Poem about what is like to be in lockdown here in Ireland

We reached the 2^nd decade of 21^st century quietly,

Out of the blue we hear of a disease spreading so fast

From china to united states.

New things we were told to do

#wearamask

#washourhandregularly or use hand sanitizer when coming into buildings,

Children must do online learning from home with their parents/guardians

Student at colleges/universities finished their assignments and their exams from home

The college students could not do internship for credits of their courses.

No exams for leaving certificate and junior certificate took place in June

Digital graduation online with the students and teachers which is tough for everyone before summer commenced.

Zoom was the new way of communicating with education classes or remote working from home.

People did online quizzes with family and friends or virtual drink sessions or virtual book clubs

People are sending online videos or photos to make their family members laugh.

A few cousins putting up math questions to annoy everyone what the answer is and a good laugh.

Funerals and weddings reduced to 50 people including the priest and hotel staff

You cannot shake or hug the bereaved the families.

Children not having their holy communion and confirmation early this year

Birthdays celebrated virtually and milestones reached without loved ones and friends to be with you.

People can not go on holiday and must get refunds from travel agents or airlines or accommodation

Business having to adapt in a different way doing virtual meetings online

Pubs, hotels, shops, libraries closed for a few months which affected the economy

People getting payments while not working in their workplace

Politics wrangling still going on as usual

Fake news increased by each day

Finally, we could do 2km walking and then 5km walking

2 metres is the space between our loved one and friends at the gates of home.

Grandparents cannot visit their grandchildren or hug them.

Normal routine felt stranger, we are forgetting what day it was,

Then the year flashed like a time machine into the future like Star Wars or star trek in cinema or tv,

At the end of the day a big thank you to our frontline workers around the world and in Ireland for saving people and delivering our food to the shops that are open, post coming to our post-box, garda checkpoints to make sure people obey the guidelines, Irish Sign Interpreters signing the information at the department of health to the deaf community, media informing the right information

Dr Tony Holohan and Dr Ronan Glynn for being honest about what we need to do in our homes and at work, at school and so on. Go raibh maith agat and keep safe and wear a mask.