Inside the Quarantine

By Marcos Perales | Staff Writer |

The whole world as of right now is at war with an enemy that we can’t stop thinking about, and that would be COVID-19. Thousands have been affected by the declining economy, the bare shelves at grocery stores, and the isolation rules that we must uphold if we want to plummet the coronavirus curves. We do not know when our lives as we knew them will get back on track. For now, we have to try our best to live in this new “normal.”

A student who has been trying her best to adjust to these critical times is junior Ivory Gonzalez. Like her, no one knew this pandemic was going to take place. From struggling to learn outside of the physical classroom to her family needing medical attention, COVID-19 has certainly done a number.

“Work has been different, more difficult,” Ivory said. “Way less interaction with people, and it’s hard to learn and do work for school.”

Nowadays, everyone has access to technology and the internet. Online classes have been the way to go, but not for Ivory.

“I’m the only one who has a computer in the house, so I have to share my computer with my brother, my sister, and my boyfriend so we can all do the work,” Ivory said. “I can’t learn over a screen or video, so I need full interaction with a teacher.”

Of course, not only one person in the family is affected. Ivory’s mom is working two jobs, while Ivory is working on cut hours. Efforts are being put in everyday to keep a roof over their heads. It’s more difficult to buy necessities for the household, now that it is every man for himself almost at every grocery store.

“We’re behind on bills and I know it stresses my mom out because it stresses me out too,” Ivory said. “ We need this house; it’s all we have, and now buying food and things we need for the house is 10 times more difficult.”

Many people around the world have been struggling with work. 33% of all U.S. adults have either gotten laid off or have had their work hours cut. On the week of March 22, Americans filed a record of 6.6 million unemployment claims. Older ones have been affected the most out of all citizens. According to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 8 out of 10 COVID-19 deaths have been adults ages 65 and older.

“My grandma’s house is where everyone can get together as a family, but my grandpa is in his 60’s so of course he got laid off of work,” Ivory said. “That’s our far away home to everyone in the family; we have many memories in that house and the virus can take that away from us.”

Medical attention is also needed for Ivory’s family.

“My sister-in-law is pregnant and she can’t go to the doctor’s office so she’s doing her ‘appointments’ online,” Ivory said. “Her body does not allow her to have babies and she struggled having her first child, so physical visits are critical.”

All people are wondering now is when the quarantine will end. Researchers from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation in Seattle were able to predict the peak outbreak of the coronavirus if compliance with social distancing stays strong. The date predicted for the peak hospital use for COVID-19 in Texas is April 29. The researchers at this point are waiting to see how long it will take for the virus to calm down. https://www.talktomira.com/post/when-will-coronavirus-peak-and-end-social-distancing