Chronicles of COVID-19

Title

Pauline, Cork City

Contributor

Pauline

Subject

COVID-19 (Disease)

Coverage

Ireland; Cork; 2020s:

Date

09 April 2020

Language

English

Creator

Cork Folklore Project

Rights

Cork Folklore Project

Description

GENERAL PHYSICAL LOCATION RIGHT NOW

Blackrock, Cork City

USUAL LOCATION

Same

Q. 1 STAGES

I was due to go to Cuba on March 8th but due to some difficulties with travel visas, the trip was cancelled on the day we were to travel. We were devastated. However, in retrospect, it was all for the best because during the week we were supposed to be away, people started being quarantined in hotels abroad, there were long queues at airports while screening took place, etc. Here at home, Leo Varadkar announced that schools were to close and Trump ordered all flights in and out of the US to cease. All this happened the week we were supposed to be away! The next day, I went to Dunnes Stores to get some groceries. The place was as busy as Christmas Day, long queues, totally sold out of toilet rolls, flour, disinfectant, sanitizers and wipes. And so the madness began...

Q. 2 EVERYDAY ROUTINE


Q. 2 EVERYDAY ROUTINE

As an extremely active, retired person, my activities have been seriously curtailed. I decided to make a list of all the things I wanted to write, study, clean, tidy, wash, achieve, etc. Rituals haven't really been an issue, thankfully. Mother's Day came and went but wasn't really too bothered about it.

Q. 3 GROUPS

I have become aware of a few things: I am deeply sympathetic to older people who don't have computer awareness. They must be so isolated not being able to entertain themselves with the likes of WhatsApp which is keeping us all entertained/annoyed with constant jokes, videos and general communication. What about the need to shop online? Have a Skype call with family abroad...or even at home if someone is isolated. Things like renewing house/health insurance online. It is such a deficit in somebody's life nowadays if they can't use a computer or smartphone.
I am also aware of how creative people have become and how adept some people are at using technology. The growth of Zoom for instance has enabled book clubs, social meetings, family quizzes, etc.
I think frontline workers are simply magnificent...as are all the retired medics who signed up to help. There is a great community effort too with lots of people volunteering to help out...all very positive.
On the negative, there is going to be huge repercussions for the economy and business people with lots of unemployment, high taxes, recessions, etc.

Q. 4 WAYS WE TALK

PPE, We now all know what this is! In fact, they continue to explain the term despite the fact that by this stage everybody knows it.
Frontline workers....
Stay safe seems to be an emerging phrase
Living without the normal levels of personal contact? Challenging!

Q. 5 COMMUNITY RESPONSE

I personally have had some lovely acts of kindness from friends, offers of help, shopping, calls, etc. Nationally, I think we are magnificent. And Dr Tony Holohan....a saint!!!!

Q. 6 THOUGHTS AND PREOCCUPATIONS

I have had varying levels of anxiety over the last few weeks. Several times, I thought I had 'IT'. If I sneezed, i went, 'Oh God, that's it now'. On St Patrick's Night when I heard Leo was making an address to the nation, my heart thumped and I wondered what on earth he was going to say and what more bad news was he going to impart. When he next came on to announce the lockdown, I thought, well, there's not a lot more now he can do to surprise me.

Q. 7 SIMILARITY TO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

No Response.

Q. 8 CHALLENGES AND COPING

No Response.

Q. 9 THE FUTURE

As I said above, I think we will be changed considerably in the future, mostly in economic terms. I think there might be a real shift to more working from home as employers realise that there is unmined potential here.

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

I think it’s a good idea to research and record this stuff. We will all be glad in years to come to read what it was like to live through this.

Q. 11 IN A NUTSHELL

On me personally, my wings are seriously clipped. With some of the lovely weather we have been having it is frustrating not to be able to travel a little further and do some of the things that you can only do when the weather is good. I think as a nation we are behaving very responsibly, as a whole, albeit some will always let the side down. There are some very sad things happening, like funerals where people attending are limited. People with children, in limited space, are very challenged as are people with disabilities. Life is extremely tough for some. But for others, we/they are in very privileged circumstances to deal with this enforced isolation with comfortable houses, plenty of food, books, TV, internet, mobile phones, etc. I think there is a lot for many people to be very grateful for. This is a temporary inconvenience.
However, I also think that we are all shocked that a virus, something we never really anticipated, should be able to bring the whole universe to a halt. We may need to factor something like this happening again into our vision for the future."

age

70+

gender

Female