ID,RecordedDate,SurveyFirst,Age,WMU,JobTitle,CurrentResidency_Density,CurrentResidency_State,CurrentResidency_County,CurrentResidency_Other,Household_Size,Household_Children,Household_PetType,COVID_Testing,COVID_Diagnosis,PandemicExperiences
1001,5/5/2020 10:18,1,18-24,1,student,Rural,Michigan,Ionia,,3,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","The biggest thing COVID-19 impacted was my wedding. It was slated to take place on May 15th and will still take place then, just not in the ways we planned. Everyone has been so good and helpful.
It impacted my work, too. I had to take a leave of absence at my work in []. Since then, I've been working at another company in [] and have done lots of 24 hour shifts for people who have been discharged from the hospitals a little sooner than they should have for their own protection. In-home care people have had a lot of cleaning up to do as hospitals try to discharge people as quickly as they can. It's the best thing to do, but sometimes medication lists get lost in the shuffle or it's hard to get them the medications they need because everyone is buying up everything. I had a diabetic client that I spent hours trying to find lancets so I could take their blood sugar - a very necessary thing. 
[] my classes are mostly labs and that didn't work very well. But the professors were amazing and understanding. I got through it with a lot of compromise with my family. Playing tests were slightly different because I'd have to video call my professors and my mom does phones for a healthcare company in []. So when she was the on-call office person we had to do some juggling. But it was really nice to be with my family again. I haven't really seen them since I moved out to go to college in 2017. My dad was off work for a month so we got a lot of projects done around the house and watched an insane amount of Netflix. "
1002,5/5/2020 10:32,1,40-49,1,librarian,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,3,1,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I have been working remotely since the Stay Home, Stay Safe order. Luckily I have a home office I could quickly clean out and set up. From my office at work, which I miss, I took my computer equipment, a few files, and about my collection of about 12 plants. I report for work at 7 a.m. and close the door, take a break mid-day to have recess and lunch with my son. In the afternoon I switch off with my husband who has an online reference shift []. 
My husband has been doing the homeschooling of our [child]. [] Public Schools has created a remote learning program and he does much of his work on the laptop on the dining room table. Once a week the teacher holds a virtual class meeting where all the students get to see each other and talk. We get to see lots of family pets, siblings, toys, weird virtual backgrounds. Mostly we see how these children really miss each other and their teacher.
I have not missed the morning and afternoon commute. The hustle to get out on time in the morning and then to work. The fight for parking. In some ways, things are less stressful. I believe I've seen my neighbors (from afar) more in the past few months than in all the years previously. My son plays in the yard daily and we wave at the many dog walkers, kids on bikes, families on walks.
Grocery shopping is pretty terrible and stressful, since it's really the only time I'm out in public. Meijer has more people than I'm comfortable with, many who respect social distancing and wear masks, but others who don't seem to care. I appreciate the plastic barriers at many stores to protect the cashier, and to see they sanitize the carts and require staff to wear masks. If I had knows how long we would be sheltering, I would have stocked up on yeast (you can't find it anywhere!), and elastic to use in making my own masks. I dug into my quilting cotton to make mask with ties, but elastic would have been nice to have."
1003,5/5/2020 11:18,1,40-49,1,librarian,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,NA,NA,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I work from home now, and go out very little. I am not a first responder, but I do public facing work for the [] Libraries. It is good to spend more time with my kids, but I think we are all missing out on cultural enrichment, in-person learning, and socializing."
1004,5/5/2020 11:22,1,50-59,1,librarian,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,2,"No, I tried to get tested but was turned away","No, I have not been diagnosed","The Stay Home, Stay Safe order has affect all aspects of my life. I work at [] Libraries, and when the libraries first closed and [] classes went exclusively online, there was a flurry of activity to move all of the work I do, including instructions sessions which I would normally do in person, online. It was intense, uncertain, a little panicked, but honestly it was also exhilarating in a way. There was a crisis, but the whole department was working together to meet it and help our students, and helping students was the reason I went in to my profession. It was exhausting, but there wasn't time to think about that or the long-term implications of a pandemic.
Now I have been working from home for several weeks, using virtual meetings, emails, and phone calls to do all the work I used to do face-to-face. I'm spending a solid 8-9 hours at my computer, located on my dining room table, each day. Many [] colleagues have been classified as nonessential and forced to not work, granted with COVID-19 pay, but it is uncertain when -- or if -- they will be able to come back to work. Our student employees have no jobs now, and there are Gofundme campaigns and new charity funds created to help them financially. What many of those students, without jobs or other support, must be going through is painful to think about. Slowly, the financial situation of [] has come to light. Over two hundred ASFCME employees at [] have been laid off. I'm concerned that more will be layed off. I'm worried that even tenured faculty members could be laid off and I might lose my job. I've never been let go from a job in my life, and the idea of it is incredibly stressful.
The pandemic has also affected my personal life. I haven't had another person in my house for five weeks? Six weeks? I've lost track. I've been socializing through emails, phone calls, Facebook groups, but it's not the same as sitting down with someone and talking. I miss spending time with my friends and family in person. Sometimes it's lonely.
My mother is in a nursing home, and because of fear of spreading the virus, the home isn't allowing visitors. I wasn't able to visit her on her birthday and probably won't for Mother's Day. I talk with her on the phone, but she has dementia, so I'm not sure she understands who I am without seeing me.
A few positive things have come out of this experience. I can't tell you how much I've appreciated not having constantly to be somewhere other than where I am. I haven't had to run from meeting to meeting at work, constantly run errands, or always be off trying to meet up with friends and family. Being able to slow down and stay at home has in some ways been such a relief. It's a shame it took a global pandemic for this to happen. I've been cooking a lot more from scratch, and have been able to eat more healthy, homemade meals than I have been able to in years. Oddly, I have been doing a lot less stress eating. I've been tending a small kitchen garden I started a few years ago, and now have more time and metal energy to focus on it, and plan to plant more veggies in it. I've been able to watch the plants sprout and beginning to grow more closely than I ever have since I started the garden, and that has been deeply satisfying and hopeful.
When the news first broke about a novel coronavirus in China, I had gradually started buying more dry goods each time I went grocery shopping, thinking if nothing comes of this virus, I'll simply have a lot of beans and rice in my cupboards for a while. But I was concerned in an abstract way that if the virus spread to the U.S. that things might get weird. I'm glad I had started stocking up early, because it has become very difficult to find some types of dry beans -- the grocery stores are just constantly out -- and I'm starting to run out. If I had it to do over again, I would have filled my cart with beans, rice, cooking oil, flour, yeast, and powdered milk when I had the chance. Now I keep putting them in my Instacart order and keep looking for them when I occasionally go to the grocery store. Sometimes they're in stock, sometimes not, although it has been getting better.
Overall, the Stay Home, Stay Safe order has been a good thing, and has probably prevent thousands of people from getting sick and dying. I am in a privileged position in that I still have a job, a home, and food. I'm worried about the people that don't have one of these or maybe even have none of those three things. I'm a little worried that I'll lose my job and if I do I won't be able to find another one. But, I'm also relishing being able to slow down and stay at home. I wish I could do this, with some modifications, after the pandemic is over, but probably won't be able to. We'll probably have to hustle even more to earn a living after this is all over."
1005,5/5/2020 11:35,1,40-49,1,librarian,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,4,1,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I now work full-time from home. My children did not have school for the first 4 weeks so it was easier. But after [the public school] district opened online classes, managing work and children became far more difficult. I had to balance highly stressful meetings while getting their breakfast ready. We have missed a birthday party so far and now will be missing another and a graduation celebration for my senior. 
The first 4-5 weeks were ok. But as the closures stretch on, it is sometimes unmanageable. It would be nice to have a change of scenery. But my garden is looking great! I am getting a lot of projects done and I do enjoy not having to race around getting kids to and from events and doctor appointments. The slower pace agrees with me at some level. Though I do miss going out and seeing my friends. My family all live out of state so it is hard not being able to go visit or check in on them, particularly my mother who is older and could use some help. I don't think advanced notice would have changed much. I think I am well prepared in general and am fortunate to have the means to get the things I need. "
1006,5/5/2020 12:08,1,60-69,1,librarian,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","The order has impacted my work regarding location but my work was surprisingly adaptable to online. Student appointments were less as a result though but involvement with students as part of being attached to online courses was slightly up. I think students are not as happy with online instruction as the only option as a lot of people would like to think. I have stayed home for the most part in general, ordering groceries. etc. I am kind of a homebody so that has not been that bad. However, we had an adult child and a house guest who moved out to be with boyfriends along with one of the cats right after Covid took hold of the country and that has made us sad. It was probably inevitable but came on very suddenly so hard to adjust to. Most everyone I know is connecting with people by phone or Zoom that one would not communicate with as often. That has been an unexpected silver lining. On the downside, I think the situation has intensified political divisions as opposed to uniting people. "
1007,5/5/2020 12:48,1,40-49,1,staff,Rural,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","Everything happened very fast. In the moment, there was really no chance to think about the long term consequences. I found myself scrambling trying to set things up and feeling helpless because I did not have the information I needed to put procedures in place. That being said, those in my department mostly kept their heads and were focused on supporting students and faculty "
1008,5/5/2020 12:49,1,50-59,1,staff,Rural,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","My spine surgery was cancelled as a result of the stay home order with no idea when it will be rescheduled. As a result of the uncertainty, I've lived with pain and progressing nerve damage that could have been avoided had spine surgeries been allowed.
I worked from home and became accustomed to it. It's nice to walk down the hallway in the morning to reach my ""desk"" at the kitchen table rather than having to drive to campus and walk to the office."
