My Pandemic Experience

I'm eating a thanksgiving dinner alone today, like an unusually large number of people this year, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. On March 25, near the beginning of coronavirus spread in the US, I wrote the following as the start of a blog post on the topic:

"The number of COVID-19 cases is on an exponential trajectory at the moment, and it seems like a good idea to write a bit about the situation now because it's something I may be fortunate enough to look back on in the future."

At that point, I put off writing for another time, as with most of my other blog posts in the past few years. Luckily (in a very narrow sense), the pandemic is as relevant today as it was in March, so despite my procrastination I still have time to reflect from the midst of the event.

So far, I have been as fortunate as I hoped; my personal experience this year only involves the indirect effects of the virus. I was able to work remotely, and I was able to go and bunker down with my parents for April and May, the great lockdown. The highways were as empty as I had ever seen them when I was leaving Atlanta in late March, and the electric highway signs were flashing ominous messages like "Coronavirus: stay home" and "Wash hands. Cover cough." These highway signs have evolved over the months of pandemic; later in the summer I saw "Wear a mask, it's the right thing to do" and "Keep gatherings <10 people" and "Protect the vulnerable."

There was a lot of uncertainty in the early days. Masks weren't officially recommended yet and we weren't sure how paranoid to be about things like disinfecting groceries and receiving mail. As the months passed, we got a better handle on how to manage and mitigate risk to stay safe without going crazy. The phrase 'new normal' gets thrown around a lot these days, and I think it's a testament to human flexibility as to how normal pandemic life has gotten. Going shopping with a mask on feels natural now, and social gatherings have generally contracted in size or moved outside or online. I was perhaps better prepared than some to spend an inordinate amount of time in isolation; I've had a good deal of previous practice and if I'm going crazy I haven't noticed.

There's been good news about vaccines recently, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel and hope for a post-pandemic life in the not-too-distant future. Among other things, I'm looking forward to relaxed restaurant meals and in-person conversations with my coworkers.