Chronicles of COVID-19

Title

Duckly, Cork City

Contributor

Duckly

Subject

COVID-19 (Disease)

Coverage

Ireland; Cork; 2020s:

Date

20 April 2020

Language

English

Creator

Cork Folklore Project

Rights

Cork Folklore Project

Description

GENERAL PHYSICAL LOCATION RIGHT NOW

Cork city in a two-bedroom apartment in a block.

USUAL LOCATION

Have been renting for so long not sure where I would define home at this point but probably Blackrock with my parents but I haven't lived there in over 20 years.

Q. 1 STAGES

I had seen in December the reports of pneumonia in china popping up, had thought hmm this could be something but only thought it might rise to a SARS spread scale. When things started to get a bit more distributed I visited my parents to explain they possibly wouldn't physically see me for a while (I'm daily on the UCC campus). Then it moved quite fast after that. Personally I feel I’m living a different reality to people around me, as they are carrying on as normal and just annoyed they can't go the gym, shop or go to the pub?? My reaction has been to adhere strictly to the restrictions for the good of myself, my cocooned parents and my close friends who work on the frontline.

Q. 2 EVERYDAY ROUTINE

I'm working from home on a glitchy chrome book that I would like to throw from my second floor window, but i have to make it work. I get up log in and check emails, have the same breakfast i would normally have if i was working, take the same breaks, eat the same lunch and finish bang on 5.30pm. I'm trying to keep the routine as close to what it would be if I was in the office. We are quite busy so it's a challenge to do everything on a laptop screen but first world problems. Walks are in the evening, there is a regional park near me and in the evenings it is nice and quiet to get out for a good long walk. Usually I would go running with friends but i haven't seen them in weeks now as everyone in my social group is adhering to the restrictions. It was my birthday yesterday and it was odd but I still had a very enjoyable day as everyone contacted me. I hosted a quiz night on an app Saturday night too.

Q. 3 GROUPS

Yes, different groups are doing things very differently. I did notice this weekend a shift in how people were dealing with the restrictions, lots more cars on the road. My cocooned parents haven't been able to get a shopping delivery slot till next weekend so I have been getting their shopping and dropping it to the door for them. The local supermarket on Saturday no one was doing social distancing and i can't understand why people are browsing when they go in?? Guy spent five minutes choosing his fever tree tonic water but touching all the packs, when all I wanted was one bottle of ginger ale??My housemate unfortunately has carried on as normal since all this started and has allowed her frontline partner to come and go as he pleases in the apartment which has provided for a high level of anxiety, having to socially distance and take extra precautions in the apartment. Personally I feel it's a few weeks of short term pain for long-term gain and all other couples whom I’m in contact with have done this, including a young couple who had just closed on their new house just before the restrictions but have stayed away from each other as they weren't living together before that which sounds all very romantic really. My cocooned parents are finding it tough seeing people out walking etc. and they have some friends who are not cocooning so this can be a battle of discussion with them. Two of my frontline friends were sorting out their wills and life insurances etc. so I find sometimes I’m in the middle of reality and dreams with this pandemic.

Q. 4 WAYS WE TALK

Half of my family lives in Dublin so we have always had to do the long distance video calling etc. so actually not a huge amount has changed there though we would physically see each other at least once a month. The 'new normal' is said quite frequently and first world problems comes up a lot when someone is ranting about working at home or being inside but really we have it very comfortable compared a huge number of people. I hate not having the contact. I also hate hugs and by god would I absolutely murder a hug right now, it doesn't even have to be someone i know particularly well!! We are all fully online now, video calling, texting, voice calling each other. The sending of meme's died off by week three as I think the reality really sank in then. I'm very elated once I have spoken with someone, silly we still end up chatting for over an hour or two on the phone and really because of how things are there isn't much 'news' to discuss but each of us don't want the calls to finish. I think when I finally get to see everyone I’ll be drunk on the human contact with them.

Q. 5 COMMUNITY RESPONSE

No Response.

Q. 6 THOUGHTS AND PREOCCUPATIONS

No Response.

Q. 7 SIMILARITY TO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

Family, friends, food, hiking and swimming in the sea... To be honest that is pretty usual for me so not too big a change.

Q. 8 CHALLENGES AND COPING

No Response.

Q. 9 THE FUTURE

No Response.

Q. 10 IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT SPRINGS TO MIND?

Impact of our stay home on nature, the benefit of us not being out there destroying everything has by the looks of it made nature thrive. Nature is having a ball!! It's lovely to think that there are animals, insects etc. all being born at the moment and they could possibly have no human impact on them at all because of this situation.

Q. 11 IN A NUTSHELL

It's reminded me significantly two things 1. You cannot control everything. 2. The stay home restriction has shown how once i turn off my phone I’m alone, I’m really alone... Life didn't shape up before this for me to find myself a strapping handsome partner yet and though I have excellent close friends and very close family who I love immensely and they love me I have no one to give me a hug once I turn off my phone. In life nothing is more important than family, all the bells and whistles in the world cannot replace that.

age

36-50

gender

Female