Don
Covid-History Item Type Metadata
Age
51
Date
05/27/2020
Location
Queensbury, 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?
Late February, as news about the carnage in Italy began to make headlines.
How is your life different now than it was before the pandemic?
In too many ways to count. My job as an essential worker is more stressful and involves more hours. There is little to no socialization at work or after work.
How are you feeling? What are you doing to relieve stress?
There is a feeling of helplessness, that while things have stabilized that a return is coming for the fall/winter. Relieving stress involves hiking or biking.
What have you noticed has changed in your community since the outbreak? What has surprised you?
Some changes have been good, some bad. People are on edge. But there has also been a spirit of cooperation and benevolence among the good people in society.
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 for county government, working with the Health Department, Office of Emergency Services and others. Lots of hand sanitizer, mask requirements, many are working from home. At home, we wash hands frequently and have limited our children's socialization.
Do you have children at home? How’s it going?
Yes, older teens. They seem to be doing as well as can be expected.
Did you have to postpone any major life events? (e.g. Graduation, wedding, major birthday) What did you do instead?
Vacations, birthdays, college visits. We didn't do really much of anything in their place.
Do you have animals? Did you adopt a pet? How have they impacted your day?
Yes, two dogs. They have helped, as they get lots of walks now.
What positive things did you contribute to or notice take place?
Helped make masks, delivered masks, donated to local food/toiletry collections, helped at food drop.
Did you or someone you know contract COVID-19? What was it like?
Yes, several people. Most had just mild cases, but one was hospitalized with severe illness but eventually recovered.
What do you wish you knew before the pandemic began?
How long it would last, and how much economic impact there would be.
What would you want future generations to know about the 2020 pandemic? How would you recommend they prepare for it?
Save some money, have a nest egg to fall back on if you lose your job. Too many people were unprepared. That includes having some supplies, such as non-perishable food, on hand.
How do you think this pandemic will change how we behave going forward? What will the “new normal” look like?
Big crowds will not occur for a while. Sporting events and schools will be impacted for years to come.
Is there anything else you would like to add that hasn't already been asked above?
The mental health impact of this will be tremendous for many years. Alcoholism will also surge, I fear.
Dublin Core
Title
Don
Subject
COVID-19 (Disease)
Publisher
Southern Adirondack Library System
Contributor
Southern Adirondack Library System
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Language
English
Type
Covid History
Identifier
11639716103
Coverage
Coronavirus Pandemic
Collection
Citation
“Don,” Leaving Our Fingerprints on History, accessed April 26, 2024, https://fingerprints.sals.edu/omeka/items/show/171.