How a family from Russia is quarantined in New York: “everything is not so terrible as they describe”

What we are used to reading about New York is not quite as creepy as they describe. But something nevertheless changed in the routine of the townspeople. Tatyana Mann, who lives in New York with her family, told how quarantine personally influenced her. Project Shares Details "Children of Mail.ru".

The city froze, but alive

Tatyana Mann has been living in New York with her husband and two children for several years. She talked about what is happening in the largest US city and what rules help them more easily quarantine.

“They say the famous New York Central Park has turned into a giant field hospital. They write that in other city parks it is strictly forbidden to appear under the threat of gigantic fines. But this has almost nothing to do with the truth, ”Tatiana notes.

Indeed, the coronavirus in New York "rules the ball." If this city were a country, then it would now be the leader in the number of officially diagnosed cases of COVID-19.

The city really froze, but everything is not so terrible as it is described. People continue to go outside if necessary - no passes are needed for this and are not fined for this. It is not forbidden even to walk in parks and play sports, observing the social distance, which is everywhere reminded of.

In Central Park, the hospital is really broken. But it is relatively small, the size of two football fields. This is not a sign of panic, but a preventive measure in case there are not enough places in hospitals.

Quarantine measures in the city were gradually tightened. In early March, mass events began to be canceled. Theaters, schools and universities closed in the middle of the month. They were followed by fitness clubs, beauty salons, restaurants - the latter now work only for take-out or for delivery.

On March 30, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo transferred all businesses to remote mode. In their places remained sellers of grocery stores, doctors and some other employees, whose activities were described as necessary to maintain the life of the city.

How Quarantine Affected Routine

Quarantine has affected the lives of all people. He was reflected in the most diverse areas of their lives.

The first obvious change is grocery shopping. Almost all large supermarkets have begun to limit the number of people who are allowed inside at the same time.

Long lines are now lining up outside shops as people try to keep their distance, so they stand 6 feet (1,8 m) apart. “Many have already adapted to this situation and just come with a book. It all looks rather strange, but cute, - said Tatiana. “My husband goes to buy groceries once a week - the last time on Monday morning, when, it would seem, everyone has to work from home, he stood in line for 1,5 hours.”

There have also been changes within the stores. Cash desks converted, making them glass.

There is no shortage of food - empty shelves could be seen only in the first week of quarantine, but there is an increased interest in long-term storage products.

Of course, the pandemic has hit the health system particularly hard. If you have a non-COVID-19 non-urgent health issue, then you most likely cannot solve it. “When my son got a high fever, our pediatrician offered a video consultation instead of the usual face-to-face examination. It's good that after a couple of days the fever subsided - the problem resolved itself. It would not have been possible to listen to the lungs or check the ears online, and a trip to the hospital seems to be the most difficult undertaking under the current conditions, ”said Tatiana.

Also, during quarantine, unforeseen difficulties occur, which are not easy to solve quickly. “A few days ago, my son did a classic baby trick - he threw something inappropriate down the toilet. And he was hammered. We have a special person in our house who fixes all kinds of breakdowns. But now it is not easy to call him: you need to confirm that no one in the apartment has had a temperature in recent days. And our baby had a temperature. Checkmate!" - said Tatiana.

People have become kinder

Many people think that New York is a pretty tough and uncompromising city. But now more than ever it is seen that this is a city with a huge heart. Every day, its residents, trying to express their support for medical workers, applaud all together. “You can hear this both in densely populated areas with high-rise buildings, and on streets with century-old red brick houses,” Tatiana notes.

Everyone takes part in this - both the elderly and children, both the poor and the millionaires. “Some clap loudly, others whistle, and still others knock loudly with saucepan lids. This has been going on for several weeks. These minutes of universal unity are incredibly emotional, ”Tatiana notes.

Even children want to do their part: they draw rainbows and glue them on their windows to remind them that in the end everything will certainly be fine. Many people write encouraging posters and attach them to the walls and doors of their homes. Other New Yorkers try to cheer up the couriers - for example, they leave huge boxes of candy for them in the lobbies of houses.

“But the most heartfelt story I've ever heard is about those who are on the front lines. In one of the New York hospitals, at the moment when the patient is removed from the ventilator, the hospital code is transmitted over the speakerphone - they play the song Here comes the Sun by The Beatles, and all the paramedics applaud happily. Most likely, something similar is being done in other hospitals, ”said Tatiana.

