COVID-19 Questionnaire! Thank you.

[Uchuuko]

Hello everyone! I had to do interviews for an assignment in regards to a summer class I need to take in regards to COVID-19. These were the (10) questions that I needed participants to answer:

~What does it mean to be a "good citizen" in the context of this outbreak?
~How serious of a virus do you think Covid-19 is?
~Where do you get most of your information on the virus?
~How do you feel about wearing masks?
~Do you know someone who has had/has Covid -19? If so, who?
~How has your life been impacted by the virus?
~Is corona bringing us together?
~Do you think people will be different when this is all over, or will everyone return to their "old normal"?
~What strengths and weaknesses is the coronavirus exposing about our society?
~What role should leaders, in government and elsewhere, play during a crisis like this one?

EDIT: Thank Lemon Cheesecake, MissAutumn, and meowzipan for your thorough answers! I have all of the responses I need now, but everyone else can feel free to answer these questions too. I have added bonus questions that didn't become the original 10 questions, but were considered. They are below:

~What do you miss the most from your life before COVID-19?
~What has been the biggest challenge/has been hard during this pandemic?
~What is your occupation and have you had any change in hours/pay due to the virus?
~How do you feel about how your state government is handling the virus?
~How do you feel about your federal government is handling the virus?
~Are you willing to let others get sick to keep the economy strong?
~Do you believe the government should force businesses to close down?
~What are some positive things that have occurred in your life or in the world during the time of physical distancing?

[meowzipan]

~What does it mean to be a "good citizen" in the context of this outbreak?
It means looking out for others by taking their health into consideration. Washing your hands, wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, doing your best not to contribute to the spread of the virus. People need to be careful.

~How serious of a virus do you think Covid-19 is?
I think it's incredibly serious, and very important that people treat it like it is.

~Where do you get most of your information on the virus?
I read about it online, and watch stories on the news.

~How do you feel about wearing masks?
I like it, personally. I've always thought it made more sense to wear a mask when you're sick, and in times like this, it's the least people can do, even if they're not showing signs of being infected.

~Do you know someone who has had/has Covid -19? If so, who?
I don't.

~How has your life been impacted by the virus?
It hasn't much, not personally. The news has certainly made me more stressed, but thankfully, nobody close to me has been sick, and neither have I.

~Is corona bringing us together?
I don't understand how it could. If anything, it's just making people argue more.

~Do you think people will be different when this is all over, or will everyone return to their "old normal"?
Hopefully people will be different, but judging by how people are acting even now, at least in my town, most will probably just go back to normal.

~What strengths and weaknesses is the coronavirus exposing about our society?
I don't know about strengths, but it's definitely showing how little people care about each other. Some have even stated that they don't care if they get sick, or if they get other people sick.
Others refuse to believe the corona virus is real, despite the rising death toll. Grown adults have been throwing literal tantrums because someone told them they have to wear a mask. It's actually ridiculous.

~What role should leaders, in government and elsewhere, play during a crisis like this one?
They should be focusing their attention on getting hospitals the supplies and funding they need. Really, everything should be about helping treat this illness and finding a cure, as well as slowing the spread. They should also be regulating landlords, and ordering them to freeze rent during a time where so many people are either losing their jobs, or are unable to work because of the virus.

i hope this is all okay, i tried to be thoughtful in my replies! please keep me anonymous.

[MissAutumn]

~What does it mean to be a "good citizen" in the context of this outbreak?

I think it means following the new rules. Social distance, stay local if you can, be more mindful of your actions.

~How serious of a virus do you think Covid-19 is?

Incredibly serious. We don't know the long term affects this illness has on the body. It could mutate quickly.

~Where do you get most of your information on the virus?

Mainly the BBC news, the NHS (National Health Service) website, and updates from the Welsh Assembly.

~How do you feel about wearing masks?

If you think you're carrying the disease, or in an enclosed space (e.g. Public transport) it's a good idea to wear them. However, I can't wear them due to my disability.

~Do you know someone who has had/has Covid -19?

My mum's friend died of it... She was such a lovely woman.

~How has your life been impacted by the virus?

I'm a key worker so it wasn't much different. It affected my social life and in the first few months of lockdown I was too anxious about the rules that I couldn't go to the supermarket. My mental health has been harder to maintain as I felt trapped.

~Is corona bringing us together?

No. Although I've kept in touch with family and friends through messengers and web chats, I feel I've grown a bit distant from them.

~Do you think people will be different when this is all over, or will everyone return to their "old normal"?

