Item
Chris Kane Oral History, 2020/07/19
Media
Title (Dublin Core)
Chris Kane Oral History, 2020/07/19
Description (Dublin Core)
In this interview, I (a Northeastern history student) interviewed one of my peers about his experience with covid-19, and asked him his thoughts about the pandemic as a whole and the impacts that it had on him and his family. This interview helps showcase the thoughts of a college freshman during the pandemic and how life has changed for him and others as a result of the virus, which I feel is critical since all factors must be considered when looking at the covid-19 pandemic historically.
Recording Date (Dublin Core)
09/19/2020
Creator (Dublin Core)
Brian Hayward
Chris Kane
Contributor (Dublin Core)
Brian Hayward
Partner (Dublin Core)
Northeastern University
Type (Dublin Core)
Oral Interview
Controlled Vocabulary (Dublin Core)
English
Online Learning
English
Education--Universities
English
Education--K12
English
Government Local
English
Emotion
Curator's Tags (Omeka Classic)
Boston
high school
student
Northeastern University
Massachusetts
Contributor's Tags (a true folksonomy) (Friend of a Friend)
COVID-19
Boston
high school
student
Northeastern University
New Jersey
family
grandmother
economy
Collection (Dublin Core)
Vaccine Stories
Date Submitted (Dublin Core)
09/19/2020
Date Modified (Dublin Core)
10/28/2020
10/29/2020
1/31/2021
03/08/2021
05/23/2022
Date Created (Dublin Core)
09/19/2020
Interviewer (Bibliographic Ontology)
Brian Hayward
Interviewee (Bibliographic Ontology)
Chris Kane
Location (Omeka Classic)
Boston
Massachusetts
United States of America
Format (Dublin Core)
Audio
MP3
Language (Dublin Core)
English
Duration (Omeka Classic)
00:09:03
abstract (Bibliographic Ontology)
In this interview, I (a Northeastern history student) interviewed one of my peers about his experience with COVID-19 and asked him his thoughts about the pandemic as a whole and the impacts that it had on him and his family. This interview helps showcase the thoughts of a college freshman during the pandemic and how life has changed for him and others as a result of the virus, which I feel is critical since all factors must be considered when looking at the covid-19 pandemic historically.
Transcription (Omeka Classic)
Brian Hayward 00:01
Hi, for my COVID-19 interview. I've chosen Chris Kane fellow peer at Northeastern University in Boston, and another student of the origins of today course like myself.
Chris Kane 00:12
Hello, Brian. I'm Chris Kane. I am studying business here at Northeastern University. And I'm taking this origins of today history course because I was interested in the history of pandemics. And I think it's very applicable to today's situation.
Brian Hayward 00:29
Nice to meet you, Chris. I'm Brian Hayward. Now the interview today about you experiences of COVID-19. So, Chris before we begin, I need to ask you for your consent for the COVID-19 archive project.
Chris Kane 00:41
Yep. I give consent.
Brian Hayward 00:44
Okay, thanks. And then may you please give the current date and time for any viewers as well.
Chris Kane 00:51
It is Saturday, September 19, 2020. And it's 1:18pm.
Brian Hayward 00:57
Thanks. So let's get started here. Before COVID-19 hit what were you doing in your daily life? Would you say?
Chris Kane 01:05
Oh, well, at that time, I was kind of going to school, everything was normal. So, you know, I'd go to school, there'll be after school clubs. And I'm like, on weekends, I hang out with friends and go out with my family. So it does seem like quite a while ago, because quarantine didn't make time pass really slow. But yeah, just normal life before quarantine, quarantine and social distancing.
Brian Hayward 01:33
Yeah, it's been several months since we've entered quarantine now. Yeah, it's fun to start to relax. But we still need to be rather valiant in continuing on with our struggles. Now, then, how did this daily life of yours change when the pandemic spread to the point of affecting you and your community would you say?
