ChangeThis
197.04
THE ROADMAP TO RESILIENCE IN
THE NEWJennifer NORMAL Ashton, M.D., M.S.
The New Normal Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S. 197.04
coronavirus pandemic, I was pandemic, coronavirus on the sidewalk at the end of the park. This was odd: New Yorkers don’t just stand don’t idly Yorkers New odd: was park. This the of end at the sidewalk the on that appeared but it now quickly, street. the on moves a city is and This moves that people seemed to have fewer places to go or less incentive to go anywhere in a rush. a rush. in anywhere go to less incentive or go to places fewer have to seemed people park, which wasn’t typical. But since I don’t go to the gym anymore, running outside running gym the anymore, to go I don’t typical. But wasn’t since park, which has become my new normal. normal. new my become has more joggers, and far fewer tourists. Then there was me: I was actually running in the the in actually I was running me: tourists. was there far fewer Then and joggers, more
that never sleeps. But the people in the park were different—everyone in masks, far different—everyone masks, in were park the in people But the sleeps. never that that everythingthat different. was Central Park looked largely the same—it’s one of the few immutable aspects immutable same—it’s the few the of a city in one largely looked Park Central
Several months into the the into months Several running through Central Park Park Central runningthrough
Just as I was finishing my new workout, I nearly ran into several dozen people standing people dozen several into ran I nearly workout, new my Just finishing I was as when it suddenly struck me struck suddenly it when The New Normal Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S. 197.04 - Everything here is different. Take a good look around. And get used to it. to used And get around. look a good Everything different. is NEW Take WORLD. here changed, but the endpoint is the same: The asteroid has hit, and it’s ushered in a whole a whole in it’s ushered hit, and has asteroid The same: the is endpoint but the changed, day activities like how we exercise and shop for food have changed so significantly, so significantly, changed have food for shop and exercise we how activitiesday like believe in are all drastically different and will be for years to come. come. to years for be drastically will different and all are in believe been permanently impacted and indelibly reshaped. It was like someone had suddenly suddenly had someone like It was reshaped. indelibly impacted and permanently been Months later, the new world that I first witnessed outside Central Park is now our new I first new that our world now witnessed is new the outside Park Central later, Months Foods Market nearby. The line snaked around the block, with people standing six feet feet standing six block, with the people around snaked line The nearby. Market Foods normal. Lines at grocery stores have come and gone and regulations have inevitably inevitably have regulations and gone and come at grocery Lines stores have normal. we what and fear, we what think, we how do, we what era, pandemic the And in era. new WELCOME TO THE TO WELCOME read that Park Central of end the across banner a big unfurled nothing in our world will ever be the same again, even if or when we find a cure for for a cure find we when if or even again, same the be ever will world our in nothing across the country. But it wasn’t until that moment that I realized what it meant: If every it meant: what I realized that moment that until But it wasn’t country. the across arrows around the store. store. the around arrows apart on bright green decals plastered on the pavement. Every time a shopper exited exited Every shopper a time pavement. the on plastered decals apart green bright on the store, a security guard let someone in, reminding them to follow the one-way aisle aisle one-way the follow to them reminding in, a security someone let store, the guard COVID-19. The coronavirus crisis has been like an asteroid hitting Earth: Our world has hitting has asteroid an world Earth: Our like been has crisis coronavirus The COVID-19. This was hardly an unusual sight. Lines were forming outside stores all over the city the over outside and stores all forming were Lines sight. unusual an hardly was This Then I realized what they were doing: They were standing in line to go inside a Whole a Whole inside go to line standing in were They doing: were they what I realized Then The New Normal Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S. 197.04 - -
