Chronicles of COVID-19

Title

M.C. Cork City

Contributor

M.C.

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

USUAL LOCATION

Same

Q. 1 STAGES

I first became aware of Covid 19 towards the middle of February. I read about the Doctor in Wuhan who had to issue a public apology for stating that a new virus, which was extremely virulent, was noticed by him among his patients. I thought that it would be a localised outbreak, never thought that it would turn into the pandemic it has become. As news from Italy emerged at the beginning of march, I realised we could be facing a situation akin to the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. I think fear began to emerge when the first cases were recorded in Ireland, and this intensified after the first death was reported. After the Taoiseach's speech from Washington stating the country would effectively close down from 6pm on Thursday, March 12th, I really became worried. Leo's St. Patrick's day speech, the first time I thought he really spoke like a statesman, was very foreboding. New ideas and concepts such as Social distancing, Frontline Staff, new hygiene requirements have really changed how, and if, we interact with people. It is hard not meeting people in person, not hugging or even walking close by, these are, or were, alien concepts before this outbreak. Other family members reacted without outright fear, imagining the end of the world was coming. Others were more sanguine and looked forward to the end of the pandemic and the resumption of "normal" life. That axis of responses remains the same today.

Q. 2 EVERYDAY ROUTINE

I have had to very quickly learn to work remotely. This has been a steep learning curve for someone who, though not quite a Luddite, was not comfortable with digital platforms. I have done things in the last 4 weeks, i never even heard of before Covid 19! I am now part of Microsoft Teams, where I "meet" with colleagues to discuss work issues. I have set up and taken part in Conference Calls with students. I have become very well acquainted with making online sources available and with communicating with others by email. I start work at 9 in the morning and finish at about 5pm, much like an ordinary day's work. I prefer to keep to this routine so some semblance of normality is kept.
Rituals such as going to Mass, Funerals, Communions and Confirmations are gone. This is a very difficult aspect of the lockdown. All these are such a part of life, to be without them, is like being in an alien land.

Q. 3 GROUPS

What I have noticed is that I am communicating with people now that I would have little to do with before the lockdown. This does not only relate to workmates, but to friends with whom I had lost contact or whose contact was sporadic to say the least. This is one of the positive aspects of this situation. Unfortunately for people living in areas where Broadband is sporadic or non-existent, keeping in contact has been more difficult. Some I know have found the last few weeks very isolating, and the loss of contact has been very difficult. Strangely this has not been an issue for family members living in other parts of the world, where connectivity is common practice. This has been another positive outcome of the pandemic, family abroad are in almost constant contact as each new statistic of Covid 19, either in Ireland or their country of residence becomes available. The group who feel the separation very much are teenagers, whose world is their friends. I think when we look back on this time, it is this group who will remember it negatively. They miss their friends, they miss school [yes i have actually heard them complaining that they would rather be in school than stuck at home "forever"]. As for those students facing into their Leaving Certificate exams, this pandemic is the worst possible event that could have happened. Many are very worried and believe that, even if they do sit the Exam this year, their results will be forever tainted by being the Covid 19 L.C. year. They worry about progressing to College or an apprenticeship and about what their prospects may be. This sentiment is echoed by Third Level students who wonder if their Degree will always be suspect. These are terrible ideas for such young people to hold.

Q. 4 WAYS WE TALK

I will always, always prefer one on one conversation over any type of digital conversation. I have adapted to online contact because one must, but it is neither as fulfilling nor as personal as human contact. We all have heard phrases that will be forever etched into those who live through this time such as social and physical distancing, frontline staff, unprecedented, stay at home, wash hands frequently and properly, and saddest of all, daily statistics of deaths and infections. I cannot recall any jokes at present, but I have seen signs in house windows, drawings in colourful chalk on driveways and walls, standing outside to cheer for the aforementioned frontline staff, lighting up the night sky with torches. These have all been lovely to see and it is such a hopeful sign to see them. I do know that, should this social distancing remain for many months, the mental health of people will suffer, as humans are social animals. People really do need people.

Q. 5 COMMUNITY RESPONSE

In this community, there is a rota of people who collect shopping for those who are cocooning. There is also an initiative whereby people check on neighbours, from a social distance, to make sure all is well. There is also a food collection depot not far away, to which people contribute goods for those in need. On a national level, there is the Food for Heroes initiative which is well supported. These are positive examples of communities coming together. However, there have also been instances where people have not adhered to the 2km movement from home nor observed social distancing either in shops or while out walking or cycling. This is very annoying.

Q. 6 THOUGHTS AND PREOCCUPATIONS

When this will all be over, what I hope to do in that joyful time!! This pandemic will end, and I believe we will all learn that many things we thought incapable of doing without, are not essential. I think about work and how it has changed so completely in a matter of weeks! I wonder will work ever go back to what it was, now that we know we can work remotely. I hope that this pandemic will not result in the deaths of millions as was the case with the Spanish Flu of 1918. I hope a vaccine will be found sooner rather than later. I hope that frontline staff in hospitals, shops, pharmacies will not succumb to Covid 19. I hope that the elderly, who are succumbing in such tragic numbers to the virus, will be protected now that widespread testing has gotten underway.

Q. 7 SIMILARITY TO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

No Response.

Q. 8 CHALLENGES AND COPING

No Response.

Q. 9 THE FUTURE

This pandemic has affected Irish society in many ways. We now realise we are all interdependent, that the idea of community, rather than individuality, will be what will get us through. I hope that there might emerge from this sad episode, a health system that caters for all, regardless of income. The virus shows no such selectivity in which it affects!! It would be a great legacy of this time, if the sense of community, which was always evident in parts of this country, would stay in the places and among the people where it has now emerged. As for the future, I really do think we are now totally immersed in the digital age, communication has expanded, remote working is becoming the norm, and the youngest of children are now literate in keeping in touch by Face time and other means of communication. I hope sufficient supports are put in place, now and in the future, for people for whom this time has been almost unbearable due to Mental Health issues.

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

The survey is fine, but in the future you may possibly add how this pandemic has changed the fact of Irish politics. Who would have thought 6 weeks ago that we might have a government formed by the old Civil war parties of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael? What of Sinn Fein who got the most votes in the Feb 8th election? This could yet be another legacy left by Covid 19.

Q. 11 IN A NUTSHELL

On myself, the main change has been to my working life. I now work remotely through no choice of my own. While I have learnt a great deal while negotiating my way through this process, I prefer the give and take of working with people. I feel this more strongly now that heretofore. For future readers of the Chronicles of Covid 19, I would say the following: I hope neither you nor your family ever have to experience such a pandemic in your lifetimes. I hope you appreciate all you have, such as the freedom to come and go as you please, to meet up with people for a cup of tea, coffee or something stronger without having to sit 6 feet from your companions. That you appreciate who and what you have in your life, because it can all disappear before your eyes as we have seen in this pandemic. Lastly, if you are lucky enough to have elderly relatives, talk to them to find out exactly what life was like for them in these quite extraordinary times.

age

51-69

gender

Rather not say