As the surge of COVID-19 cases declines, and states begin lifting mask mandates, many experts still warn that it’s too soon to loosen restrictions. With approximately 175,000 people catching the virus and about 2,000 dying daily, people are understandably confused over the mixed messages in terms of COVID-19 guidance.

“It’s very confusing,” says Ayelet Fishbach, a professor of behavioral science and marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School of Medicine according to NPR. She says that people are conflicted and anxious over COVID-19 protocol which seems to be changing almost daily.

“The sense that you are standing on shifting sands does put you in an awkward situation about: ‘What do I do? And what don’t I do? And what they told me yesterday may be different from what they’re telling me today,” notes Monica Shoch-Spana, a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Shoch-Spana, a medical anthropologist, says that confusion is compounded by the fact that a pandemic is unlike other natural disasters, such as a hurricane, where there is tangible evidence of an impending threat.

“And so the invisibility of the pathogen is a problem,” she says, adding that leaves people pretty much having to figure things out by themselves without clear guidance from authorities. Natural disasters also have a beginning, middle and end, says C. Vaile Wright, senior director of Health Care Innovation at the American Psychological Association. “This still has no end,” she says.

According to HelpGuide.org, for many people the uncertainty surrounding coronavirus is the hardest thing to handle. Not knowing how long this will last or how we will be further impacted can lead to spiraling anxiety and panic for some individuals.

While many authorities predict that the pandemic will become endemic, says NPR, meaning that the disease will be more predictable and less severe in the future, we’re not anywhere near that finish line. As COVID-19 continues to sicken people, individuals will have to make day-to-day decisions based on their risks, their comfort zones, and transmission rates in their communities.

To offset the confusion and fear, adopt personal strategies that work for you and your situation, say the experts. People with underlying medical conditions and other risk factors should continue to take precautions.

Do everything possible to follow a good diet, get enough sleep and exercise regularly. These lifestyle factors help us remain calm and steady.

“When we’re more emotionally regulated, then we can become better problem-solvers and figure out; ‘How do I navigate a world that is so unpredictable and uncertain right now?” says Wright. She also recommends avoiding behaviors that may increase anxiety instead of alleviating it, such as constantly reading or watching news stories looking for solid, scientific answers that are not there.

Always be aware of the things you can control, such as handwashing, using a hand sanitizer and avoiding touching your face, says HelpGuide.org. Follow the guidelines of trustworthy sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the World Health Organization.

Fishbach says focusing on the positive lessons we have already learned from the virus can give us perspective on how far we have already come in two years.

“Look back at the time when you were afraid to touch your mail, or breathe in the presence of other people, to how comfortable you are now with other people, with going to public places, living your lives,” she says, according to NPR. “We are not really where we hope to be, but we are far from where we started,” she says.