Chronicles of COVID-19

Title

Shell, Co. Clare

Contributor

Shell

Subject

COVID-19 (Disease)

Coverage

Ireland; Clare; 2020s:

Date

13 April 2020

Language

English

Creator

Cork Folklore Project

Rights

Cork Folklore Project

Description

GENERAL PHYSICAL LOCATION RIGHT NOW

O'briensbridge Co. Clare

USUAL LOCATION

Same

Q. 1 STAGES

My understanding is that globally we are facing a virus outbreak not too unlike various influenza outbreaks of the late 19th and early 20th century. As a result of that we have to socially isolate and up our general hygiene practices. Some of us need more protection than others to stop the spread of the virus. I believe that anyone who has or lives with people who have health issues understands the lockdown measures more than people who don't. I feel people who have illnesses or compromised immune systems would have been doing some kind of social distancing and additional hand washing to varying degrees so it's nothing new to them but it can be a difficult thing to get to grips with if you've never had to do anything like this before.

Q. 2 EVERYDAY ROUTINE

I live with various environmental allergies and severe food allergies. A lot of the preventative measures we have to do I would be doing that anyway. So in that respect my life hasn't changed. However I work in an essential service so I've been working from my living room while my older brother works in the kitchen. I changed jobs in the middle of the pandemic so it has been a surreal experience training for a new job while at home. It's amazing to be able to work from home and it's a great milestone in our development that so many industries can work remotely but I would be weary of it becoming a new normal as it could become invasive. My daily routine is to get up and dressed into comfy clothes and start work. During my breaks I will chat with my family and when I finish work I will have dinner and then do some work on other projects I'm working on and watch some TV or something on a streaming service. The recent job change has given me a better working schedule so I can now do more with my time instead of working and sleeping. I'm more productive without trying to be more productive. I turned 30 on Easter Sunday, ordinarily we would have had the usual Easter Sunday dinner with the entire family but it was just the 4 family members who live in the house and our two cats. It was nice to be able to celebrate my birthday without the pressures other people put on you to celebrate it in a particular way. I spent the day getting fatter and watching Harry Potter with my cats. That's an epic life goal. I had my two-and-a-half-year-old niece call me on WhatsApp to sing happy birthday to me. She had been practicing it for days. It would have been nice to have had a massive hug from her but I'm in the high-risk category and kids are walking petri dishes so it is for the best we stayed away. The only time we felt any bit down about the situation was when we realised, we wouldn't be able to make our traditional bank holiday trip to my mother's family in Youghal. But these are only small sacrifices to be making.

Q. 3 GROUPS

I think the difference between group mentalities is down to groups experience with health. Anyone I know who falls into one of the high-risk categories is taking the virus seriously and doing the best they can to try and look after themselves and others. People who don't fall into the high risk categories seem to think they've been given a pass to ignore the advice that is given. I think it's health status that is driving compliance more than age difference or education. I've witnessed educated older people be just a foolish as younger people. People who in theory should know better are taking the biggest risks.

Q. 4 WAYS WE TALK

‘Social distancing’ is my new take away phrase from this. I've been socially distancing for years; which was once seen as an unpleasant characteristic but now it's a positive health practice. I think people have found ways to stay in touch and safe. People having zoom and Skype nights which really shows that it's easy to stay connected if you really wanted to. I had a job interview over phones and on zoom. I've been training over WhatsApp and teams which is interesting when you're working in a call centre.
‘Covidiots’ is another good term. A person who ignores health advice and won't follow restrictions and also a person who shops like a doomsday prepper.
Covid 19 joke: 2020 the year when I sneeze is more terrifying than an unattended bag in an airport.
There are a lot of conspiracy theories about the virus and I love reading about them. I particularly love the one that it's the Chinese government in retaliation to the tariffs the US has put on them and how they were highlighted during climate change talks as one of the massive carbon emissions producers.

Q. 5 COMMUNITY RESPONSE

My community is living life like Co Clare is exempt from the health advice and it is frustrating because the more they ignore the health advice and follow restrictions the longer the virus will hang around and the longer we will still have to be under restrictions. It lacks common sense and it's frustrating.

Q. 6 THOUGHTS AND PREOCCUPATIONS

How much this feels like a Gothic novel or horror movie.
Why are people so preoccupied with toilet paper? We still have running water; we'll still be able to wash our arses.
It's disgusting that people have such a poor understanding of how viruses are spread.
Humans are dumb as f@&k
Carole Baskins probably killed her husband and where does Netflix find all these Louis Theroux documentary rejects to make shows about.
Should have gotten a hair-cut before the lockdown, I'm going to look like my grand aunt aggie by the end of it all.

Q. 7 SIMILARITY TO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

No Response.

Q. 8 CHALLENGES AND COPING

No Response.

Q. 9 THE FUTURE

As the start of the outbreak is a grey area it has opened the door for speculation and we now have a new type of terrorism. I was 12 when 9/11 happened and I remember the paranoia and chaos caused by it. It also unleashed a tone of racism and conflict and I think the virus will do the same. People are unfairly targeting Asians over the whole thing. I fear Asian communities will be treated like Muslim communities and blamed for all the ills of the world.

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

No Response.

Q. 11 IN A NUTSHELL

My life hasn't changed dramatically because of this experience. I'm generally socially distant as a whole.

Wash your hands.
Frontline workers were heroes before the virus and will be heroes after the virus. Think about that the next time you're inconvenienced by the waiting times of a poor health service that is poor because of multiple governments’ failings not because of the nurse or doctor you're giving out to.
Socialism isn't something to be afraid of it's really just about people helping each other out.

age

36-50

gender

Female