Lyn says that the pandemic was hard for her because her South East Asian ethnicity meant she often was the target of racial abuse. She says that this was made worse by people like the Donald Trump labelling Covid as the “Chinese virus.” She faced several racist attacks from people on the street, one of whom accused her of being “barbaric” and eating bats and dogs. She felt that she was “not in a position to challenge him” and felt isolated from people who could help. Another time Lyn was on the train coming home from work and a man came up to her and said, “you are not allowed in here, you have to get off the train.” In some cases, people stood up for her, which was a reminder that “there is still hope in this crazy pandemic”.

Lyn also struggled with being unable to see her family. Her Aunt who lived in Malaysia had passed away from Covid, and she was not allowed to attend the funeral due to the travel restrictions. Lyn is saddened that “nobody could say a proper goodbye”.

Lyn caught Covid in April 2020. She came home from work and started to feel like something was not right. She was unsure at the time if it was Covid because she was being extra careful to not catch it. For example, she would wear a mask at work and wash her clothes after work. However, her symptoms started to get worse. She developed a fever, and her chest became tight. Lyn phoned her GP who confirmed that she had symptoms of Covid and needed to stay home.

Lyn felt “terrified” to be alone while she was sick, and at points worried that she would die. She suffered several falls, but none were considered serious enough for her to be taken to the hospital. Lyn felt “there was no help” at the time, and she struggled to access food and medication. She was given a food box but found the contents unsuitable to her Asian diet. Lyn relied on help from a neighbour and from a Facebook group. After one of her falls, Lyn was admitted to the hospital for almost a month.

Lyn has had ongoing health issues since recovering from Covid, including fatigue and hormonal issues. As a result of her long-term symptoms, she has not returned to work and now requires care support. Accessing and receiving care services has been frustrating, and Lyn has needed to actively seek them out. She reflects that: “if you don’t go to them, you are just a number in the system”. Lyn has found adapting to her new lifestyle difficult and has been “grieving” being unable to continue in a job that she loved. She has found speaking to a Buddhist nun to be helpful and appreciates those helping her get better at her own pace.