. Since then, then, . Since World News, World , and other national programming. But when the out the But when programming. national other , and , Nightline greatest single story of our lifetime. Nothing in my career as a doctor or medical a doctor as career medical or my in Nothing story lifetime. single greatest our of its of terms in narrative COVID-19 the approached remotely even has correspondent break began, I started to go on air for up to thirteen-plus hours per day and started and I started day thirteen-plus per to hours up began, for air break on go to Robach Know with Amy Need to broadcasting You What the show GMA3: social, medical, economic, political, physical, mental, and emotional fallout. During this this During fallout. emotional and mental, physical, political, economic, medical, social, Maryland; and the West Wing of the White House. House. White the of Wing West the and Maryland; I’ve lived, slept, and even dreamed COVID-19, reading all the research and speaking speaking and research the all reading COVID-19, dreamed even and slept, lived, I’ve regularly with epidemiology experts, public health officials, infectious disease special experts, officials, infectious health disease with public epidemiology regularly I’ve been with ABC News since 2012 and the chief medical correspondent for the the for correspondent medical chief the and 2012 since News with ABC been I’ve —no one has. one —no I’ve never seen anything before seen like it never I’ve Good Morning America Good Morning on regularly appeared I’ve 2017. network since I’ve never seen anything like it before—no one has. The coronavirus pandemic is the the is pandemic coronavirus The it has. before—no one like anything seen never I’ve ists, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country’s top infectious disease doctor. I’ve been to the the to been I’ve doctor. country’s the infectious disease top Fauci, Anthony ists, Dr. and turns, and then analyzing and retelling it for millions of viewers. viewers. of millions it for retelling and analyzing then and turns, CDC headquarters in Atlanta; the United States’ vaccine development lab in Bethesda, Bethesda, in lab development vaccine States’ United the Atlanta; in headquarters CDC fallout, I’ve had a front-row seat, watching the story unfold, interpreting its twists story the interpreting seat, watching unfold, and a front-row had I’ve fallout, Tonight with DavidTonight Muir The New Normal Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S. 197.04 - (before coronavirus), even if we develop an effective vaccine and treatment protocol. effective an protocol. treatment and develop if we vaccine even coronavirus), (before concept to understand. or seeing friends and family in 2019 isn’t today. Just like 9/11, the pandemic has also also has pandemic the 9/11, Just like today. isn’t 2019 in family and friends seeing or high- never-before-seen, threat—a inconceivable previously a new, to eyes our opened perceive is important, and even what we perceive is possible. possible. is perceive we what important, is even and perceive how we shop but also upended basic human necessities like how we eat, sleep, work, work, sleep, eat, we how necessities like human basic upended but also shop we how lives of thousands of Americans, along with how we travel, what we fear, and the eco the and fear, we what travel, we with how along Americans, of thousands of lives Not you, not me, not your next-door neighbor, not the guy or gal halfway around the the halfway around gal or guy the not neighbor, next-door your not me, not you, Not If you’ve flown on a plane in the last twenty years, you know that travel never went back back went never last the twenty travel in that know a plane flown on you years, If you’ve aren’t going back to normal because this is our new normal. That’s a really important a really That’s normal. new our is because this normal to back going aren’t nomic, political, social, and physical landscape of the biggest city the of States. landscape United the in physical and social, political, nomic, impact respiratory pathogen—and transformed how we approach our health, what we we what health, our approach impact we transformed respiratory pathogen—and how and interact with others. What was normal about being in an office, going out to eat, eat, out to office, an going in being about interact normal and was with What others. to “normal” after 9/11. Similarly, the world won’t ever go back to what life was like B.C. B.C. like was life what to back go ever won’t world the Similarly, after 9/11. “normal” to world. If you lived through 9/11, you know what a crisis can do to a country. September September a country. can to a crisis do what know you 9/11, through lived If you world. When I hear people say “when things go back to normal,” my heart pains a bit: Things heart Things a bit: my pains normal,” to back go things “when say people I hear When 11 opened our eyes to a previously inconceivable threat and permanently changed the the changed permanently and threat inconceivable a previously to eyes our opened 11 Through it all, I’ve been left with one major takeaway: We will never be the same again. again. same the be never will We left takeaway: been I’ve major with it one all, Through The pandemic has not only altered our everyday activities like where we exercise and and exercise we where activities everyday our like altered only not has pandemic The The New Normal Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S. 197.04
