Our Family's COVID-19 Experience | How The Society Reacted toward Us? (Part 1)
We’re the first covid case in our small village. And the neighbors' reaction was somewhat surprising!
What did happen to our family when we found Coronavirus in our family? And what we felt then?
Of course we felt scared!
Then we felt jailed!
Being Overseen!
We felt like a very poor family!
But, actually it was quite fun and impressive moment too!
That afternoon, only me and my mother at home. Anyone else went out with their activities...
I was in my bedroom, while my mom in the living room when my nephew came home with his motorcycle. I could notice he's in hurry!
When my mom asked why his work ended earlier, he just said that he won’t back home for 2 weeks without telling the reason! When my mom asked for more clear answer, he kept unspeaking and packing up. Only 1 minute inside, he then drove away as telling will stay in touch while he’s away.
That time, I felt questionable by his strange behaviours. He seemed to need as fast as possible leaving the house. My mom said, he even didn’t hug her before walked away.
Meanwhile, that day felt a bit noisy at the street…!? Ambulances’ sirens roaring loudly, it was odd that so much ambulances were passing by, and the convoy stopped at one spot, then kept sounded from a far. I didn’t know where it was exactly?!
But, despite the clangors, nothing we felt curious about what things happened out there.
And…in the evening, my sister in law got a phone from a neighbor. She asked if my nephew has already been at home or not…!!?
The sister in law felt confused why she asks it…!!? Then that next door neighbor informed us that in the office where my nephew works, there re 38 people (staffs and some people around the place, from shopkeeper to gas station employees) has been positively infected by covid-19!
My nephew’s office was just 1 kilometer from our home, that’s why I could hear the commotion out there through the sirens and some barely clear speakings from policemen.
We’re terrified! Are we infected too?!
We felt shocked to hear that the virus was so close with us! But instinctively, we made self-assurance that no one had any contact when the nephew was back home, so it was very less possibility the virus had been exposing us.
We're a bit confident by that thought...
However, the neighbor seemed to feel worry when she said that she just talking (made physical contact) with my nephew’s mom at the front yard. She’s worried about the virus has infected my elder sister. We told her that she didn’t meet her son since she was out of home when he came and was only 1 minute at home.
At night, the nephew phoned us that he was at a quarantine center. He’s positive for coronavirus after getting a swab test. He said there was one staff who's feeling strange illness (and still worked in the office though) and then knew infected after an independent rapid test. And along with the paramedic arrival and did trackings, they got 38 people positive of coronavirus!
Some were suggested to do self quarantine at home, while my nephew chose to do it at the local quarantine center. He felt worried infecting everybody at home as there are elderly people (my mom who was aged 87 and his mom about 60).
And also, there's a kid and my brother in law who suffers stroke (the house is big enough for all the family members, but we live in the same roof).
Beside that, to see we don't have a single bedroom with a bathroom for him, my nephew had an initiative to go with the ambulance. There was about 8 ambulances prepared to accommodate the suspects. He didn’t tell anything to my mom then, as didn’t want to make us panic.
That night, I couldn’t sleep. To be honest, we’re feeling terrified to find that finally the virus is already reaching our small town, and to the fact that it was right at my home. My family member has been infected by covid-19! We’re suspicious. Are we infected too??!
Facing a very concerned neighbor
At morning, just awake from restless sleep, the neighbour phoning my in-law again and telling there was additional covid positives to 53!
She told that we must do self-isolation considering there’s possibility my nephew had been exposed by the virus for some days before the diagnose and unconsciously brought the virus to our home!
Though still in slight deniels, this neighbour’s analysis had affected our determination and thinking the virus might already contaminate our body! She also told about we may need to do swab test!
Honestly, hearing the word “swab test”, especially for me who have an avoidant personality disorder, it somehow scared me! I’m always terrified to face with police, doctor or teacher!
In the frenzy state that striking all the family members, the neighbor said she will inform this case to our neighborhood headman! Actually we’re feeling uncomfortable with her plan. We wanted all things run in soft and calm way.
We didn’t want make people in our village panic as we found some cases where covid family getting wrong treatments from people surrounding them who appears overly apprehensive and paranoid towards the covid victims.
But without our approval, she had done it. And, our neighborhood headman coming immediately!
