No measures, no lockdown: Living in a country where the government denies the existence of Corona

Belarus, Minsk, Ekaterina, Belarusian, 39, Digital Marketing Manager, Married/ 1 Child

General

How is the situation in your city/ country? Is there a 2nd wave yet?
The wave has not stopped, just the authorities do not allow doctors to give the real information and make tests.

How did the atmosphere in your country change within the last months?
As our government denied the existence of CORONA at all, people were scared and at the same time it has worked out as a trigger to vote against Lukashenko as well. Now there is atmosphere of unity of the nation, people support each other, even strangers, but nobody thinks of Corona any more – politics is more important now.

How are you and your family?
Made tests (the companies where me and my husband work, bought the tests for the employees) – we are negative.

What was the biggest challenge for you within the last months?
Job. Lots of people lost their jobs because of Corona. I had to do my best to stay.

Our government denied the existence of Corona at all.

Measures

When did you realize how serious the situation is?
After the news from Italy in international media.

How did your government react to the crisis? Which measures/restrictions were taken first?
No measures at all. The psycho-president Lukashenko said there is no Corona at all.

Are you satisfied with the measures of your government? What was good/bad?
No, the whole country is dissatisfied with that.

What would you like to say to your government?
“Hague is waiting for you.”

Which sentence of a virologist/politician did you memorize the most?
Remember the Italian mayor of the city saying to those, who continued visiting hairdressers “You will die with beautiful hairstyles”.

The whole country is dissatisfied.

The Virus

Do you know anybody who was infected with COVID-19 or even died?
Yes, a lot.

Have you already done a Coronavirus test or have you been in quarantine?
Done – negative.

Are you afraid of getting infected with the Coronavirus?
A bit.

I know a lot of people who were infected.

The lockdown

How long is/was your lockdown and what was allowed/what wasn´t?
No lockdown at all.

Did you spend the lockdown time with somebody and what did you do during this time?

What did you miss the most during the lockdown? What helped you?

There was no lockdown at all.

Changes

How did your work situation change within the last months (shorter hours, working from home, etc.)
We can work some days from home, many people were dismissed and now I am looking for a new team.

How did your social life (relationship/friendships/dating) change due to the Corona crisis?
We avoided visiting friends and public places.

What impact has the Corona crisis on your financial situation?
Minus 25 percent from salary.

Social distancing: How does your daily life look like at the moment?
As it was before.

My salary is reduced by 25 percent.

Perception

Who are to your opinion the heroes of this crisis?
Doctors.

What did the crisis show you?
That our president is really psycho and needs help from doctors, that my family is the best family ever, that my company appreciates me as a specialist.

What will you appreciate more after the crisis?
Family relations, spending more time with each other.

Which images will you never forget?

Which stories/incidents/experiences touched/shattered you the most?

Our president is really psycho.

Perspective

What are you afraid of right now?
I am afraid of living in Belarus anymore. Because of political situation, not corona.

What gives you hope?
I have no hope more, looking for relocation.

Are you planning to travel within the next months?
I would love to.

If they find a vaccine, would you take it?
Not immediately.

What can we all learn from this crisis?
First of all, that civilized people do not eat flittermouses, cats and dogs second, that our life is short third, that international connections are important – it is impossible to stay closed just as North Korea does.

If you could give 2020 a headline, what would it be?
The worst year for Belarus in the last 30 years.

I have no hope more, looking for relocation.