It’s been almost 18 months since the whole world was turned upside down. About 70 weeks since our lives all irreversibly changed. Roughly 500 days since the worldwide pandemic started it’s very own chapter in future history books. Twelve thousand hours since anybody was able to say with any certainty what would happen the next week, the next month or the next year. Around 720,000 seconds since we first heard how dangerous the Coronavirus/Covid-19 could be to any of us.
We’ve all had very different experiences in the “new normal”, (I really hate that saying.) Fortunately, most of us got lucky and weren’t affected by the actual virus, staying healthy and safe the whole time. Sadly, hundreds of thousands of people around the world, have lost their lives. The families and friends of those victims will forever remember this time.
Nurses and doctors were pushed to the limits, making incredible sacrifices to keep themselves, their families and the rest of the population, safe. Hospitals that were already severely understaffed and underfunded, were expected to magically have all the space and equipment to help all the people suffering from the virus. Many morgues were over crowded and running out of space for the deceased.
Schools and daycares were shut down. I myself was in school when Covid hit, so my program was delayed causing the 11 weeks to turn into 6 months…and I got lucky. With children having no school or daycare to attend during the day, many parents were forced to stay home. The lucky adults were able to continue to do their jobs remotely, but many had to take unpaid leaves of absence or permanently leave their place of employment. “Essential” workers continued working, struggling to find care for their children and to keep themselves safe, added a great deal of extra pressure to their already stressful jobs.
I am greatly relieved, as I’m sure most of us are, that the world seems to slowly, but surely, finally be opening back up. With the vaccine rollout, and over 70% people (in my area) already having both doses, people are starting to venture back out into their communities. However, the pandemic, and the reopening of things, has created anxiety in many people.
Whether your anxiety is about going back to work or going back to the salon for your first haircut, it’s going to be rough on many people. There are many businesses struggling to find employees, but there are just as many, if not more, people who can’t find employment. People are in limbo and it’s a big nasty circle for lots of them. The schools and daycares are planning to open fully in September (again, in my area), so people are starting to plan their return to the office. But what happens when a couple weeks, or a month later, the schools have to shut again? Limbo, no one knows what’s going to happen. So really nothing has changed since March 2020.
Myself, I’m very hesitant to make any sort of plans for anything. Whether that’s a haircut or a camping trip, or repairing my truck or replacing the dryer, it’s all the same unknown. I’m extremely lucky that my partner has a steady full time job, (he’s one of those essential workers I mentioned) but who knows if or when that could change. I care for my elderly grandmother and she lives in her own home still. It’s always on my mind, what if something happens and she ends up in the hospital? She will be alone, no visitors allowed (as far as I know) and she doesn’t speak English, what will her care look like and how will those nurses and doctors that are already so stressed be able to communicate and care for her? So, I do my very best to make sure she’s safe and healthy. That’s all I can do.
One way or another, we will all be feeling the effects of Covid-19 for a long, long time. Until we’re all completely on the other side of this, please take care of yourselves and your families. We never know what’s going to happen next as the world keeps on turning.
Catt On The Run 