Lockdown Jitters

In the midst of the virus outbreak, not many understood the weight of the consequences the virus carried. For the first three months, people carried on with their lives and everyday actions and bared no fear towards the pandemic. Unlike Italy, my country had a few cases in which no one batted their eyes. Masks and gloves were not necessary, alongside social distancing – now that I remember in retrospect, these precautions should have been applied earlier so that we could have avoided major spikes in cases.

The first fear people started experiencing was when the cases started to gradually double and they moved closer to the capital. Still, people did not bother to listen to the protocols the government gave out. I, on the other hand, didn’t change my everyday tasks. I am an introvert- one who keeps to themselves. Prior to the outbreak, I spent my days inside the house, typing away mindlessly on the family laptop, researching future university majors, and crossing out places I did not want to study in. The outbreak caused people to cover inside their houses and they finally had a taste of what it felt being like me. For months, people stayed inside and occasionally scurried to the store and packed their cars with unnecessary supplies worthy of withstanding a World War.

Today is a different story. Deaths in my county have increased alongside the COVID-19 cases, but people do not care anymore. Clubs are open, bars are open until the early mornings and no one follows the protocols anymore. It seems as if those who wear masks and gloves are a minority- they are being laughed at for “worrying”.

I follow reports and statements made by governments about future vaccines and theories about COVID-19 calming down and allowing life to go back to normal. I am slowly starting to feel afraid for my future. Online classes are tiresome and I do not learn anything through them. The only wish I have is to be able to experience my last years in high school and first year in university in real life, through physical contact and without social distancing.