How Has Your Life Changed During The Pandemic?
By Jo Miller
@pjmurphy (2499)
United States
October 27, 2020 11:54am CST
When the Coronavirus pandemic began in the USA, experts advised that the only way to control the virus was to wear masks, socially distance, sanitize, and stay away from other people as much as possible. For a few weeks, restaurants, bars, churches, theaters, and churches were all closed. Politicians, realizing that this approach was difficult for the populace and might hurt the economy, began pushing for the country to open back up. The experts advised that any opening should be done gradually in stages with strict compliance to guidelines.
The populace then began taking sides. Some listened to the experts and some listened to the politicians. As a result, the country became divided.
Here at our house, we listened to the experts. Since the 1st of March, we have not eaten in restaurants, have not been in church, have seldom been in a store, doing most of our shopping online or ordering online for curbside pickup. We have limited our personal contacts to close family and friends, and that has been more limited. This summer we did a lot of socially distanced outside visiting. We always wear masks when we go out and stay away from those who do not.
I realize this was easier for us than some. We are retired and do not have to go to work. Our incomes were not affected. But for the most part, we have adjusted. It is difficult at times, but we believe that the stricter we are about following the advice of the experts, the sooner this will be over for all of us. We believe in doing our part.
One of the things we miss the most is traveling. Since we retired, we have been doing two trips a year. One in the spring and one in the fall. As a matter of fact, we had just returned from a trip abroad a few weeks before the shutdown began in this country. Normally, soon after returning from that trip and resting a bit, we would have started planning for our next trip. A big part of our lives was planning our trips, getting ready for a trip, or going on a trip. Now we seldom talk about travel. We hope travel again next year. Just now beginning to talk about that possibility.
Although we do really miss traveling, that seems rather trivial compared to what others are going through, so we're not complaining. Just reminiscing sometimes.
13 people like this
15 responses
@Marisawriter (62)
• Australia
11 Dec 20
@pjmurphy - I think that's true if you're an introvert and have always been happy with your own company. It's also true if you're lucky enough to have a family that you've been able to stay with. But what about people who don't have family? What about people who've lost their job or their business?
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (180476)
• United States
27 Oct 20
Not really that much honestly, it is just not as much fun. It was worse in the early weeks and months when we were on lockdown. I just take precautions.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (180476)
• United States
27 Oct 20
@pjmurphy I am, but I am mostly thankful that no one I have a personal relationship with has had the virus.
@Marisawriter (62)
• Australia
11 Dec 20
It's so frightening to see what is happening in the US. We were fortunate in Australia that all politicians, from all sides and in all states, supported the experts' advice. Given that, most people followed the rules.
As a result, we have no Covid in the Australian population. Yes, you heard that right. It took six months of tough lockdowns but we made it. Everyone who arrives from overseas must spend two weeks in special medi-hotels, and if they turn out to be infected, they have to stay until they have recovered.
Those hotels have staff, and every now and then, one of them gets accidentally infected and Covid gets out into the community again, so we are all still being watchful and wearing masks, just in case.
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (89863)
• Arvada, Colorado
9 Nov 20
Well for me, as I am retired it has not changed much at all.
I do not go to stores anymore that is about it.
I never go to gyms or anything just walk so..
And if by chance I have to get on a bus or train, I just wear a mask.
We never have visitors here in my house so that is the same.
1 person likes this
@everwonderwhy (7326)
•
27 Oct 20
We, in Australia, have been really good in following health protocols and guidelines. We are the same here as what rational people have been doing for safety and sanity.
Even before BCC (Before Chinese Covid), it's instinctively normal to stay healthy, enjoying life, travels, gatherings, church, wellness and self-sufficient at all costs.
We submitted peacefully to the Victorian curfews and lockdowns, zero scientific data on limiting social gathering to 0 zero, then, 5 people at some point since March. But we all followed and submitted.
But, as always, there is always a point in human spirit when we can only allow this totalitarian dictates rule us for a certain point. I don't know when that is, but rationality and critical-thinking will determine it.
1 person likes this
@maezee (41988)
• United States
27 Oct 20
Wow! Good for you. If you can be quarantined like that, it is certainly the safest thing to do. I was quarantined fronMarch to May-June, but I still had to go to my full time job in real life. But did not travel, shop, go out much at all, or even see my own family (which was hard). I am now seeing family and friends again- and I sat down in an indoor restaurant for the first time about a month ago. Was weird and probably not safe, but maybe the safest it will be able to be for a long time. Who knows. I am personally trying to get back into “life” but being extra vigilant about wearing masks. Washing hands. And trying like heck to stay away from people.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (67781)
• United States
27 Oct 20
I’m retired and anti-social, so I really haven’t been bothered, more than rescheduling a doctor’s appointment or two.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (51111)
• Canada
27 Oct 20
Covid has really changed our entire world.
Working for a bank I see first-handed how it has hurt people financially, even though our federal government offered everything from loan, line of credit and mortgage deferrals to monthly cheques for both individuals as well as businesses.
It has taught me to be thankful for the things that count, and they are not all material, many are feelings and time spent with loved ones after careful planning.
@setiyawanangga (123)
• Indonesia
16 Nov 20
Very boring, I was only at home for almost a year, but I had several times to go out for my needs, it turned out that there were still many who did not comply with health protocols.
@maximax8 (31046)
• United Kingdom
27 Oct 20
We booked a vacation for April 2020 and couldn't go on it due to Corona Virus. Most of the travel companies have given me my money back. One train company and two airlines haven't. We have booked a trip within my home country for 2021. I really miss travelling to overseas destinations. School was closed for months. My daughter went back to school for a few weeks as she was in the final year of primary school. Wales is in lockdown again. I live in England and here is it not so bad as it is in Wales.