Was it really SIX Years ago that we all (well, most of us) lived in fear for our lives? Looking back, it seems surreal. How did you cope with lockdown?
ETA: Everyone in the Health sector should have received a medal or some recognition of their service and sacrifice during this time.
Piglet in Portugal 
Hello from the UK.
There were good and bad things from the lockdowns. It meant everything slowed right down so traffic was very light and the air was clearer. There was time for many to think and reflect.
But people stopped meeting each other as they used to. It left many isolated and alone and schoolchildren were badly impacted. Many small businesses closed whilst the big corporates profited.
My wife and I had each other and we have a decent house and garden with countryside around but that was not the case for many.
As for me, I realised by June 2020 that they had rebranded the ‘flu and we had been deceived by the authorities. The biggest clue was the statistics where the ‘flu almost disappeared to be replaced by COVID 19.
So I did not live in fear over COVID, never masked or had the vaccines which I also understood were pointless at best.
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It wasn’t a good time at all, especially being made to work with very limited support and being far from loved ones. My way to cope was getting into baking, along with a couple other things.
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Spinster, it was a horrible time for those who had to work. My heart ached for those working in the health sector who had to work under such dire conditions with inadequate PPE.
Mr P got into baking bread
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For me, it was bread and cookies.
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Such a bizarre time, I still can’t believe lockdown extended for SO long. Because we had all our kids at home at the time, it wasn’t bad. We did indulge in cocktail hour a few too many times, but all in all we did keep ourselves entertained. The boys hair grew long.
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Hi Tracy, bizarre is a good descrition. Everytime the wave of cases started to dwindle and we were let out of lockdown it wasn’t long before there was a new wave. We kept ourselves busy in the garden and drank copious amounts of wine.
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As your post so well illustrates, what a time that was! Clif and I stayed safe for the entire pandemic. We were diligent about social distancing and masks and vaccinations. As far as we know, we have never had COVID. Although one cold, late in the pandemic, did make us suspicious, but we didn’t test positive. I know several people who died from COVID. Sigh.
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Hi Laurie, we also knew several people who died of COVID or died alone in hospital for other reason as they were not allowed any visitors. We had all the vaccinations although that was scary in itself as they were developed so quickly .
Despite all the precautions I got COVID when all the restrictions were lifted and life was slowly getting back to normal and I didn’t even realise. I had a salty taste in my mouth for a couple of days and felt a bit tired. It was not one of the symptoms I was aware of. Mr P jokingly said I had COVID so as we had a test kit I checked. Yep, I tested positive!
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The vaccines were developed quickly but only because of prior research on other viruses.
So sad to watch people die of the disease.
I expect most of us will get Covid at some point, but between the vaccines and the virus’s mutations, it’s not as severe or as deadly for most people.
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Our only true lockdown here was a two week mandatory self-isolation after we returned from our first winter in Texas. I remember seeing the empty streets when we returned home and the feeling of it being surreal. After our mandatory self quarantine, the rest wasn’t an issue because hubs and I tend to keep to ourselves the majority of the time while we’re here at home. It was basically business as usual because I could safely do my walks on the empty trails, and hubs was happy to watch TV or go out for a drive. That summer, we took our motorhome and toured places we’d never been before in our home province. The campgrounds were pretty much empty, so we were socially distanced at all times. The main hardship was that my parents were in an assisted living facility and their quarantine there, (despite no cases the entire time) was lengthy. Our family was fortunate that Mom was (and still is) techy, so we were able to do face times with her and Dad. It was definitely a different time, Carole.
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Hi Terry, goodness you were one of the lucky ones. During lockdown itself we were not allowed to socialise. Even close friends in our bubble (framily) were not allowed past the front gate. We were not even allowed on an empty beach as walkers or to take a chair and sit although people with dogs were allowed as were surfers (go figure) . Clifftop lay-bys were taped off so you could not pull in and stop. If you went outside your house boundaries you had to wear a mask and social distance at ALL times. Shopping was hell and I even got an extra layer of protection in the form of a visor.
This is sad but understandable and their approach paid off with no cases. Watching the UK news so many elderly people in the care homes died – it was heartbreaking.
Mr P has a low immune system so we had to be extra cautious. We were so fortunate that a few good friends looked out for us as our family were in the UK and France.
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