Chronicles of COVID-19

Title

Emma, Cork City

Contributor

Emma

Subject

COVID-19 (Disease)

Coverage

Ireland; Cork; 2020s:

Date

27 April 2020

Language

English

Creator

Cork Folklore Project

Rights

Cork Folklore Project

Description

GENERAL PHYSICAL LOCATION RIGHT NOW

St. Lukes Cork City

USUAL LOCATION

Same

Q. 1 STAGES

The first stages of my understanding of what was happening were actually to pretend nothing was happening. I think we were all well into a two week lockdown before I had the realization that this was serious. I was actually walking on the Lower Glanmire Road a good 30 mins before sunset, I was watching the sunset and at the same time very aware that directly across the river from me there were about 30-40 cars lining up outside the makeshift Covid Testing centre in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. It was actually this moment I had a sort of panic attack, I became so aware that there were no cars about on a usually busy road and that combined with that I had been listening on the phone from my Mother and various friends the previous few days and they had me worked up to a place that I was certainly having an anxiety attack. RTE news also had been on in my apartment and in apartments around me and it had turned to almost a feverish pitch. All this combined made me feel an intense distress that lasted a couple of minutes. I was able to walk it off somehow, but that was when my realization changed.

Q. 2 EVERYDAY ROUTINE

Because I am studying it has not made a massive impact on my daily routine, I can work from home and it worked out fine. The relationship with news media has changed and it hasn't been on in my home in weeks. I will dip in and out of online news but it does me no good to listen to the reporting because I feel it can be misleading, uninformative, repetitive overall not useful to me. Exercise has become more of a necessity as an everyday routine. I am mindful of self-care.

Q. 3 GROUPS

We hear "When this is all over..." a ton. Sadly the realization is this may not be over for some time and I am hearing this phrase less, (or I would like to hear it less). Zoom parties have become popular. Sometimes you notice things like shop assistants not wearing protective clothing and you wonder why.

Q. 5 COMMUNITY RESPONSE

My community is a fairly older one and there is not a lot of space such as parks etc. here. Certainly over the last 2 weeks people have become complacent, when you went to the super market a month ago you could sense the silence and people were scared, people were on edge, today it feels almost like any normal day. I am happy with Ireland's response but feel they are not helping out in the Nursing Homes and are leaving the staff and patients there out on a limb.

Q. 6 THOUGHTS AND PREOCCUPATIONS

We are told that some rules may be lifted next week. I am curious to see what goes on.

Q. 7 SIMILARITY TO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

No Response.

Q. 8 CHALLENGES AND COPING

The sunny weather was bothering me, It has been exceptionally good since the first day of lockdown. I feel we had the longest, horriblest Winter ever. Its torture to me not to able to enjoy the weather. Exercise has helped as a coping mechanism. People have backed off with calling me about panicking me with information from the grapevine. (That’s all bad!)I have become very disappointed with people who are buying into too much conspiracy and have left me wondering about them. I think its fine to have healthy conversations but some information is over the top and is detrimental.

Q. 9 THE FUTURE

I feel it will be good for the future, a sort of clean slate for us. I think everyone is learning new things about themselves. We all just want to be safe and happy.

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

covers everything

Q. 11 IN A NUTSHELL

I am self-isolating alone with my cat, so in sum I think I don't have anything major to add. My life has not been overhauled in any major way. In the square I live near 2 Chinese restaurants, the butcher, the off licence, the post office and the shop have remained open the entire time. The hairdresser and 2 pubs and a wine bar are what have been affected. In Ireland people don’t really drink in pubs only at the weekends. Maybe I have continued to manage to pretend life is normal I am not sure!!

age

36-50

gender

Female