Though a bit bothered by our neighbor’s unilateral decision, honestly it just felt fine. Moreover, the headman was wise and supportive enough to make our mindset ready for the unexpected situation.
He nicely giving encouragement to not panic in this situation. To just thinking positively, relax and doing the health protocols as those things could minimize our immunity to drop and prevent the virus infecting the entire family members. He also stated us to do self quarantine for 7 days.
Neighbors overseen us and make us 'jailed' at home!
We agreed with the order to stay at home for a week. However, my other sister with her (stroke) husband who believed they’re safer as they didn’t have intens contacts with us since she works fully each day, that morning after the headman left home, unheedingly decided to go for work (at family shop).
Actually we had warned her to not away of home as instructed. But they’re still with their opinion that they’re 100% free of covid!
And…afternoon, the headman coming again! This time with serious appearance. Assertively, he told he came as the neighborhood leader, not represent himself personally. He concerned why my sister breaking the rule!
Probably the news has been spreading amongst our neighbours. They already knew my nephew’s case.
It seemed some people who have concern about the pandemic, quietly overseen our family and when spotting my sister and her husband was out of home, they reported it to the headman and insisted to “jail” us!
The authoritative headman gave us some advices to be more aware with this pandemic and following the rules as well perform health protocols. He told if we dare to break the rules, he will bring us to the police, just to make us taking this case seriously!
We could understand with his firmness. He wants to protect us, protect the community and make all things run conducively.
In other side, he also respects our feelings and aspirations, asking if we’re objected with the strict rule to not out of home at all for a week or if there’s something we want to tell.
And when my sister wondered about how if we need some foods, he promised to supply us with healthy meals and will consult it with our community’s doctor for the best healthy foods.
So, since that day we did the self-isolation. We wore the mask and did social distancing even at home. The gate was also locked to minimize people entering our house.
My sister who “escaped and then reported” by neighbors decided to not back home for a week and do isolation in her husband’s family house. The headman also reached out them to always perform health protocol during self quarantine.
For me whom mostly an indoor person and work from home, it was easy to adapt. While others seemed to feel “tortured” facing the ‘7 days’ jail’ at home. They felt confined and bored!
At the same time, we’re still haunted by the thinking that the virus would probably have been infecting us...! Every second, we're wishing no one at home getting any signs of illness. We couldn’t heed any horror thoughts of severe covid patients we’ve seen on TV and social medias.
We felt a bit relieved when my nephew informed us that his CT value was 37 which indicates the virus level in his body was not reactive nor will infect others.
Also, he said that he was in good condition. It seemed he's a covid person with asymptomatic cases.
To notice that neither of us feel any strange symptoms about our body; no flu, no fever, no coughing, we got a hope that we’re not in trouble though the anxious feelings still existed.
We feel like the poor as well feel blessed too!
And, besides the back and forth anxiousness during self-isolation, the surprising things happened! Everybody; from friends, several neighbors and families gave any attentions and moral support.
They contacted us, asking if we’re fine and wishing we’re always in God’s protection, blessed with health and stay strong facing this trial. And they also said to always open for giving a hand if we need help.
So much kind supports had strengthen us and giving optimism, as this sudden incident was really worrisome.
The next days, the supports still came, even more than expected! We’re supplied with healthiest foods as promised by the headman. We had eggs, meat, supplements and fresh vegetables in the package they put carefully on the terrace.
Friends and families also did the same. We got snacks, soup and various cooked meals, also raw foods, even ingredients for cooking! It extended our needs. The goods were like for 1 month stock! Our dining table was full like we’re having a big party.
It seems, our next door neighbor who first reported our covid case to the headman, made it viral and then made us “jailed” was feeling a bit guilty and encouraged others to help us too! :-)
That time, my in-law said a joke that we're like a poor family due to get lots off food donation like that! :-)
Our neighboors kept asking if we’re in good condition or not during ‘locked’ at home. We just told the truth that nobody at home feeling strange things.
Throughout our home also got disinfectant periodically as instructed by our neighborhood headman.
We’re surprised by the preparedness of our small village’s apparatus. We felt protected, and all people really take this first case of covid in our neighborhood seriously.
