Diary about COVID-19(April 2021)
Just because I'm at home doesn't mean I'm bored, there are things I want to do and things I have to do, but I thought I'd write a regular diary as one of those tasks, as a record or a reminder. To put it simply, it's about COVID-19.
It was the end of February when the state of emergency declared for some prefectures in Kansai, Japan, was lifted. It was just two months ago or so, it seems. I was not aware of it at all because I thought that personal countermeasures against infection would be the same, whether the government declared or not. Although it was true, I had been still commuting as usual, and the strongest feeling I had was, "I wish the train occupancy rate didn't increase."
As March arrived, my personal workload increased steadily, and the number of infected people in Osaka increased simultaneously as my overtime work piled up. In the meantime, the government applied stricter measures to prevent the spread of the virus to some prefectures, and restaurants were closed until 20:00 there.
As reported in the media, what struck me personally was the sight of people chatting outdoors with canned shochu-based beverages (or beer) in their hands. To begin with, if employees who work day shifts want to drink at present, they need to leave the office by 6:00 p.m. at the latest and dash to the restaurant or pub. But I guess that's not enough for some people. Some people are not satisfied with that.
As I left the office around 10 p.m. and headed for the station, I had the illusion that the city was more lively than normal. Of course, this is an exaggeration, but I was surprised to see people in places where they usually wouldn't be. Maybe I've just started to care. A park bench, parapet of a bridge, pillar in front of the ticket gate, anywhere you can put your weight. Even better if there is a space where you can put cans. That would be the venue for the after-party.
Perhaps it is similar to the feeling of playing in the park at night when I was a child. It's time to go home, but I don't. It's a bit different. I'm doing things outside that I should be doing inside. Is this more appropriate? It's immoral and fun. Even if we don't have to reason about it, there is no end to the culture of eating and drinking outdoors, such as cherry blossom viewing and barbecues, and I feel that such extraordinary activities encroach on daily life.
According to some experts, people go to restaurants not only to satisfy their hunger and consume alcohol but also to experience a kind of unusual feeling. I don't know if this is a generality or not. If someone demands such that, drinking alcohol in a place where forbade must be exceptionally delicious. The circumstance that people who drink on a street increases seems to prove that the extraordinary has become the ordinary.
I noticed that the third state of emergency has been declared, and we are now in the Golden Week holidays. I want to say that it doesn't matter whether it's under the declaration or not, as I don't leave my house during long vacations. However, I also think that the situation is essentially different between "being able to go outside if you want to" and "being forced to stay at home. It may be a matter of feelings, but feelings are important.
Fortunately, my daily life has not been directly affected. However, I still feel as if I am slowly being eaten away, like a slow-acting poison. A sense of stagnation, a sense of helplessness. It's something like that. There is a slight heaviness somewhere in my head and heart.
The sirens of ambulances are now bothering me more than ever. It is passing in front of me, its lights flashing. Is there already a patient in the car heading for the highway entrance? Or is he/she about to be picked up? Most importantly, is he/she safe?
More and more, I heard of cases that a friend of a colleague, or perhaps a relative of a friend, was infected. It's as if the safe zone is gradually getting smaller and smaller in battle royale games. Someone says that there is no such thing as a safe zone. Anyway, the distance between the virus and me is steadily getting closer. Will I be able to escape? I don't want to be in pain, and I don't want to see you in pain.
