How are people being impacted by the fourth wave of Covid coming after several months when cases were low and people were relishing getting back to normal? And living in an area of the country that is considered high risk because of low vaccination rates among the population?
Holiday Island resident Tricia Evans said she got through the original pandemic just fine.
“I’m easily entertained as a rule,” Evans said. “I had lots of outdoor time, and on-the-water activities. I went to California November through April, avoided winter and was busy dealing with rental property rehab, sale, exchanging it for another property, renting it out, etc.”
But now? She is finding it difficult accepting that we were supposed to be done, or certainly on the home stretch to “normal.”
“This current state of affairs is so frustrating as it is/was avoidable, of course,” Evans said. “I’m fearful of the magnitude of the numbers and what the tipping point will be. It feels even more out of control than when this all began in March 2020. The behavior of some of the politicians and their followers is despicable and threatens us all. There is a surreal quality to what’s going on.”
Coping with the reality of the Delta variant has been challenging after three months of a somewhat normal life earlier this year, Paula Koch said.
“Because I have known people who died of the original Covid, as well as several who were very ill, including a young family member who was hospitalized with the Delta variant, I am not messing around,” Koch said. “Controlling my attitude on a daily basis is key. I can’t control what happens in the outer world, but I can impact my little world. I do that through tapping (EFT) which is simple, quick, free and info can be accessed online; daily walks; yoga practices; and keeping in touch via phone with many people who also live alone.”
When she finds herself getting wound up, she stops and does deep breathing, creating instant calm. Another critical part of the daily routine is her “day is done” moment which she has done for years. As the sun sets, she stops to give thanks for the blessings of the day. She also no longer thinks about what her plans will be on the other side of the pandemic, takes one day at a time.
“Attitude is everything for me and it takes daily focus to maintain a good one,” Koch said. “Obviously, this is a challenging time for each of us. Not being able to go to my late partner Jack Stone’s mother’s funeral in El Paso or to my family reunion in Missouri was a real test for me.”
But she has realized that between watering and tending the gardens, feeding the birds, doing a bit of volunteer work, and learning her new hobby of clay, plus all the normal daily stuff, there is no time to be downhearted.
“I am as engaged now as ever, just in different ways,” she said.
Jean Elderwind of Eureka Springs also does volunteer work as a member of the Eureka Springs Community Center Board.
“Walking and keeping mentally active is the key for me, along with Zoom calls to family and friends,” Elderwind said. “Balancing my need to know the news of the world with not diving into every last Covid story also helps, along with limiting social media. Sadly, I have unfriended Facebook friends because of their stance on vaccines.”
She also greatly values spending quality time with their dog, Rosie, as one of her top stress relieving tools.
Gary Milzarek, who lives in rural Carroll County, has been keeping busy during the pandemic continuing to lead Science + Philosophy readings and discussions offered through the library. He has been doing that for five years, first in person at the library, then with Zoom, and again lately outdoors under the library tent. He is taking a break from that while he and his wife, Alece Carrigan, go on vacation, but plans to start them back again in the fall.
“The library discussion groups are just the best,” he said. “We’ve been meeting weekly for more than five years. The Wednesday group finished our second book on free will. It’s been a fun and wild ride. Recently we talked about the situation in Afghanistan and watched a video of a journalist’s experience with ‘cancel culture.’”
Like everyone else, they are disappointed that the break from pandemic isolation was so short.
“Rising cases seriously stress our hospitals and healthcare providers, making us more vulnerable to the pandemic and other healthcare needs like accidents,” Milzarek said. “So, our goal is to help ‘flatten the curve’ to reduce suffering for our providers and for ourselves by slowing the spread of the virus.
“Spread is mostly through the air, like the pollen that triggers our allergies. But we are the host, so we can slow the spread by delaying and limiting our exposure. When mowing the lawn, I protect my lungs by wearing a mask, and it’s the same for the virus – a simple and easy way to limit exposure. The longer we put off exposure and the smaller the dose if we are exposed, the flatter the curve, making it easier for our healthcare providers. Our immune systems can better fight smaller, briefer infections to avoid long-Covid damage to our organs and reduce the chance of spreading more virulent variants of the virus.”
Sometimes the hardest part for him is peer pressure. He said wearing a mask feels awkward when no one else at the table wears one.
“I may let it slide, and afterward see how I took unnecessary risks with serious consequences,” Milzarek said. “So, it’s really important to think ahead about things we plan, like meeting with grandkids or friends, talk with everyone about what we know and don’t know, what to do, and how much confidence we can have in avoiding significant exposure. We avoid larger gatherings. We’re back to curbside pickup for most groceries but make brief masked visits in local markets. While our healthcare system is overloaded, I’m postponing a dental visit because the receptionists aren’t wearing masks. Other medical appointments where we can keep a mask on feel safe.”