One Month into the COVID-19 Quarantine

Last Updated on October 7, 2023

A number of things have changed since my last blog update. To start with the basics:

• I can no longer safely leave my own home without fear of an unseen enemy.
• I can not go out into public without endangering myself and others.
• I have a curfew for the first time in my life and must be home by 8 PM.
• I’m supposed to wear gloves and a face mask before leaving home if it’s absolutely essential for me to go somewhere. Otherwise, I shouldn’t even go out.
• I can’t see my relatives or my friends because we’re all quarantined.
• More or less, I have to spend an indefinite length of time locked away at home.

In effect, it kind of feels like I’m living some scene straight out of the movie Contagion. Fortunately for all of us, the virus we are dealing with in real life isn’t quite as deadly as the one in the film. Still, it is imperative we take COVID-19 seriously as it is dangerous, and even deadly, for those who experience serious complications as a result of infection.

While the World Health Organization pleads for us to practice social distancing, it is easy to feel isolated. To get through this pandemic, we will have to remember that we are not alone in what we’re going through. A lot of people are going to feel depressed and lonely as we advance through these trying times. In fact, most of the modern globalized world is going through this far-reaching and dangerous pandemic together. SARS Coronavirus 2 causes a respiratory illness so it is able to spread very quickly.

Some way or another, this coronavirus virus jumped to humans in the city of Wuhan, China sometime in November or December. There is debate surrounding what animal it originated in. Some say bats. Some say pangolins. Some say snakes. Whatever happened, the result of this jump was a new human virus so contagious it has managed to spread to the far corners of the Earth in a relatively short period of time. Now it feels like the virus is everywhere and unless an effective vaccine is developed and distributed quickly, we will likely risk the possibility that SARS coronavirus 2 could become endemic in humans.

Naturally, the travel industry has taken quite a hit as most airlines have suspended their normal air traffic routes. Flights are far and few between. The masses have been instructed to stay home and avoid all nonessential travel. Even once the quarantine has been lifted, I suspect it will take a while before people feel comfortable traveling again. An unfortunate setback for the industry.

All of this is to put our safety first. To be clear: I feel the circumstances of this quarantine are unfortunate and I am eagerly awaiting all of this to be over so everyone can live normally and safely once again. So I can see my family, my friends, and even strangers!

Being an introvert, I have to admit, I have been enjoying having a bit of extra time alone and all to myself. It has been helpful in granting me the time and space I need to focus, recenter myself, and work towards my own projects from the comfort of my own home. There’s something to be said about eliminating distractions for great lengths of time. I’ve been really productive with working towards my personal goals so I’m proud of that. I was already fortunate to have access to a work-from-home job so it really doesn’t feel like a whole lot has changed…

What have you been doing to pass the time in quarantine? Bingeing any good Netflix series? If you have any suggestions, I’m sure we’d all love to hear them. We could very well still have weeks ahead of us, if not months. Let’s get through this together. I hope you are safe and healthy during these times.