Camp Corona Day 2: I'm scared

Let me start off by saying, it's such a surreal time. But in a strange way, it's not. We've seen this type of scenario in numerous movies and we've heard the tales of SARS, MERS and Ebola.

But now it's here in our comfy little bubble and I will not lie, I am scared. I wasn't scared until last night. Just before bed I watched videos from people with the COVID-19 speaking on social media. To hear what how they described the disease and how it effects everyone in a different way.

I guess for the past month, the closer COVID-19 got to my tiny little bubble in Amsterdam the more I pushed the reality of it away, thinking to myself "well only elderly people get it" and "it will never come this far". I was in denial. Even though, thanks to my job in communications and writing about the virus, I knew the facts and latest information.

Then it all happened so fast. Thursday 12, March the prime minister comes on TV and says it's getting a little serious and people should work from home. And the hoarding began.

Even scarier than getting sick for me is the hoarding. My son and I are celiac, meaning there's not much choice of processed foods for us. We can't eat gluten and I am also allergic to soy. Leaving us with a healthy diet of fruits, veggies, gluten free meats and lots of other whole foods like beans and nuts.

But when I walked into not one but two supermarkets on Friday evening, there was NOTHING I could buy us to eat. The gluten free section was cleaned out. The rice and potatoes were gone. Fruits, veggies, meats and frozen foods as well. I began to panic. And I wondered how could people do this, don't they know better. I could have and probably should have hoarded the day before. But I didn't and now I was left with an empty basket. Luckily I had some rice at home and beans and the next day I went to a supermarket further away from the city and was able to buy food for several days. Thankfully people are hoarding less (except toilet paper).

I'm still stressed like hell about food in these times though.
I'm stressed about my health, since in the last 4 weeks I have had a stomach virus, the flu, and then the same stomach virus again.
I'm stressed about keeping my family sane and the kids busy.
I'm stressed about the continuation of my work, getting things done while homeschooling the kids.

BUT the biggest stress of all is my husband's job as a journalist. We had to make a decision as a family to support him even though it will put us in danger of getting infected. We set some strict guidelines in the house this morning to protect ourselves from him. We have to social distance even in our own home.

It's his job and we have to support him. Especially in these uncertain times. And we have to support another however we can...I think I need to call a friend now to talk about this and hopefully the anxiety will let up.