1009,5/5/2020 12:50,1,50-59,1,librarian,Rural,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,4,1,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","Impacted my work: I have been forced to work from home since March 15. This is very difficult for me because I have an [] son at home who has ADHD and is very high maintenance. Trying to get him to do any learning at home, or just keeping him occupied (because he is incapable of entertaining himself when not on the computer) is really stressful while trying to do my job.
Impacted home life: Spouse is department chair at [] trying to run a department, while I'm doing my job, while also being parents is very hard. My daughter has not handled the isolation of ""stay-at-home"" well and actually left after two weeks to go live with her boyfriend and his family for two weeks. 
Other impacts: the first month was exceedingly stressful for me in particular. It was very hard. I'm doing better now but I have had to adjust my expectations for how much work I can get done at home, or how productive I can be in this environment.
Shopping is still done in person (by wife) but only every 2 weeks.
I have NOT worked as a first-responder or in any public capacity.
Positive outcomes: Despite the stress of having to deal with my son all day long now, I am now better able to understand how much he is suffering from ADHD and I have a better sense of what is easy and what is hard. I appreciate the quality time I do have with him now. Plus I enjoy being home with my wife all the time. I enjoy getting outside more frequently than I do during my normal work days.
If I had known the extent of disruption ahead of time: I would not have paid $800 for four weeks of summer camp for my son, given that he may not end up going to those camps. I would have saved that money. Other than that, I'm not sure what I would have done differently. We reacted pretty quickly to bring home what work computers and peripherals we'd need to do our jobs."
1010,5/5/2020 12:59,1,60-69,1,retired,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","The stay home, stay safe order has kept me healthy. I am fine with it. Also fine wearing a mask, I do think we should have been instructed to wear these on March 12. As for impact on my life, it did keep me from doing things like preventive doctor and dentist appointments, but have been able to do what's needed via video. Each afternoon I walk with the dogs for 4-5 miles. It has been great for keeping me fit and getting out of the house. Also getting to know my neighborhood better. I go to the grocery store every two weeks and take many precautions like mask, gloves, and social distancing. Wish all citizens would do this. Getting ready to go out and coming back from the grocery store requires more time to prepare for leaving and wiping down products before I put them away. Have also tried to keep people from petting my dogs when we are walking. I have found that I am not as productive or creative as I am during regular times which is a bummer, I nap more than I used to. I am reading more than I did before as well as talk on the phone or FaceTime with my friends than before as we are not going out for meals, movies, etc. One of the best outcomes for me is that I am saving more money since I am not spending my entertainment budget. This is good because I will be taking a smaller distribution from my retirement savings account this year and perhaps next. I do think there will be a positive outcome in that people will realize that we were trying to do too much and this sheltering in place required us to slow down. Of course, the biggest worry for me is the economy. So many are struggling, and these are people who seem to have been struggling before the Covid-19 arrived. I don't know how some families, especially with small children and parents who work hourly jobs are able to keep it together. And then there is the need for health insurance - perhaps this will be a wake-up call to politicians that it's time for us to go the way of Denmark, Finland, and Sweden for healthcare, childcare, and education. This may bring about the changes we need to survive in a global environment.  Had I known ahead of time I would have done a better job of stocking up on pet food and treats and wine."
1011,5/5/2020 13:16,1,40-49,1,administration,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I worked in a very public-interacting position until March 15. Now working from home with limited hours, my partner was laid off. I'm also a student but courses were already online. I have had increased anxiety and have had to up my medications and increase my therapy visits. We were pretty stocked with home supplies, but I have food allergies so we plan well ahead to get the right kinds of food in the house. I'm so glad we have pets and I almost wish we had one more. Positive outcomes: my house is clean, we're eating healthier, and our relationships with our pets has strengthen. Our relationship is a bit strained as we're the only humans we've physically interacted with. "
1012,5/5/2020 13:26,1,25-29,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost every aspect of my daily life. It has caused a constant, prolonged stress and anxiety unlike anything I have experienced. I am grateful for the governor's stay at home order to minimize spread in Michigan. Working from home has been a challenge, as much of my job at the university revolved around in-person contact. Having to forego some areas of my job and adapt others to a virtual environment has been a challenge, but the university has made much headway in the areas of virtual engagement in my role. When we went to remote work, I don't think anyone expected the pandemic to last this long or get this bad in Michigan (currently on week 8 of who knows how many). There would have definitely been different preparations, but we are all doing the best with what we have now.
On a personal level, it has been hard being away from friends and family during this time. I am lucky to still be employed, but many of my family members have had to file for unemployment. The pandemic disrupted my final semester of my degree, and missing out on commencement with my family was heartbreaking. I have also experienced the death of a family member during this time, and being apart from a support system has been challenging to say the least. Given my personal struggles, it has been hard to watch others with more privilege consider this pandemic a gift of ""extra free time at home"" as I have not found more free time to engage in hobbies or personal development. I'm just as busy as before, but with more stress.
On a societal level, I am concerned about the widespread, mass-scale PTSD we will see in our culture and the world after this. I believe it will change the shape of human behavior for decades to come. (Realistically, until climate change becomes the next pandemic-level immediate threat to human life.) I am also concerned about the hyper-consumerism and extreme capitalism that will likely be pushed and pursued after the crisis when people cling to any former semblance of normal. I hope our country has some lasting social and cultural change for the better after this, but I am not confident in that happening. The rich and powerful will be quick to brush it under the rug and return to the normal that benefits them, while the population will be eager to forget how bad things were."
1013,5/5/2020 13:35,1,60-69,1,librarian,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I am in my 8th week of working from home, and I hate to admit that I really like it. I am not as productive as I am in my office, and am distracted by the news and conversations about COVID-19 and the disastrous effects it is leaving on our community and in the world. My job can be completed from home, though there are certain aspects that will need input from on site sources. I mainly have to rethink how to provide the workshops I have done in an online format.
I don't remember the last time I spent any substantial time at home, so I am loving being at home, with my calendar swept clean, no expectations that I will be anywhere. But I do love to travel, so I have chosen to take my exercise by walking through the various parks and nature areas in the county. I am not bored a bit, I have not altered my morning routine, I haven't taken up jig-saw puzzles or binge movie watching - well maybe a bit more than usual in the evenings, but not much more. I am able to attend to my yard, which I have neglected in the past years. Working on cleaning out some corners of my house. I could see having a cat, but until I am sure I don't have to return to my office to work, I won't take on another pet until I retire.
I know that many around me are suffering, but for me it is a time of slowing down, focusing on what is important, re-evaluating how I have been living my life, connecting with neighbors - at a proper distance, calling up friends and finding alternative ways to meet online. I just hope that many rediscover the joys of family and connection, though I understand for some being home with kids and other family members will be adding extra stress.
I can't think of anything I would have done differently. Ready to work from home in the long haul - and appreciating that I still have a job."
1014,5/5/2020 14:11,1,40-49,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I am considered non-essential and was told to not work on anything while staying home unless it was something that would help students to graduate. But I was able to participate in some professional development opportunities from home during this time and did have some work to complete, which I have enjoyed being able to do. I miss my work colleagues. I feel blessed to still be employed and be able to get paid while staying home.
It is really nice to be at home with my husband who was already retired from work. We enjoy being together a lot. I love being able to do whatever I'd like to do every day, including exercise any time of day, reading, walking, cooking and napping occasionally. :) My home life has been relaxing and fun. I'm caught up on a lot of projects at home that I had been putting off. I miss seeing my mom and brother and his family, my stepdaughter and her family a lot though. I miss my worship life and church family too. I have been able to worship from home though and I've spent a lot of time in quiet conversation with my Father in Heaven, which is calming and restorative. I would like to be able to get out and do the normal things I used to do like going to the movies, eating out, visiting with friends etc.
I think I would have spent more time with my immediate family if I knew there was going to be as stay at home order. "
1015,5/5/2020 14:40,1,30-39,1,librarian,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","No to first responder question. 
As a librarian, I work in a public capacity in that all [university] community members and greater [city area] residents are welcome into the library. Closing the library early and asking patrons to leave was difficult as it runs counter to the mission and values of libraries. I now work from home 100% time due to the Stay Home, Stay Safe order. 
I personally dislike working from home but understand that this is for the greater good. I am also a full time graduate student so Spring 2021 was the most difficult semester I've ever experienced (and I've been laid off while in graduate school before!). Trying to focus while finishing the semester was extremely challenging. My instructors were flexible and supportive, which I greatly appreciate. 
I'm also unique in that I am a transplant to Michigan and have lived in states with the highest COVID-19 confirmations. I personally know individuals who have had the virus and recovered. I also know people outside of the United States who also had the virus and recovered. 
Being new to Michigan also means being new to state politics. It's been fascinating to hear about the perception of Governor Whitmer both within and outside of the state. Not only this is virus a public health issues, but it is also a political issue in that state residents are being tested on their level of trust towards their elected officials. 
Had I known the extent of the disruption in advance, I might have strongly considered leaving the state and staying with friends or family just to not be by myself. I am an extremely extroverted person so living alone while experiencing this virus has negatively affected my emotional, physical, and mental health.
Some positive outcomes are: no commuting time, saving money on gas, and deeper appreciation of sunny weather. "
1016,5/5/2020 15:46,1,70-79,1,professor,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I did have to adjust my classes from face to face to online. I actually found that process stimulating and the students seemed to have been happy. Our home life just feels like summer break came early except that we can't go out to dinner, to a movie or to see family and friends. 
