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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
Coming home from errands around town yesterday (hardware store, grocery) : I say to myself "We are never going to get this pandemic under control because of ignorance or malice. We are a failed state--with repercussions of that failure killing us." Scenes: at the hardware store --an obviously ill sales clerk--underweight perhaps from chronic malnutrition, feverish, coughing, mask failing off his nose gives me directions to aisle 10. He is probably part-time (to save store from sick leave), making a low wage, and at work because he cant afford not to be. A friend refers to "Plantation America." I think of Dickens, Bleak House, death of Jo, the lowly crossing sweeper, by smallpox that also infects his "betters". Then there are always one or two enraged customers barreling into the store mask-less, daring anyone to cross them, and the sales clerks making too little money to enforce store policy or state ruling. So I head home, masked, slathered in hand sanitizer and wonder will I now end up intubated in 14 days because I needed a carton of milk and a bag of potting soil?
January 1, 2021
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We hear a lot these days about the economic impact of the pandemic. Has this been on your mind? If so, tell us what you're thinking.
When I think about the economic impact of the pandemic it makes my head spin. There are so many aspects and it is hard to focus on them or feel like one has a good sense of the impact. I feel that for some people this is a crisis moment, esp for those in third world countries where work has been impacted and basic survival is a challenge in the best of times. This also is the case in the States in some industries, but it isn't universal. Some people are really benefiting, others are languishing, and some are in the middle. For me, it has affected my life because I am a long hauler and can't work in my regular occupation but do receive Unemployment. Unemployment is slated to end at the end of the month and then I am not sure what's next as I haven't heard of many people with Long Covid qualifying for disability benefits. So, I guess we will see. Thankfully, my husbands job has stayed the same during the pandemic.
August 19, 2021