The Adventure of the Pandemic Year

This week marks a year since the UK first went into lockdown and we really began to feel the effects of living through a pandemic so today I thought I'd reflect on this time. 

Back in late 2019 we heard reports of this new disease spreading in China. The media went a bit mad about it but we could all remember bird flu and swine flu and endless other viruses which led to hysteria among journalists but didn't affect our lives in any way. As 2020 dawned, it became apparent that Covid-19 would reach our shores and would kill people but the message we seemed to be given was that it was pretty much the same as regular flu and you'd be fine if you were young and healthy.

Next thing we knew, the government were announcing that the country would shut down, we'd have to stay at home and could only leave for exercise once a day, and the world as we knew had changed. On the whole, I didn't mind the first lockdown. I'd been having a really stressful time at work and some time off was more than welcome. It gradually dawned on me how lucky I was at that moment to work in a school. I did a few days work here and there supporting the most vulnerable students but for the most part it was a long holiday, complete with pay. Sure, there were moments when I wanted nothing more than to go somewhere different but I was able to observe spring arrive and immerse myself in nature. Others sadly were furloughed or lost their jobs completely and struggled to put food on the table. 

The announcement of lockdown began a year of fear. The virus which we'd been led to believe was not much of a problem suddenly appeared to be a lot more serious. We now knew that it was possible to catch it and have no symptoms at all but also heard stories of perfectly healthy people becoming seriously ill, forced to have a machine breathe for them and even dying. I don't know about you but I felt helpless, the only defence being to wash our hands regularly. I know how easily illnesses can spread at work, remembering a weekend when nearly everyone in the same classroom had the same horrific sickness bug and felt resigned to catching the virus at some point and crossing my fingers that I wouldn't get too ill. 

I felt like things began to get better in the department when things started to open up a bit more. The decrease in cases meant we were less likely to catch it and suddenly everyone had to wear a mask. I worked a bit more in the summer term but by then the school has invested in PPE and thermal cameras to check temperatures. There'd still be horrific moments when a passer-by seemed to never have heard of the concept of social distancing and really the fear never dwindled until I'd finally had the vaccine. 

There was one moment when I developed a cough and needed a test but it proved to be nothing. This was the first of many Covid tests as 2021 saw weekly testing at work followed by then being given a testing kit to use at home. I thought after a while the process of sticking a swab down your throat and then an unnaturally long way up the nostril would begin to feel less unpleasant but I've yet to reach that stage yet. It's also feels like you're setting up a small laboratory as you get all the stuff out to do a test at home.

One of the worst things about the pandemic is not being able to see friends and family. I was fortunate to still live with my parents during the first lockdown and even since moving out I can still see them regularly as they are my 'social bubble'. But I've barely seen my brother in the last year, not even at Christmas thanks to the government's last minute change of rules, and neither have I seen much of my grandparents. I was able to see a few friends in the summer when things were more relaxed but for the majority of the last year it's been messaging and the occasional Zoom call. I know we all have people who we've missed out on spending time with over the last year and it's heart-breaking.

It's hard to know when things will truly get better. Every date we were given by the government that things would be better has sailed past and a year on in yet another lockdown. On the one hand, there is hope what with half the adult population of the UK now having been vaccinated. It looks like the second half of this year should see us at least being able to see the people we've so dearly missed. It seems like normality could be some way off yet what with mainland Europe suffering a horrific third wave. 

I always try to look for a silver lining and wonder if the pandemic has had any benefits. Personally, I feel like I've developed a resilience I didn't have before. I think back to the stress I was going through immediately before the first lockdown and think that I would cope so much better a year on. The pandemic has thrown us curveball after curveball and as awful as this was to experience, I think it's helped to prepare me for the unpredictability of life.