If you watch the nightly news, press conferences, commentary, counter-commentary, and talking heads, the world is about to end. It can be depressing… and that doesn’t help anyone. Need a break from all the bad news?

So do we.  

We’re taking a breather and getting some much needed fresh air with good news from around the world. We are just choosing, for our sake and yours, to focus on some good that is happening!

1. China closing coronavirus hospitals in Wuhan

According to articles in The Independent and the New York Post, officials have now closed all of the 16 temporary hospitals in Wuhan that were set up to take in the over 13,000 COVID-19 patients. After living in a nightmare for over three months, Wuhan residents are beginning to breathe deep and enjoy their lives again. 

2. 103-year-old Chinese grandmother made a full recovery from COVID-

This one is exciting not only because she made a complete and full recovery after just six days, but it also gives hope to the more vulnerable, aged generations. Her doctors say that her recovery was largely due to her overall health and a lack of underlying conditions.

3. Testing is improving.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins are working on a coronavirus screening test that checks nasal swabs and could analyze hundreds of people in a day. The test results come back in 24 hours, which they’re hoping to shorten to as little as three hours. Still too long? Abbot labs has developed a test with results in as little as 5 minutes!

4. The virus spread is slowing in major cities and countries.

The numbers of new cases in Spain and Italy have recently declined with South Korea’s numbers declining sharply, all thanks, it seems, to the measures and precautions taken to flatten the curve in those areas. 

5. We all have the power to slow the spread.

The results are reassuring for those that follow the guidelines. For the countries that have acted fast and taken social distancing seriously, the spread of the virus has been dramatically slowed or even contained. Singapore managed to contain the spread of the virus by acting fast, without imposing the severe measures seen in China. It’s been proven time and time again at this point: The most effective way to fight this invisible enemy is to stay at home and keep your distance.

That is a shortlist of just some of the reasons to celebrate. 

Those may seem to be “out there” and not very subjective, but we can all take a minute to look within our own worlds and homes and see….

• Families spending time together again, eating meals, playing games, making music, reading books, creating memories
• Friends calling to check on one another to catch up and chat about life and the crazy times we’re living, reliving the good old days, and making plans to connect in person.
• Communities rallying together to make sure their neighbors are taken care of, even going so far as to create neighborhood teddy bear hunts and wave parades for the youngest and oldest of them. 

We can still find the silver lining in these trying times if we are intentional about finding the moments that lend themselves to beauty and joy. We’ve all heard the old adage “this, too, shall pass”. It’s true, it will. We should all just stay inside to flatten the curve so it can pass faster. 

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