The affects and impact that COVID-19 has had on people around the country will be analyzed for years to come but here are comments from several people in San Joaquin County about how it’s changed their lives.
ANGIE CALDWELL
“It has stopped me from seeing a lot of my loved ones especially my grandkids,” said Angie Caldwell as she described the pain of missing the time she used to spend with her grandchildren.
Caldwell, a bank branch manager, also said the the pandemic shut down many businesses and kept her out of work for eight months. In February 2020, she had to go to emergency but was relieved to find out that it wasn’t the virus.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for everyone in her life.
“A co-worker she shared with me about the death of her father which after he passed away in the hospital they had to actually wrap his body in plastic and they had to do his service with a closed casket because he had Covid,” said Caldwell.
TIANA HESTER
Tiana Hester was used to dropping off her toddler and heading to dance studios and gyms where she is both a dance choreographer and personal trainer however due to daycare and gym closures she now gets in her exercise by trying to keep up with her very active son and creating Zoom videos for her clients.
“Positive side … I’ve gained more discipline and I’m humbled,” said Tiana seen here warming up at a studio.
As a millennial she expressed how others in her age group are coping.
“I would say that everyone I associate myself with it has affected them simply because they don’t get to go out,” she said.
DR. ALICIA BROWN
For people like Dr. Alicia Brown, ThD that are usually there to help others through their tough times it’s more difficult especially since moving around has been so limited.
“It’s negatively effected my social life not being able to get out and gather with the family … travel … work … and it has also affected the Ministry and the Church,” said Brown.