COVID-19: Keep calm and hibernate

The Canadian Public Health Association recently likened our nation-wide stay-at-home order to that of a bear at the beginning of winter, writing “When a bear goes into hibernation, they do it for the health of their community and themselves… Hibernation slows the spread of disease and viruses among other animals during a season when immune systems are lowered, and energy is limited.”

But there is also a mental health component to hibernation, as the CPHA put it last week: “When it is time for hibernation, the bear can finally relax. All the stress of finding food, territory and a mate disappears. The bear believes they have done enough and trust in themselves.”