Mount Pleasant Magazine Documenting Covid-19

120 www.CoronavirusMag.com | www.ReadMPM.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com feature O n March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a worldwide pandemic. Since that declaration, life as we know it has been turned upside down. From California to New York to Texas and Illinois, we’ve adopted a life of confinement to flatten the curve, collectively closing our doors and hunkering down. However, even with the common thread of quarantine running through our lives, the effect of COVID-19 on the day-to-day activities of Americans varies as widely as the landscapes in which we live. It’s morning in Washington D.C., and Lowell Ganin is awakened by his Weimaraner, Emma, who’s ready for her morning walk. Before he heads into the hallway of his apartment building, he pops on his face mask. Lowell and his wife, Colleen, live on a busy intersection in the Logan Circle neighborhood and maintaining social distancing protocols while walking the dog is a daily struggle. “It is very difficult not coming into contact with other people when walking on the sidewalk, running errands or even in our apartment building,” he said. “You really become dependent on others maintaining distance as well, which does not always happen.” After their morning walk, the couple takes turns on their Peloton bike, which they were fortunate to find on Craigslist just after their gym announced that it was closing. Getting in a quick workout helps them start the day on a positive note. An advertising entrepreneur, Lowell was working from home prior to the pandemic but had to make an adjustment when Colleen, an attorney, joined him in their 1,200 square foot apartment. “My wife has taken over the desk that I would normally use, so I work from our couch,” he laughed. By lunchtime, another walk for Emma offers a welcome excuse to get outside, and they head to a nearby park. Before D.C. was on lockdown, Lowell enjoyed the conveniences of city living. His apartment building is across the street from a Whole Foods, making it easy for him to plan dinner in the afternoon and head out to shop later that day. Now, 15 minutes before the store opens there’s already a line around the block, and customers buying in bulk have created shortages of the most basic food items, such as chicken, butter and milk. Prime delivery spots are almost impossible to come by, so now he tries to buy enough groceries to last for a couple of weeks while being extremely flexible based on what’s available. “I feel like I’m competing on Chopped on a nightly basis,” he said. Luckily, they still have access to takeout options from amazing restaurants and have made a point of supporting the restaurant community while they’re in crisis. Many of the area’s Michelin-star restaurants have pivoted from high-end tasