Starting a new job in the middle of the crisis

Belgium, Brussels, Alenka, Belgian, 29, working in non-profit, Not married/ No kids

General

How is the situation in your city/ country? Is there a 2nd wave yet?
That’s open for discussion, there is a second spike in cases yes.

How did the atmosphere in your country change within the last months?
People are more distant towards strangers, more nervous and more selfish. Towards people they do know there is kindness and willingness to help.

How are you and your family?
Good, no one has gotten serieusly ill. Businesses in the family are struggling though.

What was the biggest challenge for you within the last months?
Changing plans constantly. I was travelling for a few months when Corona reached it’s peak, so I came home early. Had to find a job and housing, etc. Not knowing what’s next is the hardest for me.

Not knowing what’s next is the hardest for me.

Measures

When did you realize how serious the situation is?
When borders across the world were closing.

How did your government react to the crisis? Which measures/restrictions were taken first?
Slowly, Belgium does not have a federal government in place. So first an emergency federal government had to be formed. And even with that in place the structure of the political system does not allow a quick respons. I can’t remember which measures were taken first. But quite “quickly” we went into a semi complete lockdown.

Are you satisfied with the measures of your government? What was good/bad?
Overall I am satisfied with the measures.

Good: government tries to take mental health into consideration as well (for example: even during the toughest lock down part we were allowed to walk and exercise outdoors)

Bad: Belgium’s elderly population in care homes was pretty much left to fend for themselves (causing a lot of casualties), things need to be run more professionaly (getting protective gear into this country was a catastrophy in the beginning), so had the contact tracing efforts been.

What would you like to say to your government?
Professionalise!

Which sentence of a virologist/politician did you memorize the most?
“Blijf in uw kot”, which means “stay home” from Belgian’s minister of health.

Things need to be run more professionaly.

The Virus

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

Have you already done a Coronavirus test or have you been in quarantine?
No.

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

I´m a bit afraid of the virus.

The lockdown

How long is/was your lockdown and what was allowed/what wasn´t?
For about 5 weeks, nothing was allowed except for grocery shopping, sport activities outdoors (including walking), no other movements were allowed (unless you were working in an essential sector).

Did you spend the lockdown time with somebody and what did you do during this time?
With my partner and later on with 2 housemates. Walking, cooking, working to help the family business get online, playing boardgames and cycling were the biggest activities during this time.

What did you miss the most during the lockdown? What helped you?
People are what I missed most (visiting friends and family), sports and having a partner and housemates to spend time with helped the most.

I worked to help get the family business online.

Changes

How did your work situation change within the last months (shorter hours, working from home, etc.)
I started a new job in the middle of the crisis, so hard to say. I’m working almost completely from home.

How did your social life (relationship/friendships/dating) change due to the Corona crisis?
I’m spending more time with people in my proximity. People who live further then a walk or bike ride I have hardly seen at all. 

What impact has the Corona crisis on your financial situation?
My partner is out of a job so that has a negative financial impact, luckily the unemployment benefits in Belgium are quite high, so the impact in limited.

Social distancing: How does your daily life look like at the moment?
Working from home, sports, limited social contacts.

People who live further then a walk or bike ride I have hardly seen at all.

Perception

Who are to your opinion the heroes of this crisis?

What did the crisis show you?
How fragile some global systems are.

What will you appreciate more after the crisis?
Spending time with the people you care about.

Which images will you never forget?
Empty city of Brussels.

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

Spending time with the people you care about.

Perspective

What are you afraid of right now?
Collapsing systems (financial for example) and the forgotten attention for the climate issues.

What gives you hope?
That this will pass.

Are you planning to travel within the next months?
No.

If they find a vaccine, would you take it?
Yes.

What can we all learn from this crisis?
Appreciate what you have.

If you could give 2020 a headline, what would it be?

Appreciate what you have.