I think people will go back to the old normal. Maybe not yet but give it a couple of years. With the easing of lockdown some areas showed packed beaches.

~What strengths and weaknesses is the coronavirus exposing about our society?

It's showing the weakness of society. It showed how selfish people could be. The panic buying caused the more vulnerable in society to go without. People even stole from food banks...

~What role should leaders, in government and elsewhere, play during a crisis like this one?

They should listen to expert advice sooner! So many deaths could have been prevented if the governments lockedown countries quicker. It should how underfunded the NHS has become since 2010 (the Tories, right wing government, have been in power since then. They want to get rid of our free health care).

Sorry if some of my answers are very UK based. I hope it's what you were looking for.

[Uchuuko]

Thank you both for helping me with this assigment!
I will label you as Anonymous as you have requested, meowzipan. If you want to be anonymous MissAutumn, please let me know before 5pm EST July 9th (tomorrow where I am).

[Lemon Cheesecake]

I may revise this ~ yes, put as anonymous. Or survey #

~What does it mean to be a "good citizen" in the context of this outbreak?

[+] SPOILER

We should always strive to be good citizens, abiding the laws, looking for ways to improve the community we live in regardless. In context of the covid19 "outbreak" I suppose it means abiding by the laws of the gov't,whether we agree with them or not & looking for ways to help those in our community get through it. (Example; Provide masks, drop off groceries or do errands to limit their outside contact).

~How serious of a virus do you think Covid-19 is?

[+] SPOILER

In general, I don't feel it is anymore serious then other viruses we have had to deal with - other corona viruses like H1N1 SARS MERS, Mono or from the past, before vaccine's, mumps, measles etc- and I don't think it is as serious as other viruses like hepatitis, AIDS, small pox, polio etc.
However, I do acknowledge that some people are more susceptible to the body responding in an adverse way to the virus and for them it is serious.
For those reasons, whenever we are sick we should work at not transmitting our virus, regardless of what we have. A common cold ( which is a corona virus) can lead to pneumonia and death to the vulnerable in our community. Wash our hands, don't wear shoes in the house, remove clothing worn in the community soon after getting home, change your hand towels daily, shower at night so your hair which has collected particles throughout the day is clean when you sleep on it and don't breathe in the particles etc.

~Where do you get most of your information on the virus?

[+] SPOILER

I try to research on the internet from medical resources and studies, ask friends in the medical field their view and then see which answers remain consistent or if seemingly there are unknowns I look to see which virus is similar and the outcome for those. When I took a sterilization course we learned masks started losing their effectiveness after 20-30 minutes and that you need to learn the etiology of a virus ( how long does it last on a surface etc, how is it transmitted, what can kill it) so when I research I look for those points.

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~How do you feel about wearing masks?

[+] SPOILER

I agree with people wearing masks around others if they feel they are coming down with a virus, if they know they are susceptible, have immune issues, or work in a medical/dental or health facility and are having prolong exposure or up close contact with people. But I also feel those preparing food in public kitchens should wear masks to avoid spreading disease, like typhoid fever for example. If worn appropriately masks can be effective in certain situations but the greatest impact to prevent contacting a disease means that a person should also be wearing protective eye wear since a large percentage of transmission enters through the eyes. Yet, we don't see that promoted. Asian countries have worn masks for pollution and for limiting disease transmission for decades, something the western culture is just now learning the value of. The problem is the general population not only does not wear the mask properly they reuse them, touch them and then don't wash their hands or use facial covering that barely protects them. The masks become a petry dish that collects bacteria and viruses which the wearer start to breath in or if coughs spreads outward. For people with health issues or who are pregnant, breathing in their CO2 is not healthy for them and prolonged use in a day without a "break" can cause people to feel faint and potentially pass out. Not good if they are driving! If a store requires a mask then a person needs to wear one, just like the rule where they require you to wear shoes and a shirt. If you don't like it then don't shop there.

~Do you know someone who has had/has Covid -19? If so, who?

[+] SPOILER

I don't know anyone who has actually tested positive from the test but our whole community, including myself, came down with the symptoms of the covid19 months before the shutdown in March and our hospital/death rate had NOT gone up. I do know a few people who's friends friend or relative in another part of the country tested positive and out of those one death was considered covid related

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~How has your life been impacted by the virus?

