Cheryl

Covid-History Item Type Metadata

Age

70

Date

06/04/2020

Location

Ballston Lake, New York

When did the impact of COVID-19 first occur to you? How did your reaction to COVID-19 change between then and the first case in your town?

The impact hit me when we shut down in mid March. I realized that I had to cancel my plane trip to see my grandchildren. I only see them once a year. This was a difficult decision to make. I am hopeful that I can go in the summer.

How is your life different now than it was before the pandemic?

My daily routine changed very little. I have had to give up my exercise classes at the YMCA. I don't exercise at home as much. I miss seeing the other people from the class.

How are you feeling? What are you doing to relieve stress?

I am dealing very well. I don't feel a lot of stress for myself. I am bothered to see the food lines on TV. I know this is difficult for younger people who have children.

What have you noticed has changed in your community since the outbreak? What has surprised you?

I couldn't have imagined that a day would come when you couldn't get your hair cut, teeth cleaned, get a mammogram or have elective surgery. This all surprised me but I do understand the reasoning behind it. I was also surprised by the empty shelves at the grocery stores.

Are you a business owner who has had to close? If you are still open, how have you had to adjust how your business operates?

n/a

Are you an essential employee? What do you do? What precautions are being taken at your workplace? What precautions are implementing at home?

I work per diem for Saratoga Hospital. I do mammography. Screening patients were cancelled. Someone with a problem could still get her mammogram done. The staff in our department has been reduced to only one or two technologists per day. I haven't been called to work for 3 months.

Are you working from home? What adjustments or challenges are you experiencing?

n/a

Do you have children at home? How’s it going?

n/a

If you’re a student, was school canceled? Were you able to complete your studies online? Do you think you’ll be back on campus in the fall?

n/a

How are you using social media, the Internet, or digital platforms during the pandemic?

Some

Did you have to postpone any major life events? (e.g. Graduation, wedding, major birthday) What did you do instead?

We just cancelled travel plans to see our family.

Do you have animals? Did you adopt a pet? How have they impacted your day?

n/a

What positive things did you contribute to or notice take place?

We made financial contributions. I also made some masks and donated them.

Did you or someone you know contract COVID-19? What was it like?

n/a

If you lost someone during the pandemic, how did you celebrate their lives?

n/a

What would you want future generations to know about the 2020 pandemic? How would you recommend they prepare for it?

The pandemic affects people differently. There are some heart wrenching stories of people not having enough money or food. This pandemic has hardly had any effect on me. I think this is also a side of this event. My husband and I have enough to eat. We have to wear masks when we go out and we can't get too close to people - "Big deal".

How do you think this pandemic will change how we behave going forward? What will the “new normal” look like?

I think we will have a heightened awareness for germs as we go forward. We used to call them "cooties". I also think we will slip back to our old ways after enough time has passed if this virus entirely goes away.

Is there anything else you would like to add that hasn't already been asked above?

This is an important project. Thank you for doing it.

Dublin Core

Title

Cheryl

Publisher

Southern Adirondack Library System

Language

English

Type

Covid History

Identifier

11666629252

Citation

“Cheryl,” Leaving Our Fingerprints on History, accessed March 29, 2024, https://fingerprints.sals.edu/omeka/items/show/104.

Output Formats

Geolocation