Beatrice (RO), 41, self-employed, Klosterneuburg/Austria

"How remarkable it can be to see people with masks everywhere, knowing that it is a kind of protective weapon in a fight with something unknown."

"Cât de remarcabil poate fi să vezi oameni cu măști peste tot, știind că este un fel de armă de protecție într-o luptă cu ceva necunoscut"."

Because I am "addicted" to news (I like to read or hear all the news from all possible countries and channels) I was not surprised by what happened mid March. I was looking forward to some measures being taken in Austria as well (in other eastern countries some protection measures had already been taken). I didn´t feel good to leave my daughter at school, where there are almost 900 students. The school was supposed to close on Wednesday, but we decided that by Friday the whole family would stay at home, including my daughter. But the school closed on Monday, they didn´t wait until Wednesday. I was glad that I didn't have to explain our decision to anybody.

Given that all the governments have other sources of information than us, ordinary people, I believe that all of them could have reacted much faster. In principle, I think that the Austrian government reacted well, by the fact that it suddenly took strict and necessary measures.

During the quarantine, in my situation, just like in any others, things were more intensive than before and I checked my agenda hour by hour, depending on the deadlines. Even at night or weekend. I missed our scheduled trips very much. And our sports activities. And the walks through Vienna between the large numbers of tourists and locals. I also missed the people from the restaurants and streets of Klosterneuburg.

The biggest challenge for me was to overcome my fear. Don't be afraid of what can happen in the future (financial crisis or even wars), don't be afraid of getting sick (any of us). I think the financial crisis will have big consequences and everyone will feel it in one way or another. This can also lead to political problems. I am afraid that this wave of disease was just the beginning and a pandemic can last for several years. But like the measures were taken, I think they will all come in small doses and in the meantime we will adapt to the new situations.

Interestingly, for me, the lockdown had positive professional consequences. With the closure of schools and kindergartens, the visits to the educational website that I write and manage have increased significantly. But, I must admit, it didn't bring to me the expected joy, given the conditions in which these changes occurred.

I will never forget what happened in Italy, how suddenly a beautiful country, with happy and funny people, turned into a cage from where many were trying to escape. One day, I will tell my grandchildren funny stories about how people fought on toilet paper, how the people avoided each other on the street, when they met and suddenly gave up kissing and hugging and how remarkable it can be to see people with masks everywhere, knowing that the mask is a kind of protective weapon in a fight with something unknown.

I think the virus will have a big effect worldwide. Unfortunately, I think history will repeat itself, the effects that will follow will not be pleasant. From any point of view. Maybe there will be some positive changes in the school and medical systems, domains that in many places have lagged far behind and now the problems related to these have come to the surface. I think people can now see what are the most important things in their lives and will appreciate all that more in the future.

As to ourselves, after what happened in the last two months, seeing how quickly everything can change, I can't say that we have any long-term plans for the future. We will adapt as we go to new situations, just like before, one step at the time.