A-Z challenge 2022 - P is for Pandemic

Welcome to the conversations in my head with my friend Alice, previously seen in my 2019 A-Z posts and loosely based on Alice in Wonderland.  At least that's the plan.

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Is the pandemic over now Wendy?

No Alice I’m afraid it isn’t.  Things are much better here, thanks to better treatments and our vaccine programme but lots of people are still getting Covid they’re just not usually dying from it or being particularly ill unless they’re elderly or have other health issues.

That’s a good thing then?

Yes it is but in some areas of the world the vaccination process hasn’t been so successful and there are still lots of problems.

It’s been a strange time with everyone walking around with their faces covered.  Hard to tell what a person is thinking when you can only see their eyes.

Yes Alice, I would often forget that if I smiled at someone they couldn’t see I was doing that.

What was the hardest thing about it for your Wendy?

Not being able to see our family.  It was so strange suddenly being told we had to stay indoors, work from home.  Stay away from everyone.  We’ve never experienced anything like it.  It was hard, and of course worrying.  Especially at first when there were no vaccines and so many people were dying.

But it’s better now.

Well yes Alice things are better than they were but they’re also different.  For example many people will probably never go back to working full time in their offices.  There will always be an element of working from home and that will have an impact on how businesses work.  Many big companies won’t need so much office space and that has a big knock on effect.  For example the hospitality industry suffered hugely during the lockdowns but even now, with the reduced numbers of people going into cities and towns to work that affects hospitality and small businesses.

It’s not been a cheerful time has it?

No and the effect on people’s mental health is going to take a long time to sort out.  Mine included.  The toilet demon reared its head, I found I couldn’t settle to things in the same way. It was difficult.  And I had it easy compared to so many people.

But things are getting better.  We’re starting to get out more.  We’ve been away and I’m determined to do more.

Well sitting at home won’t get that extra weight off Wendy.  Although you’re easily meeting your Goodreads target.

I can always rely on you to be positive Alice.

Just being honest Wendy.  Just being honest.

Maybe you could try and be a bit more tactful.

There’s no fun in that Wendy.

You really do enjoy raising my stress levels don’t you Alice.

No Wendy, you’re perfectly capable of doing that all on your own.