Residents were asked to “tell a story about how the coronavirus has impacted your life.” Explore 50 responses below, selected at random. Which responses capture your attention? (Some responses were transcribed by youth volunteers.) To learn more about the storyteller and how they interpreted their response, click “Zoom In.”
The boredom
Well first of all, life isnt the same since he whole coronavirus thing going on, I been at home for about two months now and I dont get to see my friends plus Im scared for my life. The virus have changed my whole life for instance online school instead of going to school all of this because of the social distancing.
Together Always
My wife, daughter and I spend more time together than ever. Reason being, is that we work together and now with the cancellation of school, my daughter spends the days at work with us. The coronavirus pandemic has not been all bad.
Struggling through the pandemic
My household is made up of my four children ages 11,8,4 and 7 month old along with my husband and I. I stay home to take care of the kids while my he works. My husband works in landscaping, but his hours have been shortened more and more due to the pandemic. This has left us unable to catch up or pay rent. He has been trying to find work and was able to work twenty three days but his boss did not pay him for the work he did so now we are six months behind in rent. This…
HOPE and BRAVERY
My Dad, at 86 years old, tested POSITIVE from the COVID-19 virus and had to be hospitalized for 13 days. Elderly people with the virus are more probable to die from the disease and he almost did. I tested POSITIVE as well and beat myself up for giving him the virus and praying for a healthy recovery. It turned out that I hadn’t given it to him, he had given it to me. So, that guilt faded. In the meantime, my Mother, Super Mom, slept next to my Father who had the virus, cleaned up our dirty dishes, came into…
Taking this in stride
Well, like everyone else, it hasn’t been easy, however, I feel that I’m blessed. My husband and I are both able to work from home and my family is healthy. What more can I ask for? We have all the essentials, I love being in my home. Life is good.
#TryingToAdapt
The virus has affected me in many ways. I have to get used to a new way of life. Working from home. Wearing masks everywhere I go. Wearing gloves to pump gas. Not being able to shop or eat in restaurants without worrying about whose by me. Not being able to cough in public without everyone looking at me crazy. The new norm is difficult to adapt to. Its a learning process. But I understand that its all for our safety.
#togetherwecandividedwefall
My 92 year old father lives with me full time. His daily routine includes exercising in our community pool at the building where we reside. Unfortunately, there are people coming down to Florida on vacation to escape the pandemic up north or for what reason, I am not sure. But what they are failing to realize is they are putting our elderly and compromised at risk. They are not self quarantined. I have been quarantined for several weeks as I have a responsibility to my father and to the other compromised individuals who live…
Sharing purpose.
Now with Coronavirus waking people up and they are more motivated to explore gardening, growing foods and thinking about food and diet as sources of diseases. Because of this, Ive connected to new people in ways that feels more purpose driven on both sides, which wasnt necessarily there previously. I hope the motivation lasts.
#27 This is the last Place I Thought The Virus Would Spread
Because it is recommended that she stay in place due to high risk symptoms. She says that her illnesse has limited her movement for years. Isolation has been her issue. However, she would take a trip to the closet Nursing facility to visit her Mother. Now, she speaks to her Mother by phone only. I suggested that she call the facility to inquire if the virus has spread there. She has had a list of her church members succumb to the virus. She named them one by one. This is the last place, I thought the virus would spread!
Work (Story #842)
Now all I do is work, and I miss being at school with my friends
EJSJB2020 (Story #NA)
The Year 2020 has been a roller coaster for me, due to COVID-19 I lost my job and it started to get hard for me to provide for myself or my family, on top of that my mother tested positive for Covid, I spent most of my time taking care of her and making sure she gets better. Even though the majority of the year wasnt the best, I remained positive and still found a way to keep a smiled on my face, and thats by surrounding myself with family and friends and always trying to turn this bad situation…
Need a little bit of money
I bearly have time to go shopping and my work is almost closing
Crazy (Story #552)
I would have been the 1st in my family to graduate and go off to school but the virus had pushing everything back to the the point Im really not even going to college nobody have faith in me anymore
Impact of COVID-19
Because of the corona virus my wife can not go to work. we feel very stress because we don’t know who has the virus and who doesn’t have it. I am trying to stay away from group of people as much as i can. I am even scare to go to the grocery store. We can not to to church. The kids are at home and the want to eat every minutes, so the food doesn’t last.
Corona trap
The corona virus has put me out of work with pay though, so Im good just worried bout my family and friends
Life on pause
Im not able to continue my education in the pace that I wont. Because of whats happening, Im taking a leave of absence at work
Living for my sister
post covid my sister was incarcerated and left her 4 kids out in the world im a braider so business got slow and unfortunately I caught covid19 still while tryin to maintain n care for my nieces and nephews things got really hard but couldn’t loose hope and through prayer and family help we made it threw.