Chris Kane 01:54
Well, so, when the pandemic started, it mainly started with, like, our schools. So, um, it was the first thing in our town, the schools all shut down first, and then social distancing, and like wearing masks were required. So it like, became, like, a lot harder, because obviously, you couldn't go out, you couldn't see friends. And I think time slowed down a lot. And so like, the only thing that you're pretty much able to do is stay inside and like, finish schoolwork, you know, just browse the internet. And so life became a little bit boring and slow. The quarantine.
Brian Hayward 02:36
Yeah, yeah, I found that that opinion is rather shared on many high school members, at this time, as a lot of people I've spoken to in the past have all mentioned how they feel that their life has slowed down to a crawl during quarantine. Yeah. And then, besides yourself, did anyone in your family face any problems with adjusting the quarantine? And if they did was there any ways you try to cope with these struggles or that you noticed that they tried to deal with it somehow?
Chris Kane 03:04
So, my grandma used to go to like a community center for like daily life, because obviously, she's very old, and she doesn't work. So, she does on her free time. So, in quarantine, when the pandemic hit, the whole center was closed down, and she was forced to stay at home. So obviously, it was really sad for us knowing that she couldn't go out and meet new people. And she was pretty much she was, she's older. So, she is more, she's more, which, how should I say it, like the effects of COVID effect or more because she's older, and she has some health problems. So, to cope with that, me and my family, we would drive to her house every Sunday and we would socially distance and like talk to her and give her groceries every week. So um, so not only would she get company, but she also like have food and stuff to do well. She was in her house.
Brian Hayward 04:04
Yeah, I feel that during the time of COVID-19 lockdown, family bonds were definitely tested. And the interactions you had with your everyday friends and family began to grow far more important as lots of people when they're isolated for so long like that, and feel emotional or social anxiety due to not having enough human interaction like people like going out but that's not possible with the virus. So for you, did you feel any emotional or social anxiety yourself? Or would you say you were able to make it through do to having still the internet to resort to and your friends and family still, at the reach of your phone.
Chris Kane 04:46
So, in the beginning, it did feel like I was totally fine because I just relied on using the internet like texting and social media in order to keep contact with my friends. So in the beginning, I I would say that, you know, I was I was okay with it. Like, I'm tech savvy, I know how to use technology to contact people. But now like, as the months went on, and dragged on, quarantine dragged on for more time, I did get a little socially anxious, because I kind of missed human interaction outside of just my family. And yeah, that definitely got to me. And I was like, very scared of how long the quarantine was gonna last and how long the pandemic would last until I could actually go out and meet people.
Brian Hayward 05:33
Yeah, in regards to the length of the pandemic and the quarantine, how the lockdown was done. How do you think the government or your community's response to as a whole was? Think the governments response was justified? Or do you think it still wasn't strict enough in terms of the lockdown procedures?
Chris Kane 05:51
So I'm from New Jersey, and the response was pretty good. Our governor was very strict about social distancing and using masks, so he closed the beaches, so and New Jersey beaches are very popular social hotspot. So he did, I think he did a good job and making sure that people didn't spike up cases by going to the beach. So I was pretty, pretty happy for our government response. And I think it was necessary in order to protect New Jersey, because there's a lot of college kids that come to New Jersey, and they party and, um, it could be dangerous in those situations. So yeah, I was fine with that.
Brian Hayward 06:34
Would you say the government lockdown was successful in limiting the people? Or was there still a large amount of people who would ignore the government procedures and still try and secretly host gatherings or not wear masks when they go outside?
Chris Kane 06:48
Well, I think, well, in terms of like, for the states, it was mainly the governors who had the power and to like, lock down their citizens. So I think it did vary from state to state, because in the northeast, things were a lot more stricter than like in the south. So let's say I'm in in general, I think it varies from state to state. So but me coming from the northeast, I think we did fine.
Brian Hayward 07:20
Okay. Now one final question. In the present day restrictions and problems from pandemic still are continuing, of course, probably, we'll still be doing so for the next few months until the vaccine manages to roll out to the rest of the country. So what steps should the people and communities continue to take to try and contain the virus or lessen the impacts or damages brought by it? Do you think there are, if any?
