Esperanza

My name is Esperanza and I am a white, forty eight year old nurse and professor of nursing. I identify as female and I am married to my husband with two kids. I have gotten two degrees and worked in a hospital as well. It has been difficult working in universities, many teachers were dismissed when everything started so professors are working twice as hard with a doubled workload and reduced wages. I believe it will impact the university in a profitable way as well as switch gears of the direction of the education system. My kids are now taking remote courses from home but it is not the same, many students have lost interest. The transportation services have been running as normal, though there are much less people traveling, as many people now work from home. I have remained quarantined except for the for the few times I’ve had to leave to give lectures. I have not been able to see much family as family reunions have been suspended. Only necessary visits are permitted. We had been strictly following the regulations since the beginning but in the past few weeks more commercial areas are reopening and the “population has ceased to take due care. Some wear masks and others don’t” Most places due require mask upon entry, but though the regulations are in place, many disrespect them. Most commercial places require mask, use of alcohol gel as well as checking temperatures, though there is no more regulations for capacity to these locations. The government set up field hospitals and they have provided tests within public health facilities. They offer free public testing for anyone who needs it, but you are “better off in the public service than in the private sector under the health insurance, as they only do the test if you are already sick and with advanced symptoms” The testing is free and easy to obtain, it takes about 15 minutes to complete.
“The biggest impact is people’s mental and emotional health. Social isolation, the removal of contact with people and the uncertainty of the future, related to employment, education affects everyone. People developed some anxiety-related illnesses, psycho emotional illnesses.”