The on-going Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in China has become the world’s leading health headline and is causing major panic and public concerns. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the new coronavirus outbreak is a public health emergency of international concern. The virus has already had a direct impact on more than 10 million people in the city of Wuhan and has reached other parts of China as well, posing a health threat of unknown magnitude globally. As of February 8, 2020, WHO reported 34,886 confirmed cases of COVID-19 globally, with 34,589 of them occurring in China (including 6101 severe cases and 723 deaths). A total of 288 other confirmed cases (with 1 death) have been reported in 24 countries, including Japan, Australia, Germany, and United States. However, these daily estimates are expected to rise even higher as reports from health authorities in China are gathered and near real-time updates of the Johns Hopkins virus dashboard are made. The outbreak has caused governments in various countries to take swift and protective measures. In China, these included putting cities on lockdown, implementing travel warnings/bans and cancellations, extending national holidays, and closing schools and postponing classes.

Given the concerns about the increasing spread of COVID-19, it is imperative that infection control and safety precautions be followed. Home stay is a fundamental safety step that can limit infections from spreading widely. But prolonged home stays can increase behaviors that lead to inactivity and contribute to anxiety and depression, which in turn can lead to a sedentary lifestyle known to result in a range of chronic health conditions. Maintaining regular physical activity and routinely exercising in a safe home environment is an important strategy for healthy living during the coronavirus crisis.

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