[+] SPOILER

Because I am considered an essential worker I have been required to work. I get no extra compensation for working - unlike those who get paid extra to stay home. So my work schedule has not changed much, but we are required now to do a more thorough cleaning in our work place and wear masks when we can not be 6 ft apart or are in a confined space.I use to go to several stores when I ran errands and now I generally only stick to one or two stores and I go out less. My community meetings are now zoom which I do prefer the in person type of meeting. Gov't services are back logged which messes up DMV renewals, taxes, passports etc.and adds frustration and travel "bans" and mail suspension to other countries were scary. For some people I know they felt imprisoned in their homes, and myself not being able to socialize has been difficult.

~Is corona bringing us together?

[+] SPOILER

I think in the beginning people were looking out to help each other through the shutdowns but now that the home isolation has continued so long people are frustrated and pent up frustration is causing them to be reckless and inconsiderate. I also feel that fear has caused many people to become overly aggressive. Look at the whole hoarding of products - especially toilet paper! I don't agree with the "mask shaming" that has gone on, if you are in a high risk area then wear a mask, if you are a high risk person then wear a mask. People should not be fined for not wearing a mask. Business should not go to jail for trying to stay open and people should not be defacing or petitioning against those stores that have tried to work during the shutdowns. But I do know people who refuse to buy online if they can support a local business.
I feel the benefits of the home isolation is that families are having to spend more time together and learn more about each other, parents have to take an active role in their children's education. The road systems were quiet for awhile, pollution improved in many countries. People are having to be cleaner, more patient when having to wait in line and I think appreciating what they do have more.

~Do you think people will be different when this is all over, or will everyone return to their "old normal"?

[+] SPOILER

I don't think things will return to their "old normal". I would like to be able to have us open our economy soon but I would hope that people will be more conscientious about quarantining themselves when they are sick and not feeling pressured to go to work when ill. I hope standards in nursing homes will improve and that the overall hygiene in work places and homes will improve.
~What strengths and weaknesses is the coronavirus exposing about our society?

[+] SPOILER

I think the shutdowns have exposed the need for people to be pro-active on keeping themselves healthy and not spreading germs generally. The isolation showed how people's fears can cause them to be jumpy and suspicious of everyone, even themselves, not knowing if they could be carriers, causing so much anxiety but also how people can be creative in overcoming the setback's by wearing PPE having visits through windows, sending photo's, face time through skype, zoom etc. Some businesses were quick to let their employee's work from home which helped keep people employed.
I am hoping the medical field can learn from the mistakes that were made this time for next time. Maybe some facilities could be open to continue surgeries etc so people aren't on hold waiting and then back logged. I am also hoping people become more responsible for their actions.

~What role should leaders, in government and elsewhere, play during a crisis like this one?

[+] SPOILER

I think most of all leaders should tote calm if there is an issue, state that there is a problem and they are doing everything possible to get it under control, don't be putting fear into people when you don't even know the facts. They should be maximizing the resources around them to be able to make informed decisions and keep the economy functioning. Mixed messages confuse people more. I am hoping this has been an eye opener as to how quickly an economy can be crippled so that it isn't repeated. I agree with shutdowns of borders, ( city, state) if there is an outbreak in a specific area. I don't believe in shutdowns of businesses unless specific evidence shows it is an area of outbreak - such as the open fish market in China, the meat plants that had outbreaks. Stricter regulations could be enforced but still allow the economy to flow. Alerts and procedures like they do for natural disaster warnings could be put in place. Medical Drs should have a place to report increased virus activity which can be watched for rapid outbreaks, not just assuming it is a flu. Restrictions should be more centered on limiting amounts of necessary products like the toilet paper problem so that everyone is able to have what they need and not cause a shortage. I did not agree with letting prisoners out of jail because they might get sick. Fortunately some prisons set up make shift hospitals instead of letting prisoners out, and if the people guarding them got sick then there should be a military or other back up system to fill in. We can not let our society become so chaotic again.

[Uchuuko]

[quote="Lemon Cheesecake"][/quote]
Thank you so much Cheesecake! Your response concludes my data collection!
@Lemon: I tried to quote you, but the code isn't working. I hope you read my thank you.

[Lemon Cheesecake]

Glad we could help you out Uchuuko! I am definitely opinionated so hope it gives your report some flavor with our responses. I did not realize your report was so soon, I should have worked on my responses and condensed them better.

Let us know how you do on your report!

[galled]

Thank you so much Cheesecake! Your response concludes my data collection!
@Lemon: I tried to quote you, but the code isn't working. I hope you read my thank you.

The easiest way is to use the quote button rather than reply. To use the quote button within the reply window, first highlight the text before clicking the button.

Good luck with your report!