I decided to pass the time by learning new things. I am drawing now with the help of Youtube and am keeping the drawings in a notebook and will be able to look back on what I did during the stay at home ruling. I have also taken up tap dancing and exercising at least 4 times a week which includes long walks. "
1017,5/5/2020 17:13,1,30-39,1,supply chain management,Rural,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,4,3,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","When the ""Stay Home, Stay Safe"" order was originally issued, I was on maternity leave caring for my second child. The most significant change initially was when daycares closed and my oldest [], had to stay home with us as well. This upended my maternity leave plans a bit and I became a stay at home mom to two children. This has been mostly an adjustment for my [oldest], who began to cope with a major change in routine and schedule, on top of the addition of a baby to the family as well. My husband, who mostly works from home but also travels for his job frequently, was also home working full time at this point. I feel that the stay at home order was necessary and felt much safer having my family home. Especially with young children, although the disease is said not to impact them significantly, I want to protect them. The minor adjustments we have had to make are well worth keeping my kids safe. Since I have gone ""back to work"" remotely, it has presented additional challenges. My husband has now had to work more of a flexible schedule so I am able to work as well. I also have to take a lot of time off in order to still be able to care for my children. And the kids are definitely getting a lot more TV time! The main thing I might have done more in preparation was to 1) not have my mother-in-law leave us so soon (she was staying with us until end of February to help with the baby) and 2) go out and get A LOT of supplies, crafts, activities to keep my [oldest] busy. The most positive part of being at home is being able to spend more time with my children, and also not having to take my [youngest] to daycare. It is difficult having to pay for daycare while not using it, but it is so hard taking such a young baby to daycare that it is a true blessing to be able to stay at home with her longer, even if it is a lot more hectic!"
1018,5/5/2020 18:51,1,30-39,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I am currently furloughed. I had been working 80% from home, 20% in the office. As for impacting home life, I have used my day planner to list out chores and other things, partly to keep the house clean and partly to ensure I always know what day it is.
I am a student at a university []. All classwork is online. There were no disruptions that I can think of.
In a positive direction, I had started writing a novel prior to the lockdown had have been able to dedicate more time to it (2,000 words a day versus 1,000 normally).
I can't think of what I might have done differently had I known of the disruption in advance. I have been careful with my money and will continue to do so. I do not expect, should I seek unemployment insurance, to receive any within a month or longer after applying."
1019,5/6/2020 11:01,1,60-69,1,professor,Urban,Michigan,Kent,,2,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I have used digital learning resources. I do not agree with Governor Whitmer's order, and believe it is becoming more like martial law. I was comfortable with online education prior to the shut down. I have not had any positive outcomes I can see at this time because of the disruption. I do believe there is not a clear picture of what is occuring in my county or my community due to the misinformation and the Governor's vague, often demeaning information sessions. I have had to ask medical personel who work in the health care system to tell me what is ""really"" happening, and what I am told is that in this county's hospitals have created their own projections and dealt with this their own way and have been successful, all without the drama projected by the media."
1020,5/6/2020 11:19,1,30-39,1,staff,Rural,Michigan,Van Buren,,4,3,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","The stay at home order threw my life into a spiral. Within days, I was sheltered at home, unable to work, with both of my children at home. I was also labeled as non-essential and and was not working for several weeks. As a result, I was quickly responsible for taking care of both of my children full time, cooking, cleaning, and assuring my online studies were also complete. It was tough, I walked in a daze for weeks unable to think of anything else but impending doom. I constantly checked mlive and CNN for updates. I reminded my family to stay home, and lived in a constant worry of my job and finances. As the shelter in place extended, I developed a routine, and allowed myself to move forward. I re-focused on my studies, and saw some positive experiences such as allowing me to deep clean my house, spend time with my children, garden, and bake. It has been a lot better six weeks later and now I am thinking about how we will move forward as a society as we began to experience the economic impacts of this situation."
1021,5/6/2020 13:23,1,30-39,0,professor,Urban,Other,Other,"Wisconsin, La Crosse",3,1,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","[] we've been at home since late March. My spouse and I are now both working from home and our child [] is with us. I was on sabbatical this semester so I was already home working. Now I have to split my work day with my spouse who is expected to do full 8 hours and try to entertain a child. She's been watching too much TV, we are burnt out, and stress and anxiety is high. Doing the best we can managing the responsibilities. I had struggled the first half of my semester sabbatical with fatigue (the fatigue had started a couple years ago but intensified in November of 2019). Right before the stay at home order, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and fitted with a cpap machine. So I feel much better and am more productive but I have less time to work! So it's a bit of trying to catch up for lost time but glad to have gotten that resolved before everything shut down.
I'm super introverted and my hobbies are reading and sewing so I'm actually thriving in the quarantine. I've been doing a lot of reading, sewing masks for others and local hospitals, and enjoying the solitude. I am a bit worried that I will be even more averse to social gatherings after so long at home. 
We actually shopped and prepped in February expecting this to happen. We were very prepared. I'm not sure I would have done anything differently."
1022,5/6/2020 18:20,1,80-89,1,retired,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","Very happy for the shutdown, nervous for future on account of proximity of [the city] to the chicken processing plant []. I am working at home anyway, but very much missed access to library collections, essential for my research. Very disgusted with people who did not obey shut-down orders to stay put etc. I have studied epidemics in connection with my research, and am appalled at the national response, asleep at the switch. Epidemics changed the course of history in the past, as this one will now."
1023,5/6/2020 21:31,1,50-59,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Allegan,,2,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I started working from home the week before the order as I didn't feel safe being in the office anymore. 
I'm home all the time; otherwise, my life hasn't changed much from pre-COVID-19.
My class went from being a hybrid, which included 5 or 6 face-to-face sessions to being a hybrid with 2 virtual sessions since all the other sessions were online or had already been completed.
I stayed home from church the week prior to the order and the following week, our church had streaming available. Then we switched to having Sabbath School (similar to Sunday school), church, prayer meeting, board meeting via Zoom.
I do not work in a public capacity.
Working from home has saved gas, although my food bill has increased.
I would have bought disinfecting wipes and disposable gloves prior to the rush. It has been almost impossible to buy any."
1024,5/7/2020 14:45,1,50-59,1,administration,Urban,Michigan,Kent,,4,3,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","My family moved to a new home and are selling our old home during this pandemic. We are both working from our new home with barely any furniture as real estate, moving, and the ability to shop for furniture are completely curtailed. Both of our children lost their jobs, our older son returned home from college to finish up his spring semester when classes moved online, and our younger son's high school senior year was cut short along with his ability to go through the normal rights of passage. We went from being extremely active, plans almost every evening and every weekend, to spending all of our days confined to our home. Grocery shopping is now a big excursion. We put our house up for sale the Friday before the ""Stay home, stay safe"" order, and had an offer before the order went into effect. Buyers backed out because of job security concerns. Once the order was in effect, only virtual showings were allowed and inspections could not be conducted, the market became very strange for a couple of weeks before things settled down. We received a second offer after my husband and I hosted a ""virtual showing"" using Zoom. Now we are trying to clear out our home before closing but it is difficult to dispose of unwanted items since Goodwill, trash/recycling centers, and many other facilities are not open or readily available. Had we known about the pandemic ahead of time, we would have put our house on the market in January. Ultimately, we have all stayed safe and healthy and I'm grateful for that. Work is stressful and uncertain, but I believe we'll make it through."
1025,5/7/2020 17:19,1,30-39,1,student,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","The ""Stay Home, Stay Safe"" order has been mostly positive for me. Because of the time between [the university's] initial distance-learning order and the Governor's order, I was able to get plenty of groceries and have limited my trips to the store to every three weeks. I was able to leave a toxic work environment two months before that position was scheduled to end. I have been working on my dissertation at home with very few distractions and I know that my family are safe where they are. "
1026,5/8/2020 15:49,1,60-69,1,administration,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I (almost) anticipated the extent of the disruption. I started moving files (paper) to my home and (digital) to the cloud starting 10 days before [the university] sent us home. I also checked a couple dozen books out of [the library] before it closed to the public. What I didn't anticipate was the possibility (at this writing still uncertain) that the fall term would start before we were allowed back into our cubicles. What have I learned? How fortunate I am to have a comfortable apartment that could easily accommodate me all day, every day. I get lonely, but I also remember every single day that this is much harder on others than it is on me. I do miss going to my office; I do miss my colleagues; but I am reminded each day of how fortunate I am. Yeah, I'm ""conditional essential,"" which is hardly warm and cuddly, but I didn't go to work at a university thinking I was particularly ""essential"" in the first place."
1027,5/11/2020 16:05,1,30-39,1,staff,Urban,Other,Other,"Florida, Pinellas",2,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","My husband and I moved from [state A] to [state B] on March 14. Before moving, we were tracking news related to the number of cases in our area. I was working in an outpatient mental health clinic and had my last day of work March 13. Work procedures had not changed much, although employees and patients alike were being asked screening questions before they were allowed to enter the building. I believe that procedure had been in place maybe a week before my leaving. 
My husband and I drove a moving truck to our new home. We didn't have any difficulty during the two day trip. When we arrived to our apartment complex, we learned that the owners had decided to close the pool and other amenities, but we were still able to complete paperwork in the leasing office. I had two weeks off until I needed to report to my new job. My husband had a week off; he was able to keep the job he had in [state A], although he would be working solely from home, as there is no local office. 
My parents, who also live in [state A], were due to arrive in [state B] on March 17. They were planning a week-long vacation and my husband and I were looking forward to seeing them. In the days leading up to their departure, they went back and forth many times about whether or not to cancel. They ultimately decided to cancel, not so much out of fear for their health, but because they were worried about being confined to their hotel rooms if beaches and restaurants were to close in [state B]. They also worried that grocery stores may not have basic necessities, making for a less than relaxing trip. 
