Chronicles of COVID-19

Title

Mary S. Cork City

Contributor

Mary S.

Subject

COVID-19 (Disease)

Coverage

Ireland; Cork; 2020s:

Date

13 April 2020

Language

English

Creator

Cork Folklore Project

Rights

Cork Folklore Project

Description

GENERAL PHYSICAL LOCATION RIGHT NOW

Cork city Magazine Road area

USUAL LOCATION

as above

Q. 1 STAGES

It was very shocking and unreal and I could not take in the implications of what was happening. It was very upsetting and I felt very nervous and unsettled especially during the first two weeks when we were not sure what was happening. Once the decision was made that certain restrictions had to be introduced, it made it a lot easier to handle. As I am over 70 but very active, I was annoyed that it was a blanket decision that everyone should stay at home. I walk every day in my area but was very careful not to meet people and to make sure to have space between other walkers and to have this taken away was very upsetting. Once the seriousness of the situation became clear then I accepted that this was necessary and started to plan my days and how I could manage this situation. Everyone I talked to felt the same as myself I think. Shocked and feeling that life will never be the same again.

Q. 2 EVERYDAY ROUTINE

I'm used to taking care of international students, walking every day, walking once a week with my walking club, attending a Tai Chi class on a Friday morning and meeting friends for coffee and looking after my garden. I could not imagine coping with life without this routine. I love driving to nice places like Crosshaven to walk and being free to go shopping any time I needed to or indeed wanted to. I love the city Library and visit there regularly. I was lucky enough to be able to attend a funeral of a cousin before the complete lock down but the funeral was so difficult as we could not celebrate the person's life properly. She did not get the send-off that she so deserved and this was very sad. Everyone said how sad this was on the day. No hugging as we had to keep the distance. Working from home is not a problem for me because I've done so for many years. All my office work is done on the internet which is a wonderful blessing. I love that I am familiar with it and have set up group chats on Skype and zoom and seeing people when you chat is a great help. I had never heard of zoom until this happened.

Q. 3 GROUPS

I have a neighbour who is 90 and she is finding it really difficult. She loves walking and going to the city centre on the bus and chatting to people and really misses this. Being in the house all day is very hard on her. I imagine that for families who are not well off it must be very hard indeed. I heard from a friend that she is aware of some families who are struggling very much. I count my blessings that I have a home, a garden and plenty to eat so I just have to get on with it. I have set up a daily routine for myself so that I have a structure to the day. I feel lucky that I retired from full time work a good few years ago and so am more used to working from home and managing my time. A school principal told me that the families in her school are under enormous pressure and the school staff is helping out as best they can. Keeping children occupied in small spaces must be so difficult. A local family with grown up children who are all still living at home are finding it challenging too.

Q. 4 WAYS WE TALK

Not being able to give family hugs and share family dinners in the normal way is very difficult. The way that people have come up with ideas and ways of reaching out to others has amazed and delighted me. Local volunteers making sure that older people have someone to do their shopping and help in practical ways is great. The amount of music that people are making in their own homes and sharing on the internet for free is fantastic. I saw on the news last night that a local Cork man has arranged a film show on the gable end of a house and all the neighbours sit in their gardens to watch the film. How fabulous is that. My Tai Chi teacher has a class every day at 12 on the internet so we can still have our class and as we all tune in at the same time it helps us feel connected. I never thought that I would be doing Tai Chi never mind doing it over the internet. My daughter found a great work out class that is suitable for older people and I do that now every day as well. The generosity of so many people. The kindness of shop assistants who are still willing to go to work and serve the public in such a strange time and especially those in the small local shop where distancing is more difficult. I think they are such heroes. We wave to our neighbours now and chat from a distance. I am very impressed that most people are just doing what we feel is the right thing to do so that we get out the other end of this as soon as possible. I love that a one tier health system has come into play. Now everyone is looked after depending on need not on whether you have the money. I hope this continues after this crisis has passed. I hope it makes us stop and think more about the kind of country we really want. The conversation had already started after the last election and this has created an opening to continue this conversation. I can't wait to see what happens in the next few years. I use WhatsApp every day and friends share videos all the time with lots of humour. Seeing all the candles lighting in the windows of my neighbourhood on Easter Saturday night was a great reminder that we are all in this together.

Q. 5 COMMUNITY RESPONSE

Is it ok to enjoy having so much time just for myself and feel safe when others are not in this position? I hate listening to the news and all the ads about Covid19. I understand why they have to do it but I decided to concentrate on listening to Lyric FM. I feel as I am restricted to my home all I can do is follow the rules as best I can and I send prayers and good wishes to everyone and in the meantime, I don't want to keep hearing how many more people have died.

Q. 6 THOUGHTS AND PREOCCUPATIONS

Is it ok to enjoy having so much time just for myself and feel safe when others are not in this position? I hate listening to the news and all the ads about Covid19. I understand why they have to do it but I decided to concentrate on listening to Lyric FM. I feel as I am restricted to my home all I can do is follow the rules as best I can and I send prayers and good wishes to everyone and in the meantime, I don't want to keep hearing how many more people have died.

Q. 7 SIMILARITY TO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

No Response.

Q. 8 CHALLENGES AND COPING

No Response.

Q. 9 THE FUTURE

I think this will profoundly affect society and I certainly hope that we learn lessons from this. Isn't it amazing that people can now be treated according to how ill they are and not because of how much money they have. I hope that housing is provided for those who need it and that rents and the cost of buying will come down so that the next generation have the opportunity to live in a nice home. Pay the important people like shop assistants a decent wage and not just the minimum wage. Where would we be without them now? Never again have Nurses need to go on strike to get a decent wage.

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

I think this survey is a brilliant idea. It has already helped me to write about how I am feeling and well done to you for thinking it up. I don't want to forget that this happened. I want to keep feeling that it must change our society for the better once we are back in action and back in action we will be for sure.

Q. 11 IN A NUTSHELL

I am very impressed overall with how we as a nation are dealing with this crisis. I think because community is so important to us that this has and is being of enormous help to us in how we are dealing with it. The politicians, GAA, the churches, local authorities and guards all coming together to help is wonderful and I hope we can build on this sense of community. In fact I saw the guards drop by my 90 year old neighbour a few days ago to make sure she was ok. Isn't that wonderful. This disease does not discriminate. It can hit anyone at any age and I love that the government are managing the situation is such a clear way and acted early to try and contain it.

age

51-69

gender

Female