Leaving Our Fingerprints

Age

61

Date

09/21/2020

Location

Voorheesville, 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?

my wife and I traveled to Nashville to visit a friend in late February. Things were starting to get dicey then especially in early March when we can back. One week later my office (WNYT) was closed to all non-essential. I worked from home for the next three months.

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

I am in AD sales at WNYT and had finished 2019 as a good year with great expectations for 2020 including selling sponsorships to the Olympic coverage on NBC. The year has been a bust on the business side. My sales are 50-70% of the previous year.

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

Since March there have been few opportunities. Travel is not happening, although we recently snuck away to Gloucester Mass. My wife has been great company as she was sent home from work at the same time and called back in shortly after.

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

There really is not much socializing any longer. If you go to a restaurant or bar you feel awkward and uncomfortable.

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?

Our office splits time with half the staff able to go in the morning and the other half afternoon. I have the morning shift. We are on the road selling but most clients really don't want us in their stores.

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

I've spoken a lot about work. At home my wife and I are very careful. She is a dental hygienist and that profession is not safe and not sure if it ever will be again. That is probably our biggest source of anxiety.

Are you an employee who has been laid off or furloughed? Were you able to get unemployment? Were you able to retain your health insurance?

My wife collected unemployment for 11 weeks. My office never closed so I continued to get paid but being a sales person who works on 100% commission it has been a lot less.

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

Zoom calls/e-mail/text and phone have taken the place of in-person sales calls. The changes have made me move up my retirement time line. I am now targeting the end of this year. Work is no fun anymore and there is a lot less money to be made.

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

n/a

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

Constantly on my e-mails. Zoom meetings have become a big part.

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

Just vacations. I have a bunch of time to use before the end of the year now.

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

Our cat has been great company now that my wife has gone back to work.

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

Yes, I had two friends die within the first month. Both in their 60's. Great guys, recently retired. sad.

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

Not yet as gatherings are still not allowed. They just had a mass for Larry, but we were away in Gloucester.

What do you wish you knew before the pandemic began?

How dangerous it is especially for my wife.

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

We have been given so much bad information by the President and good leadership by the Governor. I wish we had not elected a game show host to be president of the US.

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

retail, restaurants. sales, will all be different. Investment companies are all closing their brick and motor shops. We have been forced to do many things on line that have taken getting used to for someone my age.

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

Trump has been a disaster. His lies have only been surpassed by his indifference to the death and destruction going on around him.

Jim

Covid-History Item Type Metadata

Age

Date

Location

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?

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

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

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

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?

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

Are you an employee who has been laid off or furloughed? Were you able to get unemployment? Were you able to retain your health insurance?

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

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

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

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

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

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

What do you wish you knew before the pandemic began?

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

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

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