Since the virus outbreak, I listen to the radio and watch television to follow the situation in the country.

It’s stressful. There’s a lot of information and I can’t be sure which news is factual or fake. The information I have received has made me worried. Yes, I’m scared, but not much about myself. I’m worried about my grandchild’s health and safety. He lives with his parents in another province.

Every year, they come to see me and we have a happy time together. Unfortunately, this year the government announced that the Songkran holidays (the Thai traditional new year and water festival, 13-15 April) were going to be postponed to limit mass movement because of COVID-19. So, they won’t come and visit me. But I accept that; I understand the reason. We have to wait until the situation has improved. My grandchild is still young. I’m very worried about him. I’m old; I’m not sorry if something happens to me but, for him, I want him to grow up.

I’m learning how to use video calls so that I can talk with my children and grandchild when we cannot meet in person. It’s better than nothing. It helps me not to think and worry too much about them. 

Since the outbreak, I have had less work and less income. The orders for the garment factory I work for, have dramatically dropped by half. As the outbreak continues, people are staying at home and spending less. The factory is selling fewer products, so they send fewer orders to me.  

Face masks are one of the necessities of this pandemic, but they are expensive and hard to find in the market. I can’t find any at nearby shops. Going far from where I live is not easy for me either.