At the same time, we were in the middle of selling our house in [state A]. We had never sold a home before and were fairly anxious about getting everything done from afar. We accepted an offer before we left the state, but the closing date occurred once we were in [state B]. Our closing date was the last day before offices in [state A] were to close. It was very stressful; the title agency emailed us a bunch of forms the day before closing, and we had to get them printed. Kinkos was closed or wouldn't be able to have the paperwork ready until the next day. Eventually we asked out leasing office if they would print what we needed. They did, and we picked the packet up outside leasing office door. We filled everything out without anyone really available to tell us if we were filling them out correctly (although a couple phone calls to my husband's aunt, who is a Realtor helped). Then we got everything notarized, and FedEx-ed overnight back to [state A]. We worried that if there was a mistake, we wouldn't be able to get corrected paperwork out in time. So we crossed our fingers, and hoped for the best. We could not believe our luck and timing. Everything was done and our home was sold.
[state B] statewide restrictions came much later than [state A], however local leaders in our area restricted in person dining and public events were cancelled around the same time that [state A] stay at home orders were announced. A concert we had planned for April was delayed until 2021. Beaches were closed after footage of spring breakers crowding the sand made national news. 
When I reported to work, changes to admission policies and other procedures were announced nearly each day. At first, group therapies could proceed if there were less than 10 people in a room and social distancing could be maintained. Then no face to face sessions of any kind were allowed. The clinic I work in houses some of the intensive outpatient therapy patients if they are from out of state or homeless. There are also several residential treatment programs where all participants live on the unit. Individuals living on site were encouraged to discharge, return to an outpatient level of care, and re-admit at a later date (which is still undetermined). Only those who could not secure stable housing remained, and so the size of the programs reduced drastically. New admissions are only being considered currently if they are transferred form another residential program, meaning they have already been living at the hospital for several weeks, or are in critical need (homeless, high risk for lethality, etc). 
Employees also moved to telework. While in the past, all providers were expected to do some amount of telework (where the clinician is in the office and connects with a patient in their home), now providers are at home themselves as much as possible. All clinical work is either over the phone or by video. Nursing staff and some others are still on site for those veterans who are still housed on station. Therapists rotate in-office days so that at least one provider is there each day. 
Altogether, it has been a very strange time. My husband and I were looking forward to exploring our new home, but we've mostly had to do that by looking out the car window. We would much prefer to see city streets and neighborhoods, chatting with folks in shops and seated next to us at bars. I was looking forward to getting settled into a new job that I hoped would be my long term career. But with constant change and a lack of patients, I'm guessing feeling ""settled"" is still a long way off. My husband's hours (as well as all of his coworkers) were cut from 40 to 21. We are fortunate that neither of us has shown symptoms and even with my husband's reduced hours and pay, we have more than enough resources to make it through. We know that we are in a much better position to handle whatever may be coming next than most. The major costs for us have been stress, boredom, and lack of predictability, but we are grateful that the costs have not been greater, as they have been for so many."
1028,5/12/2020 14:29,1,30-39,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,NA,3,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","My work during the 'Stay Home' order was not affected too greatly. I took a voluntary leave from my job approximately one week prior to the order being put into place due to the expected birth of my second child. I did not perform any work from home until mid-May as a result of my leave. At that time I transitioned to working from home and performing limited job tasks as required. 
Home life was impacted greatly by the order and pandemic. My second child was born March 2020. The birth of this child was greatly different that my first child born []. For a time there was concern that I would not be able to be present for the birth of my child as some [state] hospitals had limited individuals in the birth rooms. Once my wife was admitted, the experience was vastly different. Doctors, nurses, support staff were never seen without masks. No visitors of any kind were allowed to see us or our newborn, and we were essentially confined to the recovery room for the duration of the stay. Coming home, we had no family visitors; no family met my new child for more than 8 weeks after birth. Daily I would watch the news but for the most part we would feel separated from the events happening in the world since our concentration was on our newborn. I, alone, did food shopping for the family, planning in advance what was needed for a 2 week time period to limit our time out of the home. 
Realistically we handled it as best as we could. It was difficult to be separated from extended family at a time when we wished to be celebrating but we carried on and felt like we were doing our part by limiting contact. "
1029,5/12/2020 21:07,1,30-39,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I'm so grateful for the shelter-in-place order. It can't stop people from making bad choices, but it sets the norm in a good place. Besides, if you're wearing a mask, no one can see you judging the folks walking around Meijer without one.
My students in the spring semester absolutely blew me away with their dedication and resilience. One of them didn't have reliable internet at home, so he submitted his assignments by text message, as photographs of handwritten documents. Others worked in fast food parking lots to get access to wifi, or wrote essays on their phones, or posted to discussion forums at 2 a.m. after working long shifts at essential jobs. They're incredible. Honestly, it's offensive that [the university] responded to the awful position our students are in by promoting exam spyware and browser lockdowns -- not just ethically, but also pragmatically, since so many students don't even have the technology to USE them.
Just in the last few days word has come down that [the college] will have to make 25% cuts in personnel costs. In addition to being a part-time instructor, I work a part-time staff position and I'm terrified that I'll be laid off. Layoffs at [the university] are primarily based on seniority, and as someone who started less than 2 years ago, I'll probably be on the chopping block. I only started to feel stable and secure post-grad school maybe 6 months ago, and it's all slipping out of my grasp. What's especially scary is that this job is the only way I can access health insurance for my medically vulnerable partner. Being laid off could literally cripple him."
1030,5/13/2020 6:24,1,30-39,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,4,1,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","The ""Stay Home, Stay Safe"" order has certainly altered my daily life. It began with a hasty move from face-to-face teaching to online learning. This was a challenge since online learning was a new style of instruction for me; however, once a plan was in place the stress diminished. I focused on ""good enough"", rather than my best. Knowing summer courses would be online-only in advance of planning made a world of difference. I reached out to resources available to me (e.g., online course experts, instructional design, friends with a stronger online pedagogy) and could better prepare for instruction. So far, this has helped me feel more confident about my online instruction. My research has halted, for now, but colleagues and I are brainstorming ways to forge ahead in online spaces. I am much more proficient with online video-conference software!
It has been difficult to work from home, but not impossible. I am fortunate that my spouse can play with and entertain the children while I work. I set my alarm very early in the morning to ensure a few hours of quiet work every day. I don't like getting up early, but the quiet and hot coffee are actually nice treats. I feel comradery with the group of runners who I watch from my window every morning at 5:45. I am in a fortunate position compared to many Michiganders, my work has continued and my salary is in-tact (so far), my expenses have decreased while gym memberships, preschool, and hair salons have been put on hold. My gasoline consumption is negligible. I have a large backyard that allows my family and I to get outside and move our bodies. 
I miss my extended family and will not be able to visit until the [] border reopens. I miss conference season and visiting with colleagues who live overseas. But I have been fortunate. I can stay home and stay safe and can only hope this passes quickly and some semblance of normalcy returns."
1031,5/13/2020 9:11,1,50-59,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Washtenaw,,4,3,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed",Work is going well. Actually I have more time as there is no travel for meetings. Family is all well. The roughest work has been getting the grandparents on grocery delivery.
1032,5/13/2020 10:49,1,30-39,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,4,1,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I have been a life long resident of [] Michigan, a place I love more than any other in America, and I have seen many beautiful places. But this place is home. Our routines before the pandemic were filled with school drop-offs, daily dog walks, a normal 8-5 kinda job and a hopeful expectation of the future as far as our livelihoods and finances go. Our greatest foes during this period of our lives were filled with two young picky eaters, learning good habits with our girls and finding time for each other amid lifes busy schedule. 
The pandemic has changed everything and thrown much into chaos. When the Covid-19 pandemic started hitting the news, it sounded like any other SARS type virus, hitting China once again, the Chinese would react and there would be mask wearers there but it wasn't really a concern. Then it hit Italy and tore through that country and filled our headlines and the concern grew. 
Here in our household, my wife and I both work at [the university], and as things started shutting down my co-workers and I speculated if we would close as others were starting to. I remember specifically questioning whether China's numbers were real or were they underinflated (time has told me they were now intentionally inaccurate). 
When we were first ordered home things were great, we thought it would be a couple of weeks, maybe a month at the most but no big deal. Working in [IT] at the time, there was a mad rush prior to us staying home to get all classes moved to online-only education. It was a herculean effort because our IT structure on campus is decentralized and so their were a lot of moving parts and pieces and resources to coordinate. We had to stand up a brand new VPN service due to what we expected might become a gigantic surge in usage as our then-current VPN could only handle a few hundred concurrent connections. 
When we moved home we converted our guest room into a ""home work office"" to try and seperate our work lives from our home lives. We live in a big house [], that had the space for it and so our children would play and do school and we could work. Our routines became morning breakfast with the children, they would watch a couple cartoons on Disney plus or Netflix during that time and my wife would lay out the homework for the day and I would get ready to ""punch the clock"". Thankfully my job afforded me the ability to perform 100% of my duties remotely, so it wasn't all that different for me. We had done some fun things like made a banner for the department we worked in and posted it on the wall and had a chart for the ""days until we return to campus..."" posted, which got extended, and extended and then abandoned as the weeks went by. 
Over the past 7 weeks I would say the initial experience of temporary uncertainty soon turned to anxiety and ultimately fear as both the cases/deaths climbed, the economy stumbled and the realization that we might lose our jobs set in. 
Our girls and us all bored of the ""new normal"", sometimes with tears and frustration for the ""out of our control"" nature of events that we were forced into. I watched and sympathized with the protesters, the frustrated business owners and those who question the political decisions being made as the mass death promised initially didn't become a reality. I was saddened by the loss of two friend's grandfathers to the disease and concerned as others I knew were being laid off. I was shocked, and stunned at the fragility of our democracy and those around the world as many leaders, in places such as Hungary became authoritarian, and the realization that we were not as strong as believed. Some of that happened here too in the United States, and it dismayed me that our initial unity began to fracture into open hostility, not necessarily across party lines, but definitely between those were wanted an overabundance of caution and those who saw the risk to their and others livelihoods withering away. 