. We now know this this know now . We ? , but when of the same proportions, if not even worse than COVID-19. Emerging infectious disease infectious disease Emerging COVID-19. than worse even if proportions, not same the of has pandemic another of threat latent The it seen happen. because we’ve can happen difficult to contract are generally easier to contain and eradicate. For proof, just look at just look proof, For eradicate. and contain to difficult easier contract to generally are corona-what say to able be will you when lifetime your in a point be a matter if isn’t of pandemic another that us specialists tell including ways, many in impact world the will and implications psychological significant now. right us to unforeseen are that some Instead of waiting for science to outsmart to science a long for waiting be virus—because waiting the of Instead could we management at different times, of course, but this is our new normal. There’ll likely won’t won’t likely There’ll normal. new our is but this course, of at different times, management Infectious illnesses like COVID-19 that are highly transmissible but not consistently deadly consistently but not transmissible highly are that COVID-19 like Infectious illnesses immunity or find a cure for COVID-19, it’s likely the planet will face another viral outbreak outbreak viral faceanother will planet the it’s likely COVID-19, for a cure find or immunity are the hardest to control, while diseases like Ebola that are more lethal but also more more but also lethal more are that Ebola like diseases while control, to hardest the are time if the flu and common cold are any indicators—we have to figure out how to live live to out how figure to have indicators—we any are cold if common flu the time and the flu, which is highly transmissible and not as deadly—and something doctors still are something deadly—and as not and transmissible highly is which flu, the trying control. under get to with the virus and manage it so it doesn’t manage us. We’ll need different degrees of of different need degrees We’ll us. manage it so it doesn’t manage with and virus the As a doctor, I can say with assurance the coronavirus isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. anytime soon. anywhere going isn’t coronavirus the with I canassurance say As a doctor, There’s another reason our “old normal” is never coming back. Even if we attain if we back. Even herd coming never is normal” “old our reason another There’s The New Normal Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S. 197.04
- Instead of waiting for science to outsmart to science for waitingof Instead the virus … we have to figure out how to how figureout to virusthe have … we doesn’t it with virus so the live it manage and manage us. disappear from public places anytime soon. Some people will continue to wear masks masks wear to continue will people Some anytime soon. places public from disappear backs to when lockdown orders were initiated across the country at the beginning of of country the across beginning at the initiated were orders lockdown when to backs face. your touch don’t stay away, least feet at six hands, your wash Be careful, sneeze, being inside crowded spaces. Many won’t be eager to hug, and the handshake, as as handshake, the and hug, to eager be won’t Many spaces. crowded inside being If this sounds a little like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), that’s because it is: because it that’s is: (PTSD), stress post-traumatic disorder a little sounds If this like Dr. Fauci already declared, is likely dead. Hand-sanitizing stations aren’t going to to going stations aren’t Hand-sanitizing dead. likely is declared, already Fauci Dr. new viral outbreak, you’ll likely cringe and prepare for the worst. You may have flash have may worst. the for You prepare and cringe likely you’ll outbreak, viral new inside public areas for the rest of their lives. Almost all of us will think at every cough or or at every cough think will us of Almost all lives. rest the their of for areas public inside the outbreak or feel a sense of deep foreboding, dread, or even depression. depression. even or dread, foreboding, deep of a sense feel or outbreak the touch of PTSD in the new normal. The next time you hear about a bad flu a bad strain about a or hear next The you time normal. new the PTSD in of touch What you can expect, however, is for people to think twice for years to come about about come to twice years for think to people for is can expect, you What however, The pandemic has been tragic, terrifying, and disruptive enough that all of us have a have us of all that enough terrifying, disruptive tragic, been and has pandemic The The New Normal Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S. 197.04
