Shania Twain has opened up with how she’s coping with self-isolation and social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic in a brand new interview with Vancouver’s CKNW.
On Wednesday, the Canadian country/pop icon joined News Talk 980 host Lynda Steele on air to share her thoughts about the novel coronavirus and why she feels it’s important for people to stay active and positive during the global health crisis.
“It’s difficult, of course. The isolation can be a challenge, which everybody in the whole world is experiencing right now, but I’m looking at a lot of the positives,” said the 54-year-old singer.
On what she’s been doing with the time off, Twain revealed that other than “spending more bonding time” with her husband and son, that she’s been able to write a lot more music.
In addition to writing music — and collaborating with her son — Twain said she’s enjoying doing more “home-life things” like “cooking and nurturing,” detailing the abundance of pancakes she had been making.
Referring to the tributes and balcony cheers being circulated for healthcare workers across the globe, Steele asked the That Don’t Impress Me Much hit-maker if she had seen any examples of the appraisal herself.
“I’m somewhere very isolated,” replied Twain, “so there’s no neighbours around us. We’re really out in the middle of the woods actually. So we’re more isolated maybe than somebody who does have an immediate neighbour, but we are watching it on the news.”
Furthermore, Twain encouraged her fans to “get out a little bit” while remembering to keep a distance from people, rather than just staying inside and becoming unhealthy and inactive during the quarantine.
“It’s very tempting to become a couch potato during this time and binge watch things, but it’s good to get out here,” she said. “You’ve got to get out and get some fresh air. Just don’t make contact with other people right now.”
“We’re healthy. That’s the number one thing,” added Twain.
On what she’s binging on Netflix right now, she told Steele that she’s been watching the American reality TV show Below Deck before reiterating the importance of keeping busy.
“I think it’s important to maintain a balance of whatever you can and not let yourself get in a slump over this, because it can be depressing,” she said.
Upon being asked if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had reached out to her directly about helping spread the world of self-isolation, Twain spoke about her nomination for the #PlanktheCurve movement.
The movement, which Trudeau promoted through Twitter on March 23, asks Canadians to share videos of themselves staying home in an attempt to combat the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19. Toronto-based pop singer Shawn Mendes nominated Twain to participate the following day.
“If you have a back yard, a balcony, a porch, or a roof, get some air — at home,” said Twain in her video, before nominating Céline Dion, Jim Carrey and Avril Lavigne.
You can hear Twain’s full interview on the Lynda Steele Show here or in the embedded clip above.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.
For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.
— Global News and News Talk 980 CKNW are both properties of Corus Entertainment.