I started this thread as a kind of mutual support discussion around how we're all coping with the pandemic. Some of us live alone so the social isolation might be more difficult than for people who live with others. Some are not financially impacted while others are very much so. Different ages, health and ability also play roles in how some are impacted by COVID-19. Let's check in with each other and see if we can't offer some kindness and support to those who may be feeling the impact to varying degrees. I'll start.
My and my family's circumstances are good so far. We have enough food, actually managed to score some toilet paper a few days ago after going without, and I've been baking bread to help reduce the number of times we have to go to the store. I've been working from home and in a virtual office since 2011 so being stuck at home is no great hardship. My husband was laid off last week due to lack of business at his place of employment and our youngest, who still lives at home, has reduced hours for the same reason. We worry about our children and grandchildren.
We don't have a car right now but we own a big old house that needs a lot of upkeep. Recently we took out a second mortgage to make improvements to the house with a view to sell this year and move into a more manageable flat or apartment. We have quite a bit of equity in the house but if the real estate market crashes and we're unable to repay the 2nd mortgage we'll lose everything. Hopefully that won't happen, but it is a concern.
Not having a car and not wanting to take public transit means we're limited to going to places within walking distance. Fortunately there is a grocery store about a 10 minute walk away. I have physical limitations so the walking combined with standing in long lineups on our rare grocery outings is difficult, but doable. It's still early days and the unpredictability can be stressful, but I am fully cognizant of how fortunate we are compared to more vulnerable people.
I live in London, Ontario and we have three First Nations communities adjacent to the city; Oneida of the Thames, Muncie Delaware and Chippewas of the Thames. When there are serious viral outbreaks Indigenous communities are disproportionately affected, particularly northern communities where lack of adequate housing, overcrowding, inadequate medical facilities and undrinkable water mean much higher rates of infection and mortality. London also has a disproportionately high rate of addiction and homelessness. These folks are incredibly vulnerable - fragile health and shelters that are breeding grounds for the spread of contagion make them more likely to succumb to serious illness. London Health Sciences, our hospital network, has been found to be non-compliant with the measures that came into place after SARS - they do not have enough PPEs for their staff, no doubt because some administrator was cutting costs.
Well, I've blathered on enough. How is everyone doing?
