When we turn on the news channel, what do we see? When we flick through the feeds on social media platforms, what do we read? When we turn on the radio, what do we hear? These are three different questions, but they all share the same answer. In times like these it is not just important to look after ourselves physically, but mentally too. A pandemic such as this is one not only takes a toll on how we live our lives, but to how this new change in lifestyle and fear of the known and unknown will make us feel on the inside. As someone who deals with anxiety on a daily basis, I can empathise with what a lot of the world’s population is going through and many people choose not to speak of it for fear of having it come to life or it may just be thoughts that are better kept secret. These thoughts shouldn’t be kept on the inside, they should be let out so others can help ease the burden of them.
However, if people are too anxious to say them out loud then allow me to help with that; it feels like life is crumbling underneath us and we feel powerless to stop this breakdown, isn’t that it? The fact that we have been reduced to a lockdown with all our favourite pubs, clubs, clothes shops and cafes closed until further notice and even though the news reports have issued a date of March 29th for venues across Galway city to open, will they really open that date? Will this lockdown go on further if the number of confirmed cases rise? That is a worry in itself; if cases continue to rise, which they are, what is the next step the Government will take?
The new guidelines of “Social Distancing” is also a constant worry that plays on our minds and it has made a massive impact on people’s mental health. I am one of the many retail workers that works in the front line and coming into contact with a huge number of customers on the shop floor is honestly driving my anxiety through the roof. As much as I try to keep my distance from customers, they still take one step forward while you take two steps back. It seems that no matter how many lines of tape we put down or how many times we tell customers to distance themselves from you, it goes in one ear and out the other! The whole point of this new guideline was to reduce the risk of people contracting the virus yet I’m seeing people come in with their entire families and group of friends. Are people not understanding that they are putting others at risk, but maybe they will finally learn a lesson when it’ their family member who gets sick? Saying that does seem a little harsh, but it’s a global pandemic and we need to listen to these guidelines because they are there to protect us and if we keep pushing against those guidelines then we are in major trouble.
As a retail worker I am constantly in fear of the customers I come into contact with every day, the what-ifs are constantly swimming around in my head. I’m unable to see my best friends and go for crepes or trips to the cinema like we normally do when we all have free time, I can’t enjoy the nights out after work with my work friends anymore because of closed venues and worst of all, I can’t even see my own family for fear of exposing them to the virus. The thought of my parents or younger siblings contracting the virus is a guilt that would haunt me forever especially with my younger sister dealing with asthma problems. For those of you out there with these fears, don’t be afraid to speak to someone even if it has to be through online. We may not be able to see the people we love or do the things we normally do, but if we abide by the rules then we will make the life we once knew one step closer to us and that’s something we won’t be distancing ourselves from.
Why does it seem like people will only take it seriously when they are directly impacted by COVID-19? When the announcement of the first death in Ireland came out to the public, schools and colleges were shutdown. Then followed the announcements on RTE as Leo Varadkar announced the closure of numerous places in order to decrease the spread of the virus in which the public reacted to by panic buying toilet paper and pasta in every supermarket across the Irish nation. It seemed that people were stocking up to stay home, but now it feels like the panic has died down just a tad. When people are urged to stay at home it shouldn't be a choice, it should be a requirement. I have seen young children running around supermarkets and the parents walking around like they have no cares in the world; it is the wrong reaction to have. My own parents leave my younger siblings at home or in the car if they are going anywhere that will have crowds around which is the right way to do it.
You are putting your children at risk if you are bringing them into a crowded place of more than 100 people or even just a small number of people! You are putting yourself and everyone around you at risk and what's more, it seems like you don't care, but you really should. There are people out there who are unknowingly carrying the virus and we could bump into them at any stage, yet we choose to ignore this fact.
I'm not ordering every single individual to stay at home forever, but to take caution in how we are living our lives at this point in time. It's perfectly understandable if you want to go out for a walk and get some fresh air (don't let cabin fever set in), but do it safely. If you need shopping then there's no harm in doing it online or if you prefer getting out of the house and doing it that way then maybe do it alone and don't bring the whole family with you, what good is that going to do?
This is a worldwide emergency, it's time we started treating it like one or else the life we once knew will be distancing itself from us.
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