves at your local CVS may be concerning, there are many stores across New York City that will continue to stock up on food and other supplies.
Some of those stores include Asian supermarkets in Chinatown. Businesses in the area have been heavily impacted due to the fact that the novel coronavirus originated in Wuhan, China.