No Schooling
Now I focus only football, cause i dont have any classes. If there wasnt Covid, Ill prolly be in summer school right.
#who cares
First of all its frustrating being afraid to go outside. People are still not wearing masks. I try my best to make it back before 11:30 ,but I cant do that with all this black lives matter stuff. People just dont care anymore.
#43 Watch As Well As Pray
My Husband and I haven’t left our home since the last Sunday in March. I am a cancer survivor and have a leaky valve. So,my granddaughters are getting grocery for us. I.really haven’t seen neighbors in my community wearing facial protection as they walk their dogs or ride their bicycles.She says she is confused with the leadership wanting to open up some States. And there are Smithfield plants are a hotspot as well as
Peace through the Storm
So far my family has lost 3 members, for the most part everyone is staying safe as possible. Major change to work life.
God is!!!
The Corona virus has effected me in a little way. I can’t go out to church like I use to but other than that I am truly Blessed to be here through it all.
#SOLOdarity
Change. Nobody likes it. Sometimes though, we have to just go with the flow for the greater good of everyone. By no means is it easy being isolated from seeing friends that we’re used to seeing on a weekly basis or not going into work each day. The strange feeling of knowing that you can’t just go to a movie on the weekend or run to the grocery store to pick up one item with out having to put on a mask and gloves…It still seems surreal even after over 60 days of being quarantined at home. I’m used to…
Store without production
There are less customers coming to my store and its hard for me to provide fore my family, people aren’t staying home and many are getting sick. My sister lost her job, We aren’t getting new products because of the shipping is refusing.
Chaneling my mother
The corona virus has impacted my life by limiting what activities I can do outside my house. I have not been able to travel to visit family in other states, requiring utilization of technology such as zoom and facetime to connect to distant family. I am usually active at least three times a week with volunteer activities and since these are community based I have had to limit these to just a few that I can do from home. This virus has caused me to work on, not yet complete, in home projects, which I report to…
community
Coronavirus has taken a toll on my community stores have been closed for over a month now things are looking bad my community has been on the news with a high coronavirus case within a small community I feel as if that we are not quarantine in the right way and we are taking it for a vintage the government need to seize another we are quarantining in my community I think we should all come together as one and discuss how can we get over this coronavirus and the glaze
#necessities
Covid 19 has impacted my family financially. Im extremely careful on how I spend money, Im prioritizing what bills to pay. At this point, credit scores isnt important, but my family being feed is.
Pandemic (Story #214)
With the whole pandemic going on i been in the house trying to stay safe. Ive been watching the news and see everything thats going on in my community and its crazy to see something like this.
College
I was in college and had to pick everything i was doing up and move back home for the while. Its all something new to us so i just hope everyone is staying safe.
Racism
I feel like corona is the least to be worried about right now, I am taking this time to prepare my body for when football comes back but I feel like racism is the main problem in todays society
Adjusting
My brief input about the pandemic is that it has affected me in some way such as not being able to attend my church on Sundays. Not being able to hug my loved ones like I’m used to. Most importantly learning how to adjust to the current normalcy.
#5 What Car Parade?
It is with great delight that I bring back Mrs Lovenia Corbin and her father,Elmore McCray. Mr McCray celebrated 95 years of life on May 14th with a parade of cars cruising by his home on Saturday the 16th and blowing cars horns to the max! Lovenia asked her Dad on Sunday,Dad did you enjoy the parade of cars for your birthday,Mr McCray answered , what car parade?He did not remember the car parade sadly she said. But.he remembered his girlfriend not being their!!! She does spray her furniture with lysol after she goes out,leaves her shoes at…
Traversing Uncharted Spaces
2020 was a year of FORCED creativity as a result of a global health pandemic causing entire countries to shelter at home to prevent the spread of the virus. While shut in at our homes, we witnessed the horrific murder of Mr. George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of a White police officer which erupted in a racial pandemic which has been suppressed as a result of hundreds of Black lives taken, senselessly. In addition, there was an emergence of technological advancements, proficiencies, and accelerated growth as we shifted our minds and hearts to execute the…
Making the best of it
As a college student majoring in research biology and chemistry, classes are only a small part of my college career. What really separates you from others in the research world, especially in the sciences, is the hands-on experience you gather working in various laboratories and internships. Because of this, the pandemic has completely stalled my progress. I was unable to complete the hands-on research I started this semester, and I couldnt finish the programs I had started in Student Government either. Additionally, my summer plans went upside down when the summer research internship that I was accepted to cancelled their…
Bad virus
By impacting my education also playing football doing what I do and love best
I dont know
Kids home eating all day light in water bill getting sky high…
#63 I don’t Want to leave This Earth As Is
Mrs Johnson is a 95 yr old and she will be celebrating her 96th next week.She is currently living with her daughter, Recently,she was in the hospital with heart failure.She doesn’t want to leave this earth as it is. Prayer is our only key,she said.On Saturday,her grands,great- grands and great-great grands are planning a ride by in celebration of her 96th birthday.She has no fear and believes that America will be resilient/
Covid-19 (Story #943)
I Carmela Herrera, have gone through a hard situation. I am 65 years old I live by myself I was in the process of moving out because I cant afford to pay the rent where I live. Unfortunately I was infected with the virus back in June. I was very sick and was hospitalized for almost 3 weeks. I was connected to the oxygen the whole time. After 3 weeks I was released. I couldn’t work, I had to stay home for another 3 weeks before I was to start working. I am behind in my bills, and need some…
Let me live the life I love because I love the life I live
This virus hasn’t really effected me but it is all in your immune system. What is your blood type? Your immune system strong? But I still go to stores and life is going on. Im healthy and I don’t know anyone that is sick.