outdoor birthday party or go to the gym. With the stakes so high, the new normal can birthday party normal outdoor new the With gym. the to stakes so the go high, or opinions and behaviors about what constitutes actual risk. In the infodemic age—when constitutes what about actual behaviors risk. infodemic the In and opinions expectations, and risks are constantly changing? New studies contradict things that that studies contradict New things expectations, constantly risks are changing? and see it as an opportunity rather than an alarming event. event. opportunitysee it an as alarming an than rather But how do you begin to find resiliency in the new normal when it feels like the rules, rules, the like it feels when normal new the in resiliency find to begin you do But how My goal is to help you recognize and adapt to our new normal, because the sooner and and sooner because the normal, new our to adapt and recognize you help to is My goal news and interpretations of that news is staggering. We’ve never had to consider so consider to had never staggering. We’ve is news that of interpretations and news attend as a friend’s so simple something do to tryingwhether when decide much to resilient you can become—physically, mentally, and emotionally—the better able you’ll be be betteryou’ll able emotionally—the and mentally, can become—physically, you resilient more seamlessly you do, the sooner our new normal won’t be new anymore, but just anymore, new be won’t normal new our sooner the do, you seamlessly more everything that different is acknowledge to have we see that you help to I want normal. after is, This heal. and accept to begin can we this acknowledging by because only now, accurate and inaccurate information is spread as rapidly as a virus itself—the a virus as of rapidly amount as spread is information inaccurate and accurate all, the definition of resiliency: our ability to recover readily from adversity. The more more The adversity. from readily ability recover to our resiliency: of definition the all, to withstand any adversity, whether it’s another pandemic or a personal challenge, and and challenge, a personal or pandemic it’s another whether withstand adversity, to any feel paralyzing to the point of self-isolation—or on the other hand, so overwhelming that that so overwhelming hand, other the on self-isolation—or of point the to paralyzing feel we want to throw caution to the wind, cross our fingers, and hope for the best. the for hope and fingers, our cross wind, the caution to throw to want we were conveyed as truth just weeks prior, while friends and family seem to have different have to seem family and friends while truth as prior, just weeks conveyed were While this is our new normal, it’s not a reality that has to be frightening—or even unfamiliar. even frightening—or be to a reality it’s has not that normal, new our is this While The New Normal Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S. 197.04 - what we don’t know. know. don’t we what don’t get paralyzed by fear or hope for the best: They act calmly, coolly, and based on on based and coolly, best: the act for They hope or calmly, fear by paralyzed get don’t crisis like a doctor, prioritizing evidence, not emotions. I’ve looked at the virus as I do a I do as virus at the looked I’ve emotions. not evidence, prioritizing a doctor, like crisis patient: What are the vital signs? What do we know about the disease? And what don’t don’t And what disease? the about know we do What vital the signs? are What patient: sions about your health, and better navigate the new normal. You don’t need an M.D. M.D. an need don’t You normal. new the better and navigate health, your about sions hypotheses, politics, opinion, or conjecture. As I’ve said on air multiple times, it’s really it’s really times, multiple air on As said I’ve conjecture. or politics, opinion, hypotheses, Instead, there’s a better approach—and it starts by learning to think like a doctor. When When a doctor. a better it starts like approach—and think there’s to Instead, learning by I’m not just a doctor on TV—I’m also a real doctor who sees real patients in real life, as as life, real just patients in not a doctor doctor TV—I’m sees real on who I’m a real also the approached I’ve pandemic, the of One last the Day twenty for done I’ve From years. medical decisions are complicated or involve high risk in the ER or the OR, physicians OR, the physicians or ER the in risk high involve or complicated are decisions medical never drawn conclusions about COVID-19—or any other illness, for that matter—based on on matter—based that for illness, other any COVID-19—or about conclusions drawn never after your name to think like one—you just need to know how to take a calm, analytical, a calm, take to how know just one—you to need like think to after name your crisis. any of view evidence-based and and know we important what say to the best data or science on hand. hand. bestthe on science data or the lens of the TV camera like the eyes of my patients: curious, frightened, and confused. confused. and frightened, curious, patients: my of eyes TV the the of lens the camera like we know about the disease? But I’ve kept others’ emotions in mind as well, as I’ve viewed viewed I’ve as well, as mind in emotions others’ kept But I’ve disease? the about know we Similar to how a doctor would never diagnose you based on unknown vital signs, I’ve I’ve vital signs, unknown on based you diagnose never a doctor how would to Similar While I can understand and relate to both attitudes, I certainly don’t recommend either. attitudes, both either. to I can relate understand I certainly recommend and While don’t You can learn to think like a doctor in order to help you stay informed, make safe deci safe make stay you informed, help to a doctor order in like think to can learn You The New Normal Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S. 197.04