But let's talk about the positives. My wife discovered home delivery for groceries and we may never go back. It's wonderful! And it saves you money because you only buy what is on your list. The inventor is a genius. We planted a huge vegetable garden which we had before but had to plow under two years prior due to the PFAS crisis; this town has taken a lot of hits the past few years. The garden was a huge positive because it was a distraction from the uncertainty, a pursued goal for the future and healthy living. I also was able to get a LOT of my personal feelings and frustrations out through hard labor. 
My picky eaters were forced to expand their pallets, with grocery stores rationing and some items unavailable my children soon began asking for foods they claimed to never like before because frankly, there was nothing else; it made my wife and me very happy. Our dog's behavior also greatly improved and she seemed to love our constant presence and usually slept under the desk we made in our ""work office"". We made several investments in our future, from taking advantage of the ultra-low mortgage rates, to some additional investments in the stock markets, to a few improvements around the house. We play more games together, and we spend more time reading. My daughter has become a voracious reader through all of this and we have her engaged in a number of educational and scholarly activities for her future. We pray more and practice more of our beliefs and faith because in the end, it's the only thing we can be sure of and count on. We also talk to our parents, friends, and family much more than before, with video chat, phone, and text convos being quite frequent. 
My outlook at this moment in mid-May is optimistic, things are opening again, things are moving and the curtain of uncertainty for many and even our jobs is slowly lifting. Will I be out of work soon? Possibly. But we have a plan for that, all is not lost. When facing a problem it's important to not look at the mountain, but rather what is directly in front of you. One foot at a time, when step. Have a goal in mind, for my wife and I in our early to mid-'30s, we have always wanted to retire early and find more leisurely or exciting jobs. We have stuck to our goals and made moves to enhance or support that long-term thinking. Our faith in God and Jesus Christ has kept us strong and motivated. We hope many come to faith as we have. It's allowed us to keep pressing forward and to hold unto our dreams and our focus. 
I hope this record helps as you write and learn about these experiences. In the end, I believe our family will be stronger because of this and I hope/pray others will be too. "
1033,5/13/2020 11:36,1,70-79,0,retired,Rural,Michigan,Van Buren,,2,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","Luckily, I find I enjoy being home, although ordinarily I am tutoring twice a week, going to the Y (yoga and Pilates), bible study, church group etc, I am not usually an ""at home"" person.
I met Governor Whitmer way back at the start of her campaign...right in here [], a few miles from my house. I agree with her stance on opening the state...and remain appalled and a bit scared of these folks who somehow think they should be in charge and invade the state house to show their anger (a stance that clearly speaks to how much they have missed in their junior high and high school social studies/government classes). 
We are lucky to have someone who knows people and the laws of the state as well as she does and doesn't bend to those who only want ""their way"". Government is not a restaurant where you can have it your way.
Am I a first responder? Not at all. I donate to food banks and write to my representatives in DC [] and pray. :)
What has impacted me about this whole thing is seeing my millennial children trying to find work in this environment and to move on with their lives, how that will work out for them concerns me most.
The hardest part of all this is how to help those who cannot do much to improve their situation. They depend on all of us who can help. Spending our limited resources to handle the ridiculous protests from people who are using tantrums to get their way is a appalling. Marching on Lansing? Seriously? With assault rifles? And dressed like deer hunters? That has become a distraction and too many politicians are more worried about their re-election and pleasing the loudest shouters than they are in doing their job for ALL Michiganders. How do they miss the clear and present danger of Covid 19? 
Hoping things improve for all of us, no matter where our politics lie. Things like this should unite us. That is what leaders do during these sorts of things. Unfortunately, our president will not. Nothing like a whole lot of uproar to get us to ""look over there"" like P.T. Barnum and have a whole lot of us miss what is really going on."
1034,5/13/2020 13:58,1,70-79,1,retired,Rural,Michigan,Branch,,3,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","Being retired, the order has not affected us as much as most, but it still created some major changes in our lifestyle. We don't dine out as much as we once did. We don't have as many activities to choose from as before. We cannot plan vacations. It is the unknown that causes us the most concern. "
1035,5/13/2020 14:44,1,70-79,1,retired,Rural,Michigan,Mason,,2,0,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I am a busy person and can find things to do around the house.
I wish the government would have shut off all air travel like they did on 9-11.
I wish everyone would have started to wear mask right away especially in big box stores.
The war act should start to bring and build supplies in the states. We had some citizens with initiative that started to make mask. But what about swab for testing?
"
1036,5/14/2020 21:08,1,70-79,1,retired,Urban,Michigan,Muskegon,,2,0,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","With our extended family including eight grandchildren, it has and is very difficult to be with the three families that our parented by our [] daughters and their husbands. If we do gather it is one family at a time. The grandchildren range from twelve down to a year and a half in age. Under normal conditions, all three families would gather at our home []. Because they are from different [states], the danger of passing the virus has become difficult to control. Without a nationwide plan to mitigate the virus, the variables are too extensive to be safe. Because the grandchildren are age matches, they miss each other and of course, we miss our daughters and their families. Social distancing is not possible between the cousins as they run through the house and enjoy being close. This has been life-altering for the entire family. The social customs of our family gatherings have been interrupted. As grandparents, this change brings with it great sadness for the family. "
1037,5/15/2020 11:19,1,25-29,1,student,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","The pandemic makes it difficult to focus on my dissertation and teaching work because the future of my appointment and further, my future career are so uncertain. My family all lives in another state and I worry about them. "
1038,5/15/2020 23:19,1,18-24,1,student,Urban,Michigan,Calhoun,,3,0,1,"No, I tried to get tested but was turned away","No, I have not been diagnosed","Among the greatest impacts for me due to COVID-19 was the cancellation of my Spring 2020 study abroad []. In August of 2019, I had went with [the university] as part of [a] three week program. While [there], I met a beautiful young woman who I fell in love with. Strange as it may seem I felt the moment I held her in my arms that she was ""the one"". By trade she was a lawyer but enjoyed dancing, modeling and piano in her free time. I couldn't ask for anything more in a partner. She felt the same as I did. The night before our plane departed to America, I held her in my arms and as the night vanished in what seemed like a few seconds, I watched from the backseat of a taxi as she walked back to her apartment. We'd see each other in February I thought. When news came in late January that my host university had decided to not accept international students arriving for the semester, I was crushed. I had bought an engagement ring and had planned to propose []. My plane would have landed [] on the late afternoon of Valentines day. COVID-19 hit China first. She was scared of leaving her apartment [] where cases barely reached a handful region wide. Yet the fear for her safety from myself and her was heavy in the air. And then, in the early days of March the first case in America was registered. 
Face masks had already been selling at outrageous prices by then but walking through the grocery store you would never imagine how bad things would get. I bought two N95 masks from Walmart that night, leaving a full box behind. 'I'll buy them if it gets bad"", I thought. Even then seeing someone in public with a face-mask was an oddity. Always causing you to wonder ""I wonder what's wrong with them"" and now our thoughts and emotions are hidden behind a thing fabric veil. A smile at a passerby unnoticed as the shopping cart rolls past. An aisle away someone sneezes and heads turn worriedly. This is our new reality. 
Before, I was a regular at a Chinese buffet, where I'd swap Chinese instruction for English instruction with the waitresses and waiters. Since the first weeks of March the restaurant has sat empty. It's not feasible to open now or until there is a vaccine. Perhaps like so many businesses, the doors which I walked through and which provided a gateway to so many cherished memories and special relationships, will remain closed forever. The thought weighs heavy on me as those hours spent laughing over ceramic plates and the bustle between buffet tables were my release. And now its gone. 
On March 8, before the first case was registered in Michigan I became ill. The worst I've ever felt in my life. My breathing labored and in a matter of a half hour my temperature spiked to nearly 102. My body felt like it was failing me. I knew something was wrong. At 4:00am I drove myself to the emergency room. Scared, for the first time in a long time. Knowing that if it was what I hoped it was not, I had likely infected my elderly father and disabled father. Even if I managed to survive, they might die. As the minutes past a doctor entered the room, his mouth hidden behind a mask. ""[] we don't have any tests for Coronavirus so I'm going to treat you with some medications that will help ease the symptoms you've mentioned."" With that the doctor exited and I was left alone. After another two days of anguish I began to recover. I am unsure if I was stricken with COVID-19, however I have never felt anything more close to death and never wish to again. 
I hope these recollections may serve you in some form. I send them with my very best of wishes. "
1039,5/16/2020 11:45,1,70-79,1,retired,Rural,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","My volunteer work at the University has stopped. We have been spending time together. We have been enjoying the change in the season and more bird watching. I do miss my family--children and grandchildren and friends. 
If I had known in advance we would not have scheduled a trip [to a different state]. "
1040,5/18/2020 12:49,1,50-59,1,retired,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,3,2,1,"Yes, I was tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","Staying home more, limiting trips to grocery, not going to the gym. Adult child had to move home from college and continues to live here instead of finding employment elsewhere."
1041,5/20/2020 9:59,1,30-39,1,,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,5,1,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","My work at [the university] has been greatly impacted. I was deemed conditionally essential and my hours were reduced. Fortunately [the university] provided relief leave, but I have expended that allowance and am now using my annual leave and sick leave to receive full compensation. 
My home life has not been affected much. My family recently quarantined since my newborn arrived during flu season. We were accustomed to staying home. The main negative is that our parents had to pause their visits so they missed out on some time with their first grandchild. Overall I experienced a positive outcome of the shelter-in-place as I got to spend more time with my infant in her early development. "
1042,5/26/2020 9:19,1,30-39,1,student,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I had many events cancelled (in other states and in Michigan). It was stressful, at first time. Some of the online classes did not have any comparison with the offline. For example, you cannot make an online orchestra class, or online ensemble. It became listening experience and researching experience, instead of performing experience (which is significant changing of the program). If I payed for those classes myself (not by assistantship), I would demand a partial refund. 