Chris Kane 07:45
Yeah, I think there are a couple ways. So like, obviously, social distancing in crowded places like public transportation, workplaces, schools, I think it's important, but obviously, like wearing masks, and, like using hand sanitizer, and washing hands on often is pretty important. Um, in terms of like, potential, like, money wise, I think, in the future, I think we can have, like, pandemic insurance. So, in case another pandemic hits, our job losses overall would be cut. And I think that would be pretty beneficial since this pandemic really took a toll on the economy. And yeah.
Brian Hayward 08:32
Okay, thank you for your answer. I feel that definitely the economic damage, just brought by the pandemic were rather large, so something new that might be able to help a country like pandemic insurance is definitely a novel idea. I might want to look into going forward. So thank you for your time.
Chris Kane 08:48
Thank you, Chris
Brian Hayward 08:48
I hope for your continued health going forward, because these times are definitely trying and keep going forward. Try and make it past it. Thanks.
Chris Kane 09:00
Thank you.
Hi, for my COVID-19 interview. I've chosen Chris Kane fellow peer at Northeastern University in Boston, and another student of the origins of today course like myself.
Chris Kane 00:12
Hello, Brian. I'm Chris Kane. I am studying business here at Northeastern University. And I'm taking this origins of today history course because I was interested in the history of pandemics. And I think it's very applicable to today's situation.
Brian Hayward 00:29
Nice to meet you, Chris. I'm Brian Hayward. Now the interview today about you experiences of COVID-19. So, Chris before we begin, I need to ask you for your consent for the COVID-19 archive project.
Chris Kane 00:41
Yep. I give consent.
Brian Hayward 00:44
Okay, thanks. And then may you please give the current date and time for any viewers as well.
Chris Kane 00:51
It is Saturday, September 19, 2020. And it's 1:18pm.
Brian Hayward 00:57
Thanks. So let's get started here. Before COVID-19 hit what were you doing in your daily life? Would you say?
Chris Kane 01:05
Oh, well, at that time, I was kind of going to school, everything was normal. So, you know, I'd go to school, there'll be after school clubs. And I'm like, on weekends, I hang out with friends and go out with my family. So it does seem like quite a while ago, because quarantine didn't make time pass really slow. But yeah, just normal life before quarantine, quarantine and social distancing.
Brian Hayward 01:33
Yeah, it's been several months since we've entered quarantine now. Yeah, it's fun to start to relax. But we still need to be rather valiant in continuing on with our struggles. Now, then, how did this daily life of yours change when the pandemic spread to the point of affecting you and your community would you say?
Chris Kane 01:54
Well, so, when the pandemic started, it mainly started with, like, our schools. So, um, it was the first thing in our town, the schools all shut down first, and then social distancing, and like wearing masks were required. So it like, became, like, a lot harder, because obviously, you couldn't go out, you couldn't see friends. And I think time slowed down a lot. And so like, the only thing that you're pretty much able to do is stay inside and like, finish schoolwork, you know, just browse the internet. And so life became a little bit boring and slow. The quarantine.
Brian Hayward 02:36
Yeah, yeah, I found that that opinion is rather shared on many high school members, at this time, as a lot of people I've spoken to in the past have all mentioned how they feel that their life has slowed down to a crawl during quarantine. Yeah. And then, besides yourself, did anyone in your family face any problems with adjusting the quarantine? And if they did was there any ways you try to cope with these struggles or that you noticed that they tried to deal with it somehow?
Chris Kane 03:04
So, my grandma used to go to like a community center for like daily life, because obviously, she's very old, and she doesn't work. So, she does on her free time. So, in quarantine, when the pandemic hit, the whole center was closed down, and she was forced to stay at home. So obviously, it was really sad for us knowing that she couldn't go out and meet new people. And she was pretty much she was, she's older. So, she is more, she's more, which, how should I say it, like the effects of COVID effect or more because she's older, and she has some health problems. So, to cope with that, me and my family, we would drive to her house every Sunday and we would socially distance and like talk to her and give her groceries every week. So um, so not only would she get company, but she also like have food and stuff to do well. She was in her house.