- details of a disease can change on a dime. That’s why it’s critical to learn how to think like think to it’s how critical learn why That’s to a dime. on can change a disease of details can stay calm and steady about an emotionally charged, ever-evolving situation. situation. ever-evolving charged, can emotionally stay an steady about and calm situation, just as doctors do for patients in the ER and in the OR. When you do this, you you this, do OR. you the When in just and doctors as ER the patientssituation, in for do nose and treat. Similarly, I’ve always taken a big-picture perspective of this pandemic. a big-picture perspective pandemic. taken this of always I’ve Similarly, treat. and nose We need to rely on facts, not fear, to make to fear, not facts, on rely to need We health crisisin a our about decisions best the situation. a doctor and take a big-picture works. perspective.a doctor vital take science It’s understand also to and how without getting bogged down in specifics that can change on a day-to-day basis. basis. specifics a day-to-day without getting on in can down that change bogged We need to rely on facts, not fear, to make the best decisions about our health in a crisis a crisis in health our about best the decisions make to facts, on rely to need We fear, not What’s more, a good doctor doesn’t just focus on one body part or a single symptom: symptom: body part one doctor just on a good focus a single or doesn’t more, What’s different interaction the of systems and effectively to patient entire at the look diag We And I’ve passed that perspective on to viewers so they can understand what’s going on on can going understand perspective passed so they that what’s And I’ve viewers to on This last caveat is super important: If we’ve learned anything from this pandemic, it’s that pandemic, this from anything learned important: super is If lastwe’ve This caveat In medicine and science, doctors learn new things every day, no matter how long or intensely they’ve studied a specific illness or disease. A doctor can spend his or her entire lifetime researching a virus or other pathogen and still not come close to know- ing everything about it. We’re still learning new things about the flu, for example, even though influenza-like illnesses have been around for hundreds of years.
In the instance of a brand-new pathogen like this novel strain of the coronavirus, we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of what there is to know. That’s why I think it’s vital that we focus on what we know now, which means what medicine and science have shown us to date, while also incorporating what we know about other coronaviruses to help inform our analysis. New risk factors for COVID-19 could always emerge and the virus could change, which means medical information and advice should change with it.
At the same time, it’s important to trust the facts we have at hand: evidence over emotion, medicine over make-believe, and science over sham. No virus in the history of humankind has been studied so rapidly and intensely as the coronavirus, and the amount of knowledge we’ve amassed in a short period of time is breathtaking, impressive, and reassuring.
I’m not tone deaf, though. I know there’s more mistrust about medicine and the media right now than ever. If you’re skeptical, cynical, or scared, that’s okay, understandable, and actually appropriate. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t have all the answers—no one does. The New Normal Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S. 197.04
- do this, you’ll be able to get the information you need to better navigate our new normal new our better to need you navigate information the get to able be you’ll this, do or any challenging crisis you might find yourself in. in. yourself find might you crisis challenging any or of working from home this entire time. time. entire this home from working of out how to work from home permanently and/or are juggling children or older relatives relatives older or children juggling are and/or permanently home from work to out how plicated medical news, or simply understanding how to make what we eat and how how and eat we what make to how understanding simply or news, medical plicated has outbreak coronavirus The lives. happier healthier, to all us can that lead pandemic resil to roadmap the follow And if you one. but it a good be can also sure, be to place, been brutal, but the changes it’s inspired don’t have to be. Our new normal is a different is normal new Our be. to have don’t it’s inspired changes but brutal, the been lost your job, your home, or your business in the pandemic. My heart goes out to you. My heart you. out to goes pandemic. the in business your or home, your job, lost your I want to recognize, too, that everyone’s situation is unique. Maybe you lost a family lost a family you Maybe unique. is situation everyone’s that too, recognize, to I want member, friend, or colleague to COVID-19—that’s a tragic reality to face. Or maybe you