On the positive side, I enjoy working from home. "
1043,5/27/2020 12:09,1,60-69,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,2,"Yes, I was tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","My hours were reduced and I am currently working from home.
My daughter, grandson, and son-in-law recovered from COVID-19 and not being able to travel to [another state] to be with them was stressful. Recovery took six weeks and their lungs are still healing. On a positive note, my daughter has contacted me every morning to check in and throughout the day for the last 10 weeks. Family and friends are checking in or just talking on a regular basis. I've returned to cooking more and enjoy it. I've sheltered in place for two weeks longer that most [university] colleagues to ensure I had not contracted COVID-19, as my daughter and I had met in [another city] the week before her husband tested positive."
1044,5/28/2020 15:15,1,30-39,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,3,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I would have saved up more vacation hours. I used all of my vacation, and I've almost used up all my sick leave. Luckily, I've gotten some hours so that I will not run out by July 1. I have coworkers that are on unemployment in my department because of this, and this will only mean more work for us, when we were already didn't have enough employees, especially in our department. However, I did get a lot of organizing and cleaning done at my parents house during my time off, and am very thankful for the covid hours that were given to us, or I would have been on unemployment as well. I am also saving time not commuting, when I can do everything on my work laptop as long as I have internet."
1045,5/28/2020 21:21,1,18-24,1,paraprofessional,Rural,Michigan,Kent,,4,3,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I was still able to work, but when my mom was tested for COVID-19, I had to take a week off."
1046,6/9/2020 8:41,1,18-24,1,,Urban,Other,Other,Malaysia,3,0,0,"Yes, I was tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","In my experience of the stay at home order, I felt my productivity significantly decrease. As a student, online classes were not productive and I struggled to learn as I usually did in traditional classes. Online classes came with a whole new challenge of navigating technology while remaining focused on class content instead of getting distracted by people or things around me at home. My ideal workspace is usually at the library or a computer lab so completing work at home proved to be a struggle. 
Being at home so much forced me to find time away from people as well, since I lived with friends. The pandemic in a way compelled me to find new ways to manage my mental and emotional health. "
1047,6/10/2020 4:44,1,18-24,1,student,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","Due to COVID-19, I've mostly been confused by the University's handling of the situation. At first, I was told that as a non-teaching graduate assistant, I was being terminated early without pay. Then I was told I was terminated, but I was receiving my stipend. Then I was told because I was getting my stipend, I could continue to work even though on the books I was no longer an employee. It was frustrating, exploitative, and heartbreaking. If I have learned anything from this experience, it's that [the university] will demonstrate its commitment to money over people. 
This has been the primary source of my anguish in this time. From March to June I've been in a back and forth on the status of my job and future academic endeavors. It has made everything else in my life harder to do. I had to get a separate job to support myself. I had to shift my academic plans. I had to worry if I would have to cancel my plans for other degrees here at [the university]. When I was still in classes, I had a hard time finding purpose or meaning in anything I was doing. I could not find a point or value in continuing with anything after distance education because I had no idea when this would all be done. I still don't, but I'm trying to continue. 
While I am sure that there could be positive outcomes found from this shelter-in-place, ultimately the negatives outweigh the positive. Though I stayed in full compliance with the order, this entire pandemic demonstrated not only [the university's] lack of preparedness but our entire country. We have no infrastructure to take care of our people. We are in an election cycle with two people who don't actually care about the people of the U.S. It's still hard to have hope for anything, anymore."
1048,6/10/2020 13:20,1,40-49,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Allegan,,2,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I was put on leave from work for 8 weeks. I loved being home and especially working from home. I feel like I have proven that I can work from home and I honestly don't understand why I have had to come back to work in May and potentially be exposed by my coworkers. Going to the store and otherwise shopping is no longer fun, it is a stressful event, comparable to a fire drill. A few positive outcomes have been that I have seen families walking and playing outside, which was almost disappeared in my neighborhood. It was also cool to see families together, previously it was just the kids or just one parent with the kids and now I see everyone. I also like how much more time I am spending on the phone with people I love. "
1049,6/12/2020 10:11,1,50-59,1,professor,Rural,Michigan,St. Joseph,,3,2,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","It's been a challenge working from home but most of those challenges have been resolvable. My home life has been impacted; we were planning to sell our house and move to [a city] but this has been postponed.
I have taught biomedical ethics for more than 20 years and have taught about pandemics and the ethical considerations when public health and individual health issues come into conflict. My students in the spring semester were therefore able to have more access to information than perhaps some other students might have had. This was an unexpected positive outcome.
I would have been more thorough in emptying my office on campus if I'd known I'd be away from my office for this long. "
1050,6/22/2020 21:41,1,18-24,1,student,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","Though I have not personally had Covid 19, I would say I have been heavily affected by the virus. I am a current graduate student [] and was just about to complete my second year when the virus hit. I'm looking forward to a career [in a field] and when the first case was diagnosed in Michigan, it was at [a conference from this field]. At the time of diagnosis, several universities decided to shut down and put travel holds on professors. My first conference presentation was very limited and most of the attendees who had planned to attend the conference were forced to cancel. Many of us were fearful for the students who attended our schools and for our and our families' safety. There was also great concern over the [field] as a whole because we all knew, even then, that this was going to heavily impact it. Personally, I have been heavily affected as several large events in my life have been canceled or postponed. I was planning a study abroad trip to [] with my professor and that was almost immediately postponed and most likely cancelled. It is unlikely that I will be able to attend that trip it's even if it is rescheduled because I will probably have graduated already. This was a disappointment, but in addition my wedding had to be postponed, and my honeymoon (originally planned in Europe) was also postponed to 2021. My fiance and I stayed quarantined in our apartment for about three months before venturing into the public at all. The only time we have taken the risk of entering large public spaces have been when we take the precaution of wearing masks, sanitizing, ect. We made an exception for the Black Lives Matter protest, but took precautions and social distanced. Overall, it has been a disappointing year and one that has severely impacted several aspects of my life. However, the health and safety of students and citizens of the world are more important than my own personal life. I have been extremely impressed and pleased with Governor Whitmer's stay-at-home order, and feel that it was necessary in Michigan. I am disappointed by the president's response and reactions at every step of the way during this pandemic and I hope that in the future we will see election results and policies put in place so that this does not happen in the future, and we are prepared. It is my hope that we as a nation will learn from this experience and that rather than a negative effect on International Education, those of us working in the field will create and maintain new ways to make our campuses international. I am still looking forward to entering field though I am worried about being hired in a time of economic lows, especially after seeing the budget cuts and layoffs that my own university has implemented. I have no doubt that this is a historic. Of time and that it will be one that those of us living through will tell future generations about. I just hope that we can learn from history and from this time and improve in the future so that our children do not have to face the same struggles.
"
1051,6/23/2020 15:14,1,18-24,1,nurse,Rural,Michigan,Van Buren,,2,0,1,"Yes, I was tested","Yes, I have been diagnosed","The stay at home order changed my job quite a bit. I work for [a hospital]. We started COVID-19 testing shortly after the explosion of cases in the Detroit area. We cut back on regular appointments and changed many to telemedicine appointments. We had to learn a completely new workflow. The hardest thing was not having definite answers to questions that patients were asking. We're all learning as we go along. At home the biggest change was my husband working from home. He's been working from home since mid-March and will continue to do so until I'm not longer being exposed to coronavirus on a regular basis (I test patients at work). It was an adjustment, but we have found a new ""normal"". Spring semester 2020 was my first semester at [the university], so it was kind of a rocky semester with just starting to find my way around campus and then having everything change. I would say it didn't impact my grades or GPA much at all. I was fortunate enough to have professors who were proactive and made the transition to online learning as easy as possible. The positive outcomes that have come from this are mostly related to the changes we've made at work. Previously, many insurance companies did not cover telemedicine visits and now nearly all insurance companies do and plan to continue to do so. Normally, we see upwards of 300 patients per day in our building. This move towards using telemedicine regularly was much needed. The population we serve is mostly patients who are covered by Medicaid/Medicare and many struggle to secure reliable transportation. Telemedicine opens up a plethora of new opportunities for these patients. There will always be certain appointments that need to be done in person, but many of our specialists can address acute concerns or do follow-ups with a telephone or video visit. In regard to the last question - I think I would have pushed leadership at my work to be more proactive. I think they handled all of this fairly well, but as a whole tend to be reactive instead of proactive."
1052,6/30/2020 14:32,1,60-69,1,professor,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,0,"Yes, I was tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","My father died during this time (not related to Covid). I continue to struggle with the lack of closure, e.g. unable to have a funeral, no visitation with others at funeral home, unable to get out of the car at the cemetery, having to watch internment from my car.
This wonderful man lived 89 years and I feel his death was made insignificant due to the restrictions which were imposed upon us."
1053,7/7/2020 7:50,1,60-69,1,professor,Urban,Other,Other,"North Carolina, Guilford",2,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I was teaching for [the universiy] online from [state B] when both [state A] and [state B] issued stay at home orders and campus was closed. My teaching was only minimally affected. I dropped deadlines, as well as final exams, and made accommodations for students to successfully complete their coursework. Home life has been very different. My husband, a professor at [state B], moved his work and lab home (we are really enjoying more time together). I had also been working with a group of 7 students to attend a study abroad program [] over the summer. They all had scholarships. Cancelled, of course.
We are both in the at risk age group, so all socializing, exercise classes, physical therapy, and in-person shopping stopped. Back in [state A], 3 of our 4 adult children were furloughed from their jobs - a son, his wife, their young daughter, and another son moved into our house to save on expenses. They have now returned to work - all in jobs that have quite a bit of contact with others, so my husband and I cannot safely return to [state A] and live with them in our home. Our granddaughter - still a toddler - has had virtually no contact with other children. Our own sons and daughters are also African-American, and the recent surge in Black Lives Matter protests (and backlash) after George Floyd's murder has added an increased stress to all our lives. We miss them terribly! 