Brian Hayward 04:04
Yeah, I feel that during the time of COVID-19 lockdown, family bonds were definitely tested. And the interactions you had with your everyday friends and family began to grow far more important as lots of people when they're isolated for so long like that, and feel emotional or social anxiety due to not having enough human interaction like people like going out but that's not possible with the virus. So for you, did you feel any emotional or social anxiety yourself? Or would you say you were able to make it through do to having still the internet to resort to and your friends and family still, at the reach of your phone.
Chris Kane 04:46
So, in the beginning, it did feel like I was totally fine because I just relied on using the internet like texting and social media in order to keep contact with my friends. So in the beginning, I I would say that, you know, I was I was okay with it. Like, I'm tech savvy, I know how to use technology to contact people. But now like, as the months went on, and dragged on, quarantine dragged on for more time, I did get a little socially anxious, because I kind of missed human interaction outside of just my family. And yeah, that definitely got to me. And I was like, very scared of how long the quarantine was gonna last and how long the pandemic would last until I could actually go out and meet people.
Brian Hayward 05:33
Yeah, in regards to the length of the pandemic and the quarantine, how the lockdown was done. How do you think the government or your community's response to as a whole was? Think the governments response was justified? Or do you think it still wasn't strict enough in terms of the lockdown procedures?
Chris Kane 05:51
So I'm from New Jersey, and the response was pretty good. Our governor was very strict about social distancing and using masks, so he closed the beaches, so and New Jersey beaches are very popular social hotspot. So he did, I think he did a good job and making sure that people didn't spike up cases by going to the beach. So I was pretty, pretty happy for our government response. And I think it was necessary in order to protect New Jersey, because there's a lot of college kids that come to New Jersey, and they party and, um, it could be dangerous in those situations. So yeah, I was fine with that.
Brian Hayward 06:34
Would you say the government lockdown was successful in limiting the people? Or was there still a large amount of people who would ignore the government procedures and still try and secretly host gatherings or not wear masks when they go outside?
Chris Kane 06:48
Well, I think, well, in terms of like, for the states, it was mainly the governors who had the power and to like, lock down their citizens. So I think it did vary from state to state, because in the northeast, things were a lot more stricter than like in the south. So let's say I'm in in general, I think it varies from state to state. So but me coming from the northeast, I think we did fine.
Brian Hayward 07:20
Okay. Now one final question. In the present day restrictions and problems from pandemic still are continuing, of course, probably, we'll still be doing so for the next few months until the vaccine manages to roll out to the rest of the country. So what steps should the people and communities continue to take to try and contain the virus or lessen the impacts or damages brought by it? Do you think there are, if any?
Chris Kane 07:45
Yeah, I think there are a couple ways. So like, obviously, social distancing in crowded places like public transportation, workplaces, schools, I think it's important, but obviously, like wearing masks, and, like using hand sanitizer, and washing hands on often is pretty important. Um, in terms of like, potential, like, money wise, I think, in the future, I think we can have, like, pandemic insurance. So, in case another pandemic hits, our job losses overall would be cut. And I think that would be pretty beneficial since this pandemic really took a toll on the economy. And yeah.
Brian Hayward 08:32
Okay, thank you for your answer. I feel that definitely the economic damage, just brought by the pandemic were rather large, so something new that might be able to help a country like pandemic insurance is definitely a novel idea. I might want to look into going forward. So thank you for your time.
Chris Kane 08:48
Thank you, Chris
Brian Hayward 08:48
I hope for your continued health going forward, because these times are definitely trying and keep going forward. Try and make it past it. Thanks.
Chris Kane 09:00
Thank you.
This item was submitted on September 19, 2020 by Brian Hayward using the form “Share Your Story” on the site “A Journal of the Plague Year”: https://covid-19archive.org/s/archive
Click here to view the collected data.