you Or maybe reality face. to a tragic COVID-19—that’s to colleague or friend, member, in your household 24/7. Or maybe you’re an essential worker who’s never had the luxury the had never who’s worker essential an you’re Or maybe 24/7. household your in ience, you’ll discover many hidden gems inherent in the coronavirus crisis along the way. way. the along crisis coronavirus the in inherent gems hidden many discover you’ll ience, the first place and instead about knowing the right questions to ask. If you can learn to to can learn ask. If you to questions right the knowing about instead firstthe and place Or perhaps you got sick with COVID-19 and are still recovering. Maybe you’re figuring figuring you’re Maybe still recovering. are and with COVID-19 sick got you Or perhaps we sleep work better for our bodies in stressful times, there are takeaways from the the from stressful takeaways in are better bodies work there our sleep times, for we Whether it’s prioritizing the urgency of our own health, learning how to decipher com- decipher to how learning health, own our of urgency the it’s prioritizing Whether And the thing is, no one ever will—which is why it’s never about having all the answers in in answers the all having about it’snever why is will—which ever one no is, thing And the The New Normal Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S. 197.04
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. Copyright by JLA ©2021 Enterprises Corporation. ultimate road to resiliency. Excerpted from The New Normal Published by William Morrow, and imprint of HarperCollins. No matter what happens in our next, world can you find always laughter and love. er sense of solidarity. Today, it’s not just one person adapting to our new normal—it’s all normal—it’sall new our to adapting person just it’s not one Today, solidarity. of sense er a family it was whether pandemic, the in lost has something person Every us. of single either dwell on what we’ve lost or remind ourselves of all the things we still have. still have. we things the all of ourselves lost remind or we’ve what on dwell either changed: laughter and love. I take a lot of strength from this fact. Laughter and love have fact. strength of this love a lot from and I take Laughter love. and laughter changed: something less crucial, like our ability to go the gym, eat at restaurant, travel, or see or at restaurant, eat gym, travel, the ability go to our like less crucial, something Finally, while everything is different in our new normal, there are two things that haven’t haven’t that two are things there everything normal, new different our while is in Finally, Even more important, we can choose to see what we’ve gained through adversity. adversity. through gained important, we’ve see what to more can choose we Even never disappeared in times of war, peace, pandemics, or great health and prosperity. prosperity. and health great or pandemics, peace, war, of times in disappeared never member, friend, business, job, their health, or their freedom. Some of us may have lost have may us of Some freedom. their or health, their job, business, friend, member, is gratitude. It can be difficult, but I want to remind you that we have a choice: We can We a choice: have we that you It can difficult, be gratitude. is remind to but I want ing together—and getting over it together. The human spirit has never been stronger. stronger. been never has spirit human The it getting together. over together—and ing One of the biggest gems, in my opinion, is that the pandemic has given us all a strong- a all us given has pandemic the that is opinion, my in biggestgems, the of One One of the greatest gifts of the pandemic, if you can find it and choose to accept it, accept to choose can it gifts find and greatest if the you of One pandemic, the of And choosing to look for both—now and always—will serve GPS on the as your family and friends with abandon, but we still lost something. This means we’re all griev all we’re means This still lost but we something. with abandon, friends and family And I promise you that we’ve all gained something. something. gained all we’ve that you And I promise Info
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This document was created ABOUT THE AUTHOR on February 24, 2021 and is SHARE THIS based on the best information available at that time. Jennifer Ashton, M.D., M.S., is the Chief Medical Correspondent Pass along a copy of this manifesto The copyright of this work for ABC News, including Good Morning America, World News to others. belongs to the author, Tonight with David Muir, Nightline, and GMA3: What You Need who is solely responsible for to Know. A graduate of Columbia Medical School, Ashton is the content. This work is board-certified in OB-GYN and obesity medicine and maintains licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution- a private clinical practice in New Jersey. She lives in New York SUBSCRIBE NonCommercial-NoDerivs City with her two children. Sign up for e-news License. To view a copy to learn when of this license, visit Creative our latest manifestos Commons. Cover art from are available. Adobe Stock.