Living Around Coronavirus

This pandemic has affected me on a personal level. My dad was admitted to hospital after being tested positive for Covid 19, so me and my family have been affected greatly. It started with my father going to the bathroom and not feeling well, he had a fever earlier in the day and started to cough. He told me repeatedly that he was fine, but I could see that he wasn’t. He collapsed later that day and I had to call an ambulance for him, it was extremely stressful for me.

He got taken to the hospital and they later called to say that he had tested positive for Covid 19, when they told me my heart sank, my Dad is 83 years old and is in the main group for people most at risk of the virus. I started to mentally prepare for his death, so if it were to happen, I would hopefully be able to cope with it.

I began to think how my Dad contracted the virus. I realised a week before he fell ill that I myself was feeling particularly unwell. I couldn’t taste any food and my head was in a lot of pain and I felt very dizzy, my throat was sore and my nose was blocked up, but since I wasn’t coughing persistently and I didn’t have a temperature, nor was I suffering from shortness of breath, I just thought I had a minor flu. However, I did not let that stop me from going out and I still attended University. At the time I felt so guilty, as I could have potentially infected my Dad, as he had not left the house beforehand.

It has been three weeks and I have yet to see my father due to the quarantine restrictions, but we was fortunate enough to be able to go to the hospital and give him food and fresh clothes, as he doesn’t eat chicken nor is he a vegetarian, so it is hard for the hospital to feed him. I don’t know if he is going to come out or when it will happen, but I hope for the best that he will survive.

The virus has also affected my day to day life. I hate going to the supermarket as I have to queue for a long time, it makes me appreciate life before the pandemic and I just want life to go back to normal. However, I understand that these measures are in place to protect us, and there is nothing wrong with that.

I just want to go McDonald's and get an iced frappe again. I want to be able to go outside without feeling like a criminal. I want to watch the news and not hear people dying. I want to go on holiday again and see my friends. I miss my friends and going out, which makes me incredibly sad.

By Rajay Walker