There isn't anything we could have done differently. We follow the news (and the science) and we knew the worst was coming. I made 100 masks and gave them away. 
"
1054,7/15/2020 9:27,1,60-69,1,professor,Rural,Michigan,Allegan,,2,0,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","Being sequestered allowed me to focus in and complete and begin a number of writing projects. I also began reading novels and exercising regularly, as a means of providing structure to my day. I worked M-F and conducted more leisurely activities on the weekend, to replicate the normalcy that I as accustomed to. I also worked on getting our house ready to sell and making a move from [city A] to [city B within the same state]. We moved in early June in the midst of the pandemic.
I missed having access to the library and my office, but I quickly adjusted. I was not teaching in Spring 2020, so I did not have to transition to distance learning. I experienced some stress thinking about how I would be able to run the [] field school in Summer 2020 and what I would do in lieu of a course that required face-to-face engagement. I began thinking about designing a course [] which I ultimately offered to 8 students. "
1055,7/19/2020 9:16,1,40-49,1,student,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,NA,0,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","As an international student, the pandemic does impact me so much beyond imagination. Firstly, I am stuck in the US, cannot travel due to travel restrictions, so cannot see my husband and family since the beginning of the pandemic. The US immigration is the worst since it's in place without consideration of real conditions and care for foreigners. Second, health insurance mostly turns away from Covid-19 or increases the price very high. While, thirdly, I lost my job on campus due to campus closure. On the other hand, yes, it is fundamental to stay healthy in the US due to crazily expensive health care without being able to travel. The stay at home order at one point provides some kind of security because it may reduce the possibility of getting contracted with the virus, but international students still need to pay for housing, tuition fee (which is much more expensive than Americans), and other living expenses. Immigration, health care (still no fixed info whether the Covid test will be completely free without considering the health insurance), being separated far from family with some news of relatives' deaths in the home country and concern about them, financial issues, and limitations to work such as no access to printing due to campus closure, disturb my study performance and all other plans related to my research project."
1056,7/27/2020 11:21,1,60-69,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","At first it was really boring, then they finally let us play golf, then I had more fun. Between golf and walking 4 miles a day I have lost 10 pounds."
1057,8/2/2020 22:04,1,25-29,1,student,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,0,"No, I tried to get tested but was turned away","No, I have not been diagnosed","It was difficult trying to transition to online studies, both in my position as a TA and as a student myself. Initially more of the problems came from the TA work, though, since I tend not to go out much in general and was already frantic about finishing my own papers. Some of the parameters of those had to change, however, given that they involved researching in archives which were rapidly shutting their doors. There were also instances of buyer's panic, and trying to stock up on food and necessities even though my apartment meant I had limited storage space.
It was kind of upsetting that it happened right around my birthday, since it meant that I couldn't celebrate with my family when a big draw for me coming to [the university] was the fact that so much of my extended family lived nearby, and the situation was so unsure that I didn't want to risk leaving town and sheltering back in my home state with my parents. I could not celebrate with my extended family, either, because even without the orders, so many of them are extremely at-risk, and I didn't want to risk spreading it to them, especially if I happened to be an asymptomatic carrier.
As far as lifestyle changes go, I did start ordering delivery more, and I think it's going to be a permanent habit for me to only go grocery shopping once a month and plan for four weeks' worth of meals at a time, whereas before I would go food shopping weekly. That might end up changing if we get more roommates, though, as space is still an issue.
The biggest impact on me as far as studies go is that I was unable to get an internship this summer. I was too wary to apply for one given how delicate the situation was, and the fact that museums and public places where I want my focus to be weren't open. This leaves me a little unsure of how to plan and get all my credits so I can graduate on time, or if I will have to stay longer and dip into my savings account to pay for it since I will not have a scholarship after a certain point. But I do feel a little better knowing that everyone else is pretty much in the same boat, and that my family is able and willing to help me out if I do need to stay.
As far as documentation goes, I sort of wish that I'd kept up with my attempt at making a diary from last fall, but given how time consuming it ended up being, I don't think it would have worked out for me. My dad does write me weekly letters, though, so I am at least getting his side of things preserved for posterity.
If I had known what was going to happen ahead of time, I probably would have gotten a mini-fridge to ease some of the food storage worries and gotten more in the habit of creating and adhering to schedules. I think that would have made me mentally healthier and happier, since at times I just felt like sleeping all day since there was nothing forcing me to get out of bed. Even my own online classes didn't help, since there wasn't a strict schedule with that forcing me to get up every day. I also didn't go for as many walks or do any of my usual exercise activities, and my apartment's pool did not reopen until just recently, so my physical health couldn't stay up to par, either. Not to mention the fact that places like dental offices were also closed until recently.
At the same time, though, I've been able to focus a little more on my own hobbies and get into some new interests, and my extended family is speaking regularly on Zoom. Usually I would only get to see them once a year, if that, so that has been really special. It's also been a little easier to keep up with the news and current events, which, considering everything that's going on now, is a good thing."
1058,8/28/2020 16:40,1,18-24,1,student,Rural,Michigan,Muskegon,,4,0,1,Prefer not to respond,Prefer not to respond,"It was like hearing screaming in the next door apartment when I heard about the virus in China. Yeah, it's close, but it's really their problem. Then it hit the United States and I was honestly hoping for Michigan to catch some (back when I was young and naive) just so I could return home early. 
Now, being in a rural area I can see the anger directed at Whitmer. No politician or anyone in charge will come out of this clean but Whitmer's reaction felt solely directed toward the urban areas of Michigan. Not the rural areas where my neighbor is a white-tailed deer and a raccoon who doesn't understand boundaries. The order has shut down many business in areas that there was less risk for the virus, where these standards weren't needed yet. I can see she was looking out for the largest population but it also showed that she really only thinks about the cities. Michigan is not just Detroit. 
As far as my own summer work I didn't go into it until late July to the end of August. It's usually a combination of an amusement park and water-park, this season just the water-park is open. But, in light of everything and Whitmer's new order, it was labeled a ""pool"" to keep it open. Yeah, a pool with several slides, concessions and just happens to be considered a water-park every other time. 
This, to me, has shown that these orders placed by Whitmer are more show then anything else. With threats of taking away licenses if business don't enforce the mask policy she's pushing the blame on the people. On people like me who are not being paid enough to be yelled at everyday by others equally annoyed at everything. 
Long story short; I need a raise."
1059,9/26/2020 21:33,1,25-29,1,student,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,0,"Yes, I was tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","My graduate assistantship was terminated in March. Because I was planning on leaving that graduate assistantship in April, I applied for two other positions in January. Both were terminated due to lack of funding as a result of COVID-19. Currently, I am not working. Instead my focus has been working on my dissertation. I still live in the [] area by myself. Trying to work on my dissertation at home was fine at first, but has become increasingly difficult. It is hard to focus and easy to procrastinate. My schedule has been disrupted. For the most part, I sleep all day and I am up all night. I always feel tired and lack motivation. At the start of the stay-at-home order I was able to focus on physical fitness and lost 8-10 pounds. I have been able to maintain this weight loss throughout the summer. Before the pandemic, I hardly had time to workout or was too tired to. So that was a positive outcome. If I had known the extent of disruption ahead of time, I would have developed a more thorough, detailed savings plan and started searching and applying for scholarships earlier. I've had to pay out of pocket for summer 2020 and fall 2020 classes. I will be paying out of pocket for spring 2021 as well. "
1060,9/28/2020 15:38,1,30-39,1,librarian,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,4,1,0,"Yes, I was tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I was already planning on working remotely before the stay home, stay safe order because my daycare had closed due to the pandemic. My daycare reopened in late June but I continue to work from home and plan to until there is a vaccine rollout. My husband is also working from home so we see a lot more of each other. We've had to have my [chid] and baby home at various times because either the daycare was closed, or they had cold symptoms and we wanted to be careful and keep them home. We have worked while they were home at times and at others, one of us took leave from work. In March and April, we had a babysitter with our [child] 5 hours of the day upstairs while we worked downstairs. After the baby was born [], we had 10 weeks of parental leave between the two of us where we would watch the children at home. They have both been back in daycare [], which I worry about but my [child] especially needed the social interaction. When I took her back she had separation anxiety during the drop off for about 3 or 4 weeks, which was different from before. As I mentioned earlier, I gave birth in the end of []. I was relieved to give birth at that time because earlier in the year New York had experimented with the policy of not allowing partners in the hospital and there was an uproar, so hospitals had ruled that out and were allowing partners and doulas, which I had. I wasn't allowed any additional visitors, but this wasn't a problem for me because it was my second birth so I felt less of a need to have that type of support. I think that if this had been my first pregnancy I would have been very upset at missing out on a baby shower and not being able to have family visit. I've lived away from my family before and gone a year without being able to visit them, so I don't have a lot of anxiety about that. The nurses and doctors in the hospitals wore masks and I wore my mask sometimes in the room but not other times. I don't know if the policy has changed since then, but my impression was that they would prefer I wear a mask but they weren't asking me to. It was freaky toward the end of my pregnancy when I would go on prenatal care visits. Before the waiting room would be crowded at my ob-gyn clinic but it turned into a ghost town. They said that they canceled a lot of the regular gynecologist visits and were focusing on obstetrics visits. They also were asking women not to bring their partners to the appointments, to check-in remotely, and recommended we stay in our cars if we wanted to. My mother and sister have been making me feel guilty about not being able to visit my children more. To me it's not a difficult decision because of the risk, especially with my father who has had frail health since his cancer diagnosis about 15 years ago. I was very surprised to be pressed for visits from my sister who works in the healthcare industry. I do feel like a bit of a hypocrite when I talk about that because I do have the children in daycare, which I know is a risk. It's hard to put your foot down in one area and then take risks in another. I think a lot of people may be struggling with that. Neither my husband nor I had to work in the public capacity. I think if I were to find positive outcomes of the disruptions the most apparent would be that I did not have to pay for daycare during 3 months of the year, so I saved a lot of money. I also took a [] pay cut. I had a week where I was worried about my job, but I don't think either my husband or I will be laid off. He works in the grocery industry which is booming right now. I had a lot of anxiety about my less secure co-workers being laid off, and several of them were. My brother-in-law is an engineer in the automotive industry and he is the only one in our family that was laid off, however, he got another job within a month. It's hard to keep an engineer unemployed. At this point, I can't think of anything I would have done differently. If someone in my family becomes infected I'm sure I'll regret the daycare decision. I'm prepared to wait this out until there is a vaccine rollout. Christmas is going to be hard, especially because my mother and sister have a lot of anxiety about not getting together. They are missing out on a year of my [childrens'] childhoods in a way, but the video call technology is amazing and I've been trying to find ways to social distance like having my daughter open her [] birthday presents from our porch while they standoff in the yard. I think that since my kids are so young this won't have a lasting effect on them. "
1061,11/7/2020 22:16,1,18-24,1,student,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,4,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I have been a scribe [at a hospital] since November 2019. In this job, my primary responsibility is to write medical notes for the physicians. I am attached to an attending at the hip: I follow them to patient rooms to write down patient's stories, write word-for-word dictations from the attending, and eavesdrop on important conversations and phone calls. Before the pandemic, I rarely wore face masks in patient rooms-this was reserved for rooms where patients were known or highly suspected by triage staff to have influenza or another infectious disease. When the virus came to America, the mood of the ER changed very quickly. All of the seasoned staff said that they had never seen anything like it before. One of my attendings told me regarding medicine that ""it used to be that if you understood Syphilis, you understood medicine. Then when HIV came around, understanding HIV meant that you understood medicine. I wonder if this will be the same way, though I'm sure it will be for different reasons."" 