#50 I Hope My Community Is safe:
Ms Jordan has been bound to a wheelchair for several years after a surgical procedure.Her impact statement is that I don’t want to catch it. I am obedient to everything advised,My needs are fulfilled by my Granddaughter groceries,prescriptions etc.I only open my door to my physical therapist and nurse.I hope that my Community is safe!
Single Mother Struggle during COVID19
I have been out of work and unable to pay my bills on time as I also have a hard time feeding myself and my 6 year old son who is also in school remotely.
A New Reality: The Journey of a Second Grade Teacher Through the Pandemic
Hi. I’ll start at the beginning. I’m a elementary school teacher. A little more than two weeks ago I started to feel bad. Like I had the flu times 10. I wasn’t surprised because my children have been sick for over 3 weeks with the same symptoms as we’re talking about now. One I sent to the nurse had a high fever, wheezing, could barely stand up. He went home, and went to the hospital where they kept him overnight. He was out the next two days, then back in school, still…
We need a solution
The corona virus has put me out of work and now Im home with my bad kids. But this is a really scary time for the world and we need to act and find a solution quick
A Not-So Gentle Reminder to Slow Down and Connect
I feel like I should be more concerned about the Corona Virus but I can’t help but feel a certain sense of calm around the whole situation. Maybe it is the connectedness – everyone is in it together and thinking of neighbors and loves ones. Because we are limited in where we can go, our home is filled with family time. Board games, pool time, and yoga have dominated the past weeks. When I walk my dog, everyone says hello now – or at least respond to me when I say hello (which I normally do). The sense of Unity…
Inconvenience
All of my VA appointments have been canceled and I have no way of getting any pain medications for my Leg or shoulder. My surgery has been postponed until further notice due to the coronavirus. Also, the lack of essentials such as toilet paper, rubbing alcohol, bleach, and hand sanitizers at grocery stores. Wearing a mask when going out to public places can be irritating.
I WAS SHOCKED!
Getting to the point, Mr Drayton lost his job during the height of this epidemic(April 3rd last day). His job of 7 years emerged with another company,. He had been promised an employment opportunity with the new company but to no avail. I was shocked to learn at the last minute/day,I wasn’t going to be hired. Now, I work 4 hrs per day Mon-Fri at the local church that my daughter and I attend/participate. The church is helping by giving me these 20 hours a week. I am a Single Parent of a 16 year old daughter. Her name is…
My son doesnt live with his family anymore wptv news
Since the coronavirus has started my son has been going to his grandmas house Monday through Friday. The amount of work he gets from school at 6 to 8 hours my husband and I dont see him until the weekend. And my son was OK with it at first but now he goes into the bathroom at his grandmothers house and cries he doesnt want to be separated from his family and hes literally shipped out of his house all week our family unit has been divided as I work full-time and his dad works full-time and neither of us…
#15
My daughter is a Nurse with the Health Department. She told me much earlier about there would be a demanding need for facial protection. I am a seamtress. It gives me great joy and peace ….making sure that all healthcare workers and those in the community are not exposed to the virus through facial masking. A strong enough effort should have been imposed for safety/protection sooner than Now! I have a cousin and her spouse living in Detriot who beat the Corona Virus. I am thankful!
#69 It brings tears to my eyes
Mrs Tucker’s immediate response was America is way over the top! never thought that I would see America looking as a third world country.. This brings tears to my eyes. I came here for opportunity.Now I have lost a husband since being here. I cannot seem to get over the lost I only way out of this is kneeling for prayer.
Lost (Story #656)
Hello my name Raymond and I feel as if coronavirus has struck the wrong fast I truly believe that this virus has impacted a lot of folks across the room alarm many people have died because it is bars and they have taken a toll on Panna Road I feel as many people has thought it wasnt that serious but now as a bigger picture been two months under quarantine and I have open mini eyes sorry for the families that have lost
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