Corona Journal #1

In late December when I first heard of the coronavirus, I thought that it wouldn't affect me. I assumed it would stay in Wuhan, China. When all of China shut down and was locked up in country-wide quarantine, I was worried for my grandparents and my other relatives, but I thought that was the extent of how it would touch my life. The worry really started when I was on the phone with my grandmother. She told me that her neighbor had coronavirus.

Cases in Washington state started erupting, but I assumed it would stay in the west coast and I would be safe in Minnesota. But Minnesota wasn't untouched for very long. I remember religiously checking news reports as numbers climbed from 5 to 50 in a matter of days. I stopped counting after 80. School shut down, and I thought it was a little bit ridiculous that the governor would close all school statewide because of around 100 cases. But I was glad to have a break after a very difficult school year.

I recognize now just how dangerous COVID-19 is. The true extent of it took quite a while to hit me because of how quickly everything escalated. But I heard news this morning that hit me very hard. My neighbor was tested positive for coronavirus. My family is very close with hers. We live directly across the street from each other. We moved into the neighborhood at around the same time, and I've watched both of her children be brought home from the hospital and slowly grow up. She was a nurse at the front line of the epidemic, and both of her children are under 5. I can't imagine how difficult things are for her right now.

My parents realized how serious the epidemic was right away, but instead of reacting to it appropriately, they became part of the problem. Our closet is filled with N95s and toilet paper. The first week after the school closings were announced, they spent over a thousand dollars panic buying food. They haven't gone to the store since, deciding to have all of our groceries delivered instead. They don't bring any food or packages into the house until they've sprayed it down with rubbing alcohol. I'm extremely frustrated with their reaction to what's going on. Panic buying only contributes to the problem, and my parents are being selfish.

That's the end of what I have to say for now. I'm looking forward to the end of this epidemic and a return to life as it used to be. I miss going to orchestra events and having lessons. I also miss seeing my friends. I might even miss school in a couple of weeks, when I finally succumb to freedom. Until then, I'm going to be enjoying the time I have for my creative pursuits and online schooling.