Mary
Covid-History Item Type Metadata
Age
65
Date
05/25/2021
Location
Town of Rotterdam, 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?
At first I was not concerned because it was happening across the country, in the state of Washington. Then it was happening here in NYS. It was scary watching & listening to coverage of the number of people becoming ill with COVID, and even dying from the virus. I was very proud that eventually NYS was able to reduce the number of cases of the virus, including hospitalizations and deaths from it.
How is your life different now than it was before the pandemic?
I have been at home more, and of course wearing a mask and washing my hands often. Also, trying to keep surfaces, door knobs & handles clean. The activities that I was involved in stopped & are now beginning to start again.
How are you feeling? What are you doing to relieve stress?
I am fine. I was able to get the vaccine. I've been trying to keep myself busy at home, going out for a walk sometime.
What have you noticed has changed in your community since the outbreak? What has surprised you?
I'm retired. I've been at home. However, my husband & son were both working during the pandemic. Lots of other people were having to go to work during the pandemic. It seemed that everyone was making the best of a bad situation. I am happy to see us adapt and reopen. My grandson was able to safely go to school. Lots of people were able to work from home.
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?
No.
Are you an essential employee? What do you do? What precautions are being taken at your workplace? What precautions are implementing at home?
No.
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?
No.
Are you working from home? What adjustments or challenges are you experiencing?
No.
Do you have children at home? How’s it going?
No.
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?
I'm not a student. However, I was just able to take an online class & do a lot of things using Zoom.
Did you have to postpone any major life events? (e.g. Graduation, wedding, major birthday) What did you do instead?
We actually were able to have my nephew's wedding at a reduced capacity. It was held on a farm and partially outside. My husband & I had a day trip/bus trip to NYC planned, in May of 2020. It was canceled. We were able to safely travel to New Hampshire in August/September of 2020. People there were following COVID safety protocols.
Do you have animals? Did you adopt a pet? How have they impacted your day?
Yes, a dog. Our dog was good company to me while I had to be at home & in the house a lot.
What positive things did you contribute to or notice take place?
I try to help out with a church food pantry and the local food bank. Also, made sandwiches and cookies for an organization that helps the needy and/or homeless. I tried to make small monetary donations to some organizations.
Did you or someone you know contract COVID-19? What was it like?
No.
What do you wish you knew before the pandemic began?
I guess to understand how the virus started, how it traveled so quickly, got here, and was able to spread so quickly.
What would you want future generations to know about the 2020 pandemic? How would you recommend they prepare for it?
To understand what had to take place in order to create the virus, the ability for it to travel from animals to humans. All the conditions that had to occur, including environmental, to assist in creating the virus. We don't want it to happen again. We lost a lot of people in a short period of time. Knowledge is always power. Learn what you can about what happened with COVID 19. Are there any positive changes we can make as a result? Can we work together and make them?
How do you think this pandemic will change how we behave going forward? What will the “new normal” look like?
The ability for some people to work from home more often. For some, continuing to wear masks. Increased cleanliness and awareness of germ/virus transmission. Continuing to help others in need.
Is there anything else you would like to add that hasn't already been asked above?
We need to care for ourselves, others, and to care for our planet. Working together we're able to do so much.
Dublin Core
Title
Mary
Subject
COVID-19 (Disease)
Publisher
Southern Adirondack Library System
Date
05/25/2021
Contributor
Southern Adirondack Library System
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Language
English
Type
Covid History
Identifier
12687214653
Coverage
Coronavirus Pandemic
Collection
Citation
“Mary,” Leaving Our Fingerprints on History, accessed April 16, 2024, https://fingerprints.sals.edu/omeka/items/show/380.