Even the deserted streets speak more about unity of people and respect for each other, because if everyone makes a contribution and stays at home, the city will quickly return to normal life.

The city supports its residents

Every day, citizens receive a package from the city with reminders to maintain social distance. They are also reminded of where to get support in the event of family abuse, and how to help those who are in quarantine alone. “We are reminded that it is worth walking one at a time for groceries, on the street you need to wear a mask or cover your face with a scarf (by the way, about 80% of people do this), but at the same time they are asked not to buy professional protective equipment necessary for medical workers,” she said Russian woman.

Public schools also take care of citizens, providing three meals a day to everyone who needs it. You can get free food at one of the many pick-up points at specific hours. You do not need to collect any documents for this.

On the subject: Illegals in New York will receive financial assistance in connection with the coronavirus

Restaurants also help, even some of the most expensive and popular. They redeployed to places of free food or kitchen for medical workers.

Many hotels also contribute by lodging medical workers for free.

Americans who pay taxes in the country can count on financial assistance. Families whose total annual income does not exceed $ 150, which is more than 90% of US residents, will receive benefits in the amount of $ 1200 per adult plus $ 500 per child.

Unemployment compensation will be paid on more favorable terms and with a special allowance. In America, there has been a tremendous increase in unemployment, so these measures should help them at least somehow cope with the difficult period.

Child learning has gone online

Tatyana has two children - a daughter, who is 4,5 years old, and a one and a half year old son.

The kindergarten they attend is now online. “The daughter’s garden was held as long as the circumstances allowed, not even to save working parents - this is reason # 2. We dreamed of resisting, because it is there, in the garden, that children feel as protected as possible. This is their home. Their fortress. There they are behind a reliable wall - much more stone than the walls of fragile chaotic apartments, in which not everything revolves according to well-oiled schemes around the delicate worlds of children, ”said the Russian woman.

Every morning Tatiana receives letters with options for entertainment, educational or creative games. “Class jobs (responsibilities that pass from one child to another in the garden) have been updated to fit the realities of the home: before, children were in charge of recycling or taking a class for a walk, and now they are responsible for making beds and serving dinner, storytellers and assistants cooks, ”she said.

Now the main life of the whole class takes place on the Internet. Teachers upload their video greetings, and parents upload photos and videos about their assignments and children's lives.

“And my favorite part: every day each of the teachers reads to the children a short story and a chapter of a long book - now we have Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Here I would compete with my daughter in which of us is looking forward to new chapters with great impatience, ”said Tatiana.

Nobody canceled the work

Tatiana and her husband continue to work from home all this time. At the same time, they look after children and manage everyday life. “And this is the most difficult part of the quarantine conditions for us,” the Russian woman notes.

The working conditions of her husband have not changed, except that he now works online. The volume of work is the same, but it takes 10, 12, or even 15 hours a day to work. Tatyana herself also works, so she and her husband have to agree whose work tasks are the most urgent.

“After about a week of quarantine, we experimentally established that the most effective option is to work at night, so we periodically get up one at a time or together at 2-3 in the morning and knock on the keys in complete silence until the child gets up. When there is an opportunity to take turns, we are very happy about it, ”she notes.

They share household chores and entertain children equally, although this was the case in pre-quarantine times.

"To survive in quarantine ..."

To survive in quarantine, the family came up with their own rules. For example, do not try to keep your child busy with gadgets. “I am convinced that in most cases screens increase excitability and uncontrollability, and this is what we need now least of all. We only watch feature films on weekends all together, ”she said.

Also, their family now has fewer prohibitions. “I think twice about whether it really shouldn't be done. For example, why can't you draw with chalk on the floor? Very much even possible - it is easily washed off. You can jump onto the bed from the windowsill. You can play ball at home, as long as it doesn't fly through the windows, ”says the Russian woman.

It is true that prohibitions have appeared: you can not do what brings adults out of balance. “Because our condition is now very fragile and it is important for us to take care of ourselves in an enhanced mode. For these reasons, we cannot, for example, fill up the entire floor with toys (it makes me angry - so as not to get irritated, I call everyone to clean up several times a day). Or you can't listen to children's songs loudly - I don't like them, the eldest daughter has headphones for them, ”Tatiana shared her rules of survival.