An ‘isolation and quarantine’ Christmas

Dec 24, 2020 Features / Columnists, News

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By Sueann Wickham

Kaieteur News – Christmas this year has been truly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the isolation and quarantine necessary for staying safe from the virus and preventing transmission, Christmas this year is definitely not the same given all of these restrictions. Persons now have to spend their holidays confined to their homes, except for essential purposes but not everyone is complaining.
Many believe that Christmas is a time of the year that needs to be spent with close family and friends. It is spent reminiscing on the year, whether it be tragedies or losses, accomplishments or gains. Even though isolation and quarantine brought inconveniences in many ways, many people have gotten more in touch with their families and their inner self, while isolating this Christmas.
Many have had achievements to boast about this Christmas and this includes a young artist named Teija Edwards. Edwards believes that Christmas in quarantine has not been that much different for her, because even before the pandemic she would always be at home or at school awaiting the Christmas break that usually begins around this time. She said that the only thing that has really made her Christmas significant this year was her participation in the Heart Through Art exhibition where she showcased all of her amazing paintings she made while quarantining at home. After the exhibition she went back to her regular Christmas cleaning and more painting, making the best out of her ‘quarantined Christmas.’
Those home isolating with the virus were not really dismayed this Christmas, but a few were disheartened that they might not be able to be as close as they want with their loved ones since they are not allowed to have contact with them.

Kaieteur News was graced with the opportunity to speak with a few persons in that situation, however, we chose not to reveal their identities due to their fear of the discrimination that often comes with having COVID-19.
Quite a few expressed that there were many things to miss besides being able to go out. In fact, they noted how much they took Christmas with their families for granted. These persons isolated at home are required to have zero contact with anyone in their house until they have recovered. Mild cases usually recover within two weeks but those with severe symptoms take three to six weeks to recover.
One said, “Not being able to hug them (family) was the hardest part. It’s Christmas. Happy time you know. Everyone will be mingling, and I will be isolating. I cannot hug them because I love them, and I don’t want them infected, but I am also mad that I can’t hug them because of how much I love them.”
Others talked about the psychological toll being infected during the holidays took on their mental health. Surely, they worried about their physical health, when they will recover and not being able to engage with their families this Christmas.
A young mother shared her experience with isolating at home and not being able to coddle her baby this Christmas season. She said, “This is my first Christmas with little Penny and I’m isolating and it’s hard. I’ve had many Christmases with my family, so isolating from them doesn’t bother me. But I was looking forward to this time with my baby girl. Hopefully I recover before the holiday ends. So I can enjoy what little is left.”
It can indeed be an emotional time for these persons, being deprived of affection in the family-oriented season, leaving room for melancholy where there should be endless amounts of joy.
But to lighten up the mood, some were humorous. A Bartica teen joked about how much Christmas cleaning he was missing out on in isolation. While he remained concerned for his health, the young man could not resist sharing how lucky he was to escape his mother’s overwhelming “Christmas fever.”
Another said that he was asymptomatic, so he was not really concerned for his health and even though he is not happy with the physical restrictions, it has been a relaxing time and he’s away from the stressful hassles of Christmas. “I don’t have to run to town, climb up high and dust down, hear the quarrelling about how close Christmas Day is. My mooma loves to argue. Isolating this Christmas saved me the Christmas stress.”
Some have even gotten crafty while at home and decided to decorate their isolation space. Creative right!
This was actually recommended by experts worldwide who said that persons tapping into their creative side can ease the fatigue of isolating when they decorate their isolation space.
Among another list of things some experts have recommended are solving holiday puzzles, reading classic Christmas books, watching classic Christmas movies and having your own Christmas karaoke.
They did not stop there. These experts even stressed how useful technology can be. Why not hop on a virtual chat with friends and extend your Christmas wishes? Persons can also have movie ‘watch parties’ virtually, by sharing a screen as you video chat with your friends.
It’s not all bad! There’s always a silver lining.
Isolation patients and regular persons quarantining have both found ways to cope with a COVID-19 Christmas. Whether it was art like Edwards, binge-watching TV series and the traditional hallmark Christmas movies, getting in touch with their inner elements or simply finding a closer connection with their families this Christmas.
Hopefully, next year does not bring another isolation/quarantine Christmas, but persons have indicated that they will make the best out of this one!

 

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