Paramedics from quarantine center also reaching out our family, giving brief counseling and informed that they’re taking care my nephew earnestly and told he’s a covid person with no symptoms but still being monitored. And the paramedic add the quarantine period for us to 2 weeks.
We’re grateful for the abundance supports and so kind attentions. We felt being so lucky family, to the fact, that we heard other suspects getting unfair treatments from their society, being excommunicated as if it’s a sinful thing. Even there's a covid family whose around their home being enclosed by the police line! And the initiator was their own neighbors!
However, actually not all people reacted to our case wisely, show empathy or behave positively toward our family’s case. A very close neighbor over the wall had chosen to move away secretly. We felt a bit sad as they used to be the closest friends. Or the peddler rejected to serve us when we needed some spices, he ran away eventhough we wore mask and made a distance.
Some types of neighbors' reaction toward covid person
From what I have seen and feeling, we could identify there are 3 types of people when finding someone/family in their community suspected coronavirus:
1. Very supportive and worrying our condition
They concern about our health. They contacted us almost every day to make sure we’re just in good condition and also some did community prayer. Some even giving anythings they think we will need during self-isolation, like sending foods, supplements and giving some advices how to do prevention. They reference us some herbal drinks to boost our immunity.
Sometimes it feels they give too much supports/overly reacted (in positive ways), as that time we're actually not as worse as they're thinking. I even heard, some of very close friends crying, worrying about my mom who is very old and vulnerable. Fortunately she’s quite strong and honestly feeling overjoyed during quarantine due to the so much nice supports we've gotten.
2. Very concerned person
They're very concerned about their safety (and for the community generally) and tricked us (they doing it softly), directed us to do health protocol, swab test and discipline with self quarantine. All they do to guarantee they’re in safe state.
3. The antagonist (fortunately, we don't experience this)
Some of them will see the covid family as a sin, or the family had been cursed. I heard the family who’re first suspected covid-19 are still getting bullied for bringing the virus into our country!
4. The cool person
They usually either think positively or just no have awareness at all to covid cases around them. The form type would react proportionally while the later will just appear to be apathetic.
5. The paranoid
There are 2 types of paranoid people. The first tend to be overly paranoid and react toward covid suspect impulsively just to make theirselves feel safe. They would panicky asking to add a police line and isolate covid sufferers (in bad/wrong ways).
The other type is the passive paranoid. This type of neighbor will usually avoiding any contact and business at all to the suspects, even for just doing phone call! They would panicky flee to another safer place, or tend to stay at home along the day fearfully.
And it happened to my another sister in law who lived in the same village with us. While neighbors and even some people who’re personally not so close, giving any kind attentions, she didn’t even calling or showing any cares to us.
Even until 14 days isolations ended and we’re declared negative from covid-19, she doesn’t show her nose for just at least looking in my old mom. Only her husband (my brother who came then). My mom is very disappointed by her and keeps complained her attitude in the back (as my mom usually does!:-) Feel sorry for this in-law, this may worsen her score as my mom's daughter in law and put her in the lowest rank :-)
However, for that my in-law's reaction and also to the people who seems paranoid and left us behind, I can understand their behaviours.
It’s normal for them to feel worry. They may think we’re in sickness during isolation, suffering accute respiration as shown on TV, and very infectious!
Some of them who're very cautious, dictated us to do as they want for the reason of the whole village safety! And it seemed they will discriminate us and rejected my nephew to back home if we don't do what they desire!
You can read it in the Part 2.
Thank you for reading! :-)
*Thank you fellow writers!*
With this post, I also encourage my readers to check out some pieces made by several authors (who have followed me). I also quoted a little part of the stories that's so interesting to explore more :-)
But I don’t laugh easily — I can’t watch stupid comedy movies and laugh out loud (Me: same with me :-)
I was saved at the last moment by the grace of my pure love divinity through an out-of-body experience. (Me: It must be very intriguing experience!)
I saw people dining in restaurants for the first time in a few months. I felt the hum of life returning to the street. (Me: Yes, it must be the very missed thing to see by billion people on this earth now!)
We all have that story. That story about one moment that defines your life (Me: so true!)
I can follow instructions very well but I don’t necessarily learn from following instructions. I have to do something over and over and over again … often the wrong way so I know why the wrong way is wrong! (Me: Exactly, it’s the resemble behaviours I always do :-)