Five years ago this week, Westport was just settling into the new reality of COVID.
The weekend’s nice weather had brought large crowds to Compo Beach, though the parking lots were closed. Town officials — worried about close contact (even outdoors), and cars parked all along Soundview Drive — scrambled to react.
Soundview Drive, the first weekend after the lockdown. Town officials quickly cracked down on parking there.
The Trader Joe’s line wrapped along Compo Acres Shopping Center storefronts. Only a few shoppers were allowed in at a time. The checkout line was — like every other part of life — dictated by “social distancing.”
Schools desperately tried to figure out “distance learning.”
Trader Joe’s enforced social distancing rules — with their own very recognizable font.
And that was just the first couple of weeks.
Five years later, how have we changed? What effects linger — negative or perhaps positive? What do you remember most about those uncertain, frightening days?
Earlier this month, “06880” asked readers to weigh in. Here’s what you said.
================================================
In May we decided to move to a senior housing domicile. It was beautiful, and well-maintained. My beloved husband lived there for 5 days; then he passed (from his heart condition). A few weeks later, I was diagnosed with COVID and quarantined for 15 days in a new home, where I knew no one and was totally isolated.
So I can’t say that the pandemic treated me favorably. I’ve gotten all the shots I could possibly need to protect me against the next outbreak of something — I hope. — Bobbie Herman
=====================
We were raising our son in a 1- bedroom apartment in Greenwich Village. Wanting more space and family, we gathered a few things and our cat, and went to stay with my mother in my hometown of Westport. We expected to be there a few weeks, a month at most.
As spring and summer passed, my husband and I got used to the spaces, the beach, the green. We got spoiled with multiple bathrooms, a convenient washing machine and drive-thru Starbucks. We got to know the town better, the stores, the people, and eventually looked into the schools. When we saw that a cute house was less than a decent 2-bedroom in our neighborhood (crazy, this was 2020) we decided to stay.
Five years later I miss New York terribly. I miss my community, and easy access to all that culture. But I am happy with our decision to stay. We have settled nicely, embraced the town that has changed so much since my childhood yet is so familiar. I knew we were settled in when we did something I would not do in the city: adopted our dog. — Juliet Koskoff Diamond
Late March, 2020: Starbucks’ drive-through was one of the few places that seemed normal. So long as you didn’t get out of your car. (Photo/Rob Hauck)
======================
Not for all, but it was a glorious time for my husband and I. We started the pandemic as new grandparents. Our daughter and her husband moved from the city into our home, thinking it was only temporary.They ended up purchasing a home in Fairfield. Now we have 5 grandchildren, 4 of whom were born during the pandemic (the first was 5 months before. That’s how our life changed, all for the better: It gave us an immersion of love and family time.
And we never got COVID — until last July. — Dorothy Robertshaw
======================
I was a “COVID person.” My husband, our son (who was 3) and I moved to Westport right before official lockdown. We didn’t know a thing about the town, only what our realtor told us. We didn’t have much time to decide so moving here was definitely rushed.
Turns out, it was the best decision. A few years later after restrictions loosened we could really discover the town. COVID was the worst thing to happens to us in a very long time, but it led us to Westport and for that, we are thankful! — Cubie Vinson
======================
I personally managed group purchasing contracts with hospital systems across the country. We manufactured systems/kits for infectious disease testing at hospitals, VAs, clinics. I was part of the pandemic response trying to allocate kits. We were not prepared to manufacture at a rate beyond understanding. It was insane. And just when we thought it was subsiding, the surges would hit again, and again.
Five years later: Kids graduated, happy and working. Squeezed in a few trips with my hubby. Me? I left the COVID-induced crazy corporate life, having gratefully served the pandemic response that culminated a career in diagnostics, to open a chocolate shop — in Connecticut of course! Life is sweet with a little bite of happy. — Laureen Haymes
Remember COVID testing? This was the scene at St. Vincent’s Medical Center on Long Lots Road, a few days before Christmas 2020. (Photo/Randy Ford)
=====================
Towns have their ups and downs. Can we continue to keep climbing, or will the demand soften and relax and slow development, enrollment rate and demand to live here? — Andrew Colabella
Commuting patterns changed dramatically durng COVID. This was the Westport trian station in May 2020. (Photo/Caroly Van Duyn)
=================
It’s easy to second guess all the decisions, and there were bi-partisan wins and losses. I remember on 9/11/01 thinking that was the most traumatic thing I’d go through. In some respects, the lingering effects of the pandemic have been way worse. — David J. Loffredo
I was in Florida at my other home as Covid hit. You would think I was in a different country with Trump‘s idiotic statements about how Covid was no big deal. I saw many of the elderly end up in the hospital and some passed away. I knew some of them because they lived in my community. I was fortunate never to have been stricken with the virus, even though I drove several people to the hospital who tested positive. To this day, I cannot understand why people down here listened to the ridiculous and many times deadly statements made by Donald Trump. He has their Blood on his hands, but it never to this day seem to bother him. That’s what I will always remember.
Cuomo killed all the NY grandparents while grand standing daily on television. Was kicked out of office for being a sex creep, yet will most likely be the next NYC Mayor. Don’t twist an ankle falling off your high horse.
‘It’s going to disappear’:
A timeline of Trump’s claims that Covid-19 will vanish
Actually, 1.6 million people “vanished” due to COVID.
https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2020/10/politics/covid-disappearing-trump-comment-tracker/
“…ya’ll will be back in your pews by Easter…:”
Betty White lives! Chickenshit.
We got Covid in March of 2020- first wave! We were never that sick before (we both had measles, mumps, rubella, chicken pox as kids) or been sick for that long- 5 or 6 weeks. Sadly some people we knew died. A daughter had a scary complication of COVID requiring some cerebral angiograms- but had had only some mild cold symptoms initially.
After that we had a free pass to stand on lines at Trader Joe’s and we knew we had survived the worst. Our kids and grandkids came to our home in Westport and would gather, spread out in our backyard for fun, games and BBQ.
We walked, talked, ordered food from restaurants and worked out at home. We read the NYTimes and DanWoog06880.com. I did my radiology lectures on zoom and got interested in sketching and watercoloring- a lot submitted to Dan’s Saturday art column.
On a political note- Somehow we had survived all the administration’s medical misinformation and misdirection- we masked, kept safe distances, got all our shots and boosters- and are, thankfully, back to normal but left with the feeling – “Did all that really happen or was it just a bad dream?”
And we are now waiting for the Bird Flu virus to drop on us- jump from birds, cows and cats to humans!! Or as they must be saying in China- the American Bird Flu that got out of an American research lab.
Thanks for the memories!!
your a very talented person. I enjoy reading your wisdom.
As we think back at Covid in Westport, we should always recall the fine job our First Selectman did. Jim Marpe was and is to be commended.
Hindsight being 20/20 how does everyone feel now.