Lock-down is imminent

We are a couple of hours away from a complete lockdown of our country… 

This was unchartered territory for most people on earth, until COVID-19 (aka the Coronavirus) hit the planet.

Oh, the panic that is gripping our country (and surely other countries around the world)… The panic-buying and stockpiling, but also the panic of what this lockdown will bring…

The army has been deployed in South Africa to manage this lock-down period. What does this mean, and how will they operate? That is yet to be seen. The government is very forthcoming with the rules that will be imposed, and the fines and punishment if these are not obeyed.

But what does a lockdown mean, and more importantly, how are we going to get through this 21-day forced isolation? And what will society look like when we get to the other side?

For many, it must be very daunting that there will be no restaurants, no Uber Eats or fast-food outlets in operation; no online shopping or deliveries; no shopping at all basically, except for essentials. For others, it will probably be the closure of liquor stores, and for some, no exercise outside your own home is what will have them panicked most. I too have a couple of fears. But I know that we are safe in our home, with enough food (and some drinks) to last us a little while.

I did not panic-buy, but when I got to the shops, and saw how little there was left after the panic-buyers were there, I panicked. I did buy more than normal, not large quantities of toilet paper or stockpiling countless quantities of the same items, but more to get us through this time.

I am lucky to have a husband that is a great cook, so we will survive this no eating out/take away period easier than others. We do enjoy a drink now and then, and will get through with what we have.

But I do like to run (in the gym) my way to cope with stress. I think this is one of the things that I will miss quite a bit. I know there are exercise programs and YouTube videos to keep you fit, but nothing comes close to a good run for me…

How are South Africans going to react to staying at home? Restriction of movement, no braais with family or nights out with friends… This will be a time of adjustment for us all. We are a sociable nation, we like to spend time with those near and dear to us, sharing a glass of wine and talking through the troubles that are keeping us up at night. This social distancing will be hard for us.

Keeping our kids confined to our backyards, no contact with their grandparents, or their friends… They don’t understand. But the great thing is that kids adjust easier than we do.

What will happen during this period at home? I think that we will spend quality time together, rediscovering the little things that are important in life: the things that make your partner happy, the things that make you smile; rocking your daughter to sleep for her afternoon nap (even though she is almost 2); spending quality time with your kids playing board games; finger painting in the garden; jumping in muddy puddles… All those things that there never seems to be time for in the normal rush of life.

There is so much to be thankful for during this time. I am thankful to have a president that is capable, a president that took swift and decisive action to protect the lives of his people. I am thankful that he is putting his trust in God, and urging South Africans to pray with him to heal the people of this nation.

I am thankful to be able to work from home, to still contribute to society in my small way, while watching my children play around me, where I know they are safe. I am thankful that we have food that we can prepare at home and know is safe to eat.

Working from home... getting ready for the day

I pray for those that are in the front lines, battling the virus in their respective areas, from nurses and doctors to grocery store workers and petrol attendants. I pray that they are kept safe and their families are provided for, while they pledge to serve our country.

The realisation that we are a world at war, is probably the greatest panic of all. We are at war with a virus that is threatening the lives of all the citizens of all the countries of the world. A virus, that as yet has no cure, but are killing thousands of people daily. I pray for this war to end swiftly.

A new era will arise once this is all over. I trust many things will change, from employers being more lenient and letting their employees work from home more often to achieve a better work/life balance. People will value their families more and spend more time with their children. People will value the freedom of movement that we have in the normal going. And people will be more cognisant of their health and wash their hands more often, hopefully we will not ever have a repeat of what we are going through right now.

I am documenting this journey through lockdown for my children to look back on one day and know what we went through. I truly do hope that they will not be faced with a similar situation in the future.