When a virus started going around in China in January, it was just a blip in a vast sea of news articles. As we learned more about it and noticed it started to kill more and more people, that blip grew with it. By February, Italy was having a massive outbreak with hundreds dying daily. It wasn't until then that I really started to see this virus as a problem. I knew that by mid-February this virus was already in New York City. When I heard that the incubation period is two weeks, and that an infected person can transmit the virus without symptoms, I knew we were in big trouble. I was expecting New York City to follow suit with other countries and go into a quarantine. But by March 1st that still hadn't happened. We were going to work as if nothing was wrong when in fact hundreds were dying every day in Europe. The virus was finally detected in the state of Washington and by then I knew that NYC had a big problem that no one knew about yet. I started getting nervous on my two-hour train rides to work into Manhattan. On March 18th, I heard the IBEW put out a notice that anyone who was worried about getting infected did not have to return to work. My mother has a respiratory disease and I was nervous about bringing the virus home. I stopped going knowing it was only a matter of time before NYC would shut down. It wasn't until two weeks later that construction sites were closed.

Thanks to the actions of the IBEW and Local 3 to protect its workers I was able to remain safe and keep my family safe without having to feel forced to work. Unemployment was giving extra money and the government sent out checks for $1200 so that people could get by. It has been almost two months and this quarantine is still in effect. I think it somehow became a political thing and is no longer solely about safely containing the virus. Knowledge is key to recognizing hazards, and now that we know so much about this virus, we know how to stay safe. Wearing a mask can stop the transmission. Washing hands and not touching your face is a great way to beat this thing. I think most people know how to remain safe and this quarantine should end. The politicians should put their agendas aside and put the people first. We need to go on with our lives if we are going to beat this thing. We live in a world with cancer and AIDS and the flu and we deal with it. This virus was unknown in the beginning and the actions taken were justified. But now it is too much. Put me back to work.

Subway Sleep

Yesenia Montesdeoco