While we’re still in the dark times of the pandemic, most of us are dreaming of returning to normal life this year. The world has changed dramatically with precautions in place to keep us safe and reduce the spread of COVID-19 and an outbreak. I feel isolated but am very lucky to have family to live with in exchange for social and emotional support. Because of RTD, I was expected to essentially quarantine every day with my family in our immediate household, meaning that I had to avoid putting my health at risk. I haven’t been able to go anywhere or visit my close friends and relatives for a long time. But I sometimes communicate with them online which helps me stay in touch with them. Zoom is a great place to connect with people from anywhere in the world and hold virtual events. For instance, an appointment I had in there with my old friend a few weeks ago went well as I was grateful for them. Another thing that happened was when I decided to try a Zoom dance party a couple times to see what it was like to be virtually active. The people I met online are nice, but the music made it difficult to talk to them while dancing. Communication is one of the major challenges I have faced due to deafness and low vision. In addition, the benefits I learned from my virtual experience include saving time and energy. I prefer in-person gatherings more, however this virus gets in the way that we know leads to an increase of cases. My grandmother stays away from the public and quarantines a lot, so she is able to be with me and my parents safely.
The coronavirus is a powerful “teacher” on the ways we interact with the real world that changed our social behavior. Humans evolve over time and science is key to making a difference in reality. New technologies are developing rapidly as a result of more time spent online. Most people don’t really like sitting in front of their screens for hours and somewhat struggle to have access to fast internet. Believe it or not, it’s okay to feel this way, because we all go through logistic challenges as part of life. Despite the COVID-related restrictions, schools and businesses are closed and we were required to isolate ourselves by doing stuff online at home. Therefore, the situation has been tough for everyone amid the pandemic, including myself, my family, and my home community. Maybe even the worst thing that has happened in my lifetime. So many people got infected with the virus, and hundreds of thousands have died from it since last March. Many are hospitalized, while others who test positive often have mild illnesses. The health crisis not only disrupted our lives but also played a huge impact on society as well as economic and environmental conditions. Millions lost their jobs and they had to rely on government help to receive unemployment benefits.
Everyone asked, “When will life return to normal like it was before the pandemic began?” Well, I think it will be a while. My best hope is that when vaccines become widely available to prevent COVID-19, the vast majority of the population would hopefully reach herd immunity by summer or fall. But I’m a little worried about the new coronavirus variants that may slow the progress against it. The two of them were originated in the United Kingdom and South Africa—-both are more contagious than the old version of COVID.
I got my first shot on February 2nd, and I’m waiting a few weeks for the second dose. I’m getting excited about returning to a pre-pandemic life. It probably won’t change for months, since only a small percentage of total population are already fully vaccinated. If everything improves over the first half of 2021, I am eager to go back to school and volunteer somewhere to get basic work experience, depending on what plays out. Online learning and virtual gatherings are still vital to continue until we know how much protection vaccines provide in a large part of the population. I was going to visit my grandfather in Massachusetts by mid-June and see my friends again. I miss my close friends and family very much because of how much I care about them. That means we must follow the guidelines to avoid infection. No one I know has ever been positive for the virus. I would consider getting tested before I see my friends and family just to make sure I don’t carry and transmit it to others.
Nothing in life is risk-free for anyone right now, even when we’ve received the vaccine. I’m always careful about what I’m about to do safely like double-masking and social distancing. Pandemics take a long, long time to be completely under control. I know how sad it has been for everyone, especially when we are used to being social and chose to do what we wanted. We just need to hang on and listen to the experts about the steps we must take to stay healthy. Someday I hope to be able to get involved in the community and participate in real-world events again as soon as the pandemic nears end. Dear God, please allow light to come at the end of the tunnel. Leave the doors open for widespread vaccinations and make the days go calmer, offer hope, and let the nation do the best it can to make our lives better.
