Barrett
Covid-History Item Type Metadata
Age
43
Date
02/17/2021
Location
Buffalo, NY
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?
Heard about it in the news in January and February 2020, fell sick with very similar symptoms after my daughter's mother returned home from a trip to Mumbai, turned out not to be COVID. First case hit Buffalo in early March I believe. My jobs (librarian; writing tutor; creative director of a mixed use laundromat) all went online March 15.
How is your life different now than it was before the pandemic?
On my butt more, sadly. Forcing lots more exploration of outdoor spaces though—a huge plus:)
How are you feeling? What are you doing to relieve stress?
Feeling ok. Rollarskating and iceskating a lot, as always, probably just more so:)
What have you noticed has changed in your community since the outbreak? What has surprised you?
My freinds are mostly rather well-behaved about the containment measures, although I've notice our bubbles (a.k.a. microbiomes;) starting to slowly expand as the months go on. I've been very lucky to stay out of harm's way, as has almost everyone I know.
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?
I am a business co-owner of a mixed-use laundromat that doubles as a community arts and resource center, but our business has been on pause while we await the completion of construction of a new space; construction has slowed but not stopped thankfully and we are poised to reopen in April of 2021!
Are you an essential employee? What do you do? What precautions are being taken at your workplace? What precautions are implementing at home?
Not essential. Been working remotely since March 2020.
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?
Thankfully not furloughed or laid off...yet!
Are you working from home? What adjustments or challenges are you experiencing?
Yes. Butt pain. Parent-teaching a fifth grader, who, granted, is in school, albeit from home as well though. Feeling uncertain about how I've held out in many ways for the eventual recovery, and maybe not really leaned into "The Big Pivot" as much as I should have.
Do you have children at home? How’s it going?
Yes. An 11 yr old. We get along great, even though being around each other 3 more than usual does thin our patience at times.
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?
Not a student. I do work at/for 2 colleges though, neither of which have set plans for the Fall 2021 yet.
Did you have to postpone any major life events? (e.g. Graduation, wedding, major birthday) What did you do instead?
Yes, many summer trips, and a couple family reunions. Stayed home, swam in Lake Erie all summer.
Do you have animals? Did you adopt a pet? How have they impacted your day?
We did adopt (bought more accurately) two hamsters, who have shared with us their generally adorable and hilarious tendencies, including, ironically enough, burrowing.
Did you or someone you know contract COVID-19? What was it like?
The few people that i know, albeit indirectly, who contracted COVID made it through no problem—thankfully.
If you lost someone during the pandemic, how did you celebrate their lives?
Did not, thank goodness.
What do you wish you knew before the pandemic began?
Not to get involved in international dating (very easy in Buffalo, what with Fort Erie just across the Niagara River, and Toronto just a bit further).
What would you want future generations to know about the 2020 pandemic? How would you recommend they prepare for it?
It was serious. We fought like hell against the false claims, but we also fought like hell to stay together. The pandemic also exposed America's deplorable underbelly of systemic racism and inequity.
How do you think this pandemic will change how we behave going forward? What will the “new normal” look like?
Less compulsory in-person attendance
Is there anything else you would like to add that hasn't already been asked above?
accelerated tech development
Dublin Core
Title
Barrett
Subject
COVID-19 (Disease)
Publisher
Southern Adirondack Library System
Date
02/17/2021
Contributor
Southern Adirondack Library System
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Language
English
Type
Covid History
Identifier
12417490839
Coverage
Coronavirus Pandemic
Collection
Citation
“Barrett,” Leaving Our Fingerprints on History, accessed April 20, 2024, https://fingerprints.sals.edu/omeka/items/show/339.