BOSTON — We spoke with several people Wednesday to discuss how this past year, living in a pandemic has impacted their lives.
“It’s turned upside down especially for those whose lives were directly affected but it’s been turned upside down for everybody really,” said Doreen Arcus, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Psychology, University of Massachusetts Lowell.
At first, it was a two-week lockdown.
“Two weeks we’re going to quarantine then all sudden it kept going and going and going,” said Theresa O’Neil.
With each passing day, everyone’s world got smaller and the lockdown got longer.
“It changed in March when they sent me home for three months and then I got go after that,” said a south Boston resident.
Things taken for granted were taken away. Get together like ice cream with friends were frozen out.
“It was the people that you were sharing them with, that beyond anything has cut into our lives,” said Dr. Doreen Arcus.
Masks, hand sanitizer sold out, nurses comforting patients and connecting them to the family they were not allowed to see.
“Which was probably the most detrimental part of being a nurse in my 38-year career that these patients didn’t have these loved ones by their side when then really needed them the most,” said a South Boston Nurse.
Bars and restaurants went dark, we were there as new business owners had their dreams derailed, shutdown and not turning a penny in profits.
Financial challenges that still exist.
Through it all, many arriving on the other side with a greater sense of gratitude.
“The upside of COVID has been to help us figure out what’s important,” said Doreen Arcus, Ph.D.
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