'The uncertainty makes things harder as time goes on'

Photo: Marty Hynes in Australia and Nazy Campbell in UAE

It's nearly six months since the Covid-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic, and the ongoing uncertainty of the situation continues to pose daily challenges for local people both at home and in almost every corner of the globe.

Marty Hynes, an Athlone man based in rural Australia, said things looked to be getting back to normal in July but a 'second wave' of cases in the State of Victoria, and outbreaks in some parts of New South Wales, meant some restrictions had to be reintroduced.

A native of Bloomfield Drive, Coosan, Marty lives in the Hunter Valley region, roughly three hours north of Sydney.

"I think it's harder now, in terms of uncertainty, because no-one knows how to defeat this virus when we have no vaccine, and it creates a lot of day-to-day problems," he told the Westmeath Independent this week. "The biggest worry is people not taking it seriously and carrying on like life is normal."

He said he was fortunate to be able to travel to the coast, in New South Wales, for a break in recent months, but then case numbers started to rise again.

"Things are fairly normal where I am at the minute. However, with everything going on in Melbourne we are on high alert, and some parts of New South Wales have become hotspots. So now we are back to limited travel.

"Overall, I can't complain, because there's so many people who are a lot worse off where they are. I live in a rural part of Australia and can still do my day-to-day things. Like everybody else, I'm wishing there was a vaccine so that everything can go back to normal."

Nazy Campbell is an Irish-Iranian woman who is married to John, a native of Mount Temple. The couple lived in Moate before moving to Dubai in 2008. Like many parents, their current focus is the return to school of their Ballinasloe-born children, Alex and Leyli.

Nazy explained that her teenage son has the option of attending school every day, though some of his lessons can be taken online. His younger sister will be going to school every other day and will be learning remotely, online, during the days when she's at home.

There's been a slight rise in Covid-19 cases in Dubai, Nazy said, and people are being urged to take extra precautions in order to prevent the introduction of stricter measures.

In general, she said people in Dubai are good about wearing face masks in public places, and they can be fined €600 for not wearing one.

"There are still no big gatherings and parties allowed. People who are travelling in the same car and are not from the one family have to be wearing masks.

"All malls are operating at full capacity. We have used several malls and been to the cinema several times," she said.

"If people are planning to go to the neighbouring Emirate of Abu Dhabi (within the country of United Arab Emirates), they are supposed to take a test and produce the negative result at the border to be allowed in.

"We, as a family, have settled into this new world of post Covid-19. Our immediate concern is going to school next week and seeing how things pan out during the first term," she concluded.