NEWS: How Coronavirus is affecting families everywhere

For some, COVID-19 has brought new opportunities to work from home, spend time with their families, and more time to invest in themselves. However, for others, the onset of the pandemic was more than just a wake-up call. The pandemic has had a lasting effect on all families, and with so much happening simultaneously, it is important to step back and understand how and why we are being affected.

Coronavirus has infected millions of people thus far, and with no sign of waning, it is time we start acclimating to new societal norms. From working from home to remote schooling, no one is spared from the world’s multi-faceted transformation. Parents now must concern themselves with provisioning their children whilst potentially laid off. Kids, teens, and young adults everywhere are becoming increasingly anxious, with some unable to visit separated parents. Countless people are trying to cope with the loss of a loved one whom they lost to the virus. Despite the pandemic lasting most of the year, some have still not grown accustomed to these vast changes. Moreover, everyone is susceptible to an adverse effect from COVID-19, some even succumbing to the pressure.

It is estimated that every year, over three million workers attend work sick, and seven out of ten low-income workers do not have paid sick leave. The Institute of Family Studies (IFS) interviewed several working-class families who were affected by the virus. However, one family never anticipated the effects of the pandemic to strike so harshly.

The couple interviewed, Tonya (mother of five and nanny), and Lance (full-time mechanic), explained, throughout February and March, Tonya was in an out of the hospital, displaying severe symptoms of the virus. However, they weren’t able to get a diagnosis due to inaccessible testing equipment. Lance then lost his job because he was spending too much time with his wife at the hospital. Both Lance and Tonya were struggling to provide for their five kids, homeschool them, search for jobs, pay rent, and repay the rapidly accumulating hospital debt. The couple is still contending against the unrelenting challenges the pandemic brings, but they aren’t giving up.

Another issue stemming from the pandemic is our youth’s increased anxiety. The University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) states that this is most likely a result of insufficient or absent communication between them and their patents. For many students, the onset of the sickness has significantly changed their school system, and on social media, everyone is expressing their thoughts and situations, each with different connotations. These messages often result in kids and teens forming conceptions about the virus and how it affects families. This may lead to the child becoming concerned, and eventually, stressed about their families current situation. UCH recommends that parents be open, honest, and realistic with their kids, as a proper understanding of their family’s circumstances will help prevent them from panicking. Additionally, some parents may be uncertain or even uncomfortable to approach their children with such a topic. UCH urges kids and teens to initiate the conversation with their parents, or if not, a trusted guardian.

In some cases, children with separated parents are often under a lot of stress, discomfort, or emotional tension already. Once you add quarantine restrictions, they can become mentally drained or distant. This is why bbc.co.uk recommends that kids remain in constant contact with both parents, even if that means virtually. In some areas of the world, one is permitted to transfer their child from one parent’s house to another. However, if one of their parents are displaying symptoms, or has an increased susceptibility to the virus, it is likely that they would have to remain isolated in their house with as little contact as possible.

Lastly, many people are suffering from losses as a result of the pandemic. In some cases, people may lose several loved ones to the lethality of Coronavirus. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention urges people to do anything but shun the outside world to cope. Many, especially teens, will prevent themselves from contacting friends, meeting family members, and finding new ways to keep themselves busy. This creates a bottle for one’s emotions to circulate, becoming more powerful and pushing them deeper through the stages of grief. Instead, reach out to loved ones, connect and meet new people (safely) online, create, reminisce, or reflect on the memories and experiences you shared with whom you lost, and seek help from others. Many people have suffered the loss of someone near and dear to their hearts. These people will often provide what they did to distract themselves from the stages of grief, but not from tuning out what’s happening.

Out of all the aspects of life that have flipped on their heads as a result of COVID-19, it is important that we stay knowledgeable, focused, calm, and rational. Once we lose these key states, we may fall just as fast as the pandemic started.

Writer: Avinash Dhanraj