When the virus finally got to Michigan, the patient volumes in the ER tanked. PPE was quickly removed from public access due to patients stealing whole boxes of gloves and masks. I heard some of the residents talking about an N95 shortage that was single-handedly caused by one resident during one shift. He gave each of his patients and their visitors N95 respirators during his shift, causing a shortage in that ER. The residents discussing this were extremely angry and even said that he should be removed from the residency program for lack of judgement (I never did see him after that, but perhaps it is just a coincidence). I was not allowed to enter any patient rooms with the chief complaint of fever, cough, or shortness of breath. As of November 2020, this is a bit more lenient-- I can see patients who have a negative test in the ER and those with shortness of breath most likely due to chronic lung disease exacerbations. It is normal for me to have one regular polyethylene mask that I wear and do not take off during my whole shift (it is normal not to eat during the shift even pre-pandemic, so this wasn't a big change). In April-June 2020, scribing went remote-- I sat in another area of the hospital and listened to the physician's conversations from their cellphone pocket on GoToMeeting. This was very boring for me-- I took this job to experience the medical field, so it was a bummer not to see the interesting cases. Many physicians also temporarily dropped the scribing service-- some due to financial reasons, some due to disliking the remote method. We did return to in-person scribing toward the end of June.
One of the biggest issues I had when the pandemic hit was transportation. I rely on the public buses as I don't have a car and my roommates basically refuse to drive me anywhere unless they were already on their way there. Luckily, when the buses stopped running, this aligned mostly with the transitional period to remote scribing, so I didn't have to miss too much work. However, even when the buses started running again I was extremely anxious for months about how I was going to get to and from work and what would happen if I had to stay late and miss the last bus. I was basically immobilized with anxiety for a full day before a shift starting, and when I had a panic attack (no prior history), I requested a month off of work. Due to the low patient volumes and less doctors using scribes, this was not an issue, and when my month was up the buses were running slightly longer hours. 
Besides working as a scribe over the summer, I took online classes (actually planned for online summer classes in October 2019 so this worked out perfectly) and worked [] as a drop-in course assistant and learning assistant for [a chemistry course]. I also was starting a new relationship in March 2019 with a young man [], who graduated from [college] over the summer and in August returned to his home country []. Months before I even met him, I had already planned to move to [his country] during my medical school gap year. I'm still hopeful that this will happen, but we are both concerned that the [] borders will not open up by fall 2022. For the time being, we have messages, video calls, and I saved up some money to mail him some handmade gifts for his birthday coming up. 
Overall, my summer didn't change too much apart from staying home a lot more. Like many, I learned to appreciate a good walk, and I spent plenty of time at the [] pond. My family, who lives in a suburb bordering [a large city], had a much rougher time with the beginning of the pandemic. My family's home is in a densely populated area right between two major hospitals only two miles apart, and my mom works as a telephone operator in the basement of one of those hospitals. It was scary to hear not just about the virus in their area but the Black Lives Matter protests. At one point, even grocery stores were closed up for a few days, and the only things that were open were gas stations and hospitals. I wish that I could be home with them and instead do full time online classes. My grandma, who has dementia, lives at home with my parents, and the only ones who are competent at taking care of her are me and my mom. Normally, I am responsible for her 24/7 during every school break to give my mom a break, so I do feel extremely guilty that I can't be there for my grandma and my mom. "
1062,1/12/2021 14:43,0,60-69,1,staff,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,4,2,1,"Yes, I was tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I was actually really productive without the restrictions of ""work hours"" and ""sleep hours"". I came to resent how much time I have spent working, even though I love my job. I lean socialist, and often feel the capitalist system is a ruse that only serves the rich. I have experienced a lot of anxiety, due mostly to politics and non-masking people. Plus [], I'm close to retirement and this just made me ready. Now, I did manage to quit smoking. I was certain I would die if I caught Covid so I was motivated. My husband and I have grown closer. Having 2 adult kids at home is frustrating, but I'm glad they're safe. We did puzzles, art, reading, binged, shows, one kid taught himself the ukulele and the other started learning Japanese.
I started following the news out of Wuhan in early March, and was concerned then. We did stock up on canned goods and groceries, but not to the extreme. I was pretty aware that Covid-19 was here to stay for a long time. Especially since so many people were listening to the idiot president. "
1063,1/19/2021 11:53,1,25-29,1,student,Rural,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,0,"Yes, I was tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","The stay at home order has been impactful in terms of my work. When first getting adjusted to online learning, it was difficult to acclimate to the new way of learning remotely. This experience has actually increased the amount of work I would normally receive in courses. It impacted my home life because it made me realize the type of environment I need at home to be successful in my work and I did not have that. One good thing is with the university closings and restrictions, I was not forced to expose myself to the virus by having to leave the home for courses. 
If I were aware of the extent of disruption ahead of time, I feel as though I would have made some decisions about taking particular classes and staying out of state. I am originally an out of state student and I would have stayed back home and complete my studies there since I was advised to shelter in place. I think that would help with the mental and emotional effects of isolating and sheltering in place."
1064,1/19/2021 19:00,1,18-24,1,student,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,0,"Yes, I was tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","Because of the stay at home orders, I could not visit my friends and family like I used to when going home. I just stayed at home with my parents and communicated with my friends over the phone. Now, coming back to school, most of my classes are completely online. I am very thankful for my one in-person class as it allows me to feel normal again. One of the things I discovered while sheltering in place is how many TV shows I like. I have experimented with a few and now really enjoy a couple. I did not work as a first responder but I did emotionally support my mother as a nurse while she worked the Covid unit in March/April/May of 2020. "
1065,1/21/2021 11:32,1,30-39,0,therapist,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,2,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I was happy about the stay at home and stay safe order. I have been fortunate to be able to work from home and have only myself and my spouse to care for at while we both worked from home. After more healthcare opened up after the brunt of stay at home, I moved to more direct mental healthcare (combo of face to face with precautions and virtual appointments). Since the lessened restrictions, I've noted more anxiety in myself seeing the disregard for the remaining restrictions by some members in the community."
1066,1/21/2021 11:49,1,18-24,1,student,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,NA,0,0,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed",It affected my studies a lot. Having to transition to online school was hard at first. It still is not easy. I performed worse on exams and my anxiety was really bad. I had to move back home because the dorms closes. It was not fun. It was also really hard to interact with friends and student organization at [the university]. We basically stayed home and did school for the first 3-4 months. When summer came we were able to do some more fun things because the weather was warm and we could be with people outside. 
1067,1/22/2021 10:49,1,40-49,1,librarian,Urban,Michigan,Kalamazoo,,1,0,2,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","I have been working from home since mid-March and avoiding going into buildings with other people as much as possible. It has been strange, and difficult at times. I find that my ""work"" time and ""home"" time are bleeding together. I have been engaging in much more online ordering and home delivery of mostly everything I need. I have found that my daily physical activity has suffered since I am not moving around as much-- walking around campus, teaching class, even grocery shopping. I have created a ""bubble"" with one close friend so I have one person I can spend time with in the same physical space. I think I would be very lonely otherwise. I haven't had a hair cut since March 14!"
1068,1/26/2021 14:15,1,50-59,1,professor,Rural,Michigan,Van Buren,,3,0,1,"No, I have not been tested","No, I have not been diagnosed","Helped with taking care of my mother who has dementia. I know many of my younger colleagues had children that needed help with schooling. I, too, have had many disruptions and additional preparations for my day that have been challenging. But I am grateful to still have a job and good internet and outdoor space and animals that have helped. I now have set boundaries and find that I enjoy working from home for the most part. I have also gained technological skills that I may not have tried before and have broadened my virtual community to access support and a feeling of connections. It took me awhile to find the right balance so I could shut down work in the evenings and step away physically and mentally from my tasks."