News Above the Noise: Week of December 11, 2022
1. Why is Everyone Sick Right Now?
In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, social distancing and mask wearing helped to prevent the spread of seasonal viruses. Now, they’re back in full force and creating a “tripledemic” that epidemiologists feared. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) director Rochelle Walensky has confirmed that the flu, RSV, and Covid are putting stress on already burned-out US hospital systems, and low vaccination rates are compounding the problem. To read more about infection and hospitalization rates across the country, click here.
2. How To Actually Enjoy The Holidays
It’s no secret that the holidays can be stressful, with worries such as social obligations, gift-giving woes, family tensions, travel challenges, and financial concerns top of mind for many. According to a poll by the American Psychiatric Association, 41 percent of people surveyed reported an increase in worrying during last year’s season. This year, 31 percent said they expected to be under even more stress than they were in 2021. Learn more about the solutions experts are offering to ease our seasonal tensions here.
3. You're Not Going To Stop Shopping For New Clothes
When we look at the staggering amount of emissions and resources typically associated with clothing, our first suggestion for having a more sustainable wardrobe might be to just stop shopping. But it’s not that simple. Fashion is a critical part of culture, society, and the way we express ourselves—and at some point, most people are going to want or need to buy new clothes. To help reduce environmental and social impacts, changing how you shop can make all the difference. Here's where you can start.
4. Take Yourself On A Date
What would you do with your time if no one else got to call the shots? For how long would you do it, and when? Many people have either too much or too little solitude, and in both situations, they have minimal control over their time to themselves. It’s time to to renegotiate our relationship to solitude now that we’ve largely left social distancing behind. In order to reclaim it, we must experiment with it, tailor it, and ultimately own it. Read more about the best way to do that—and how taking yourself on a date is a great place to start.
5. Who Should You Be Spending More Time With?
How often do you ignore or decline messages, DMs, voicemails, comments, emails or invitations? Most of us have found that we can’t always be available for others, which means we must prioritize our time and who we spend it with. If you need help determining which relationships to put at the top of your list, you’re not alone. Click here to learn about the six types of people we should all be keeping close.
Editor's Note: Every week, The Sunday Paper's team of journalists sifts through the news to make sense of what's happening in the world and provide hope for your week to come. We find what Rises Above the Noise and do our best to highlight what we think matters. If you’d like to read more in-depth, please note that while we do our best to feature articles that are not behind a paywall, some of the news pieces we recommend require their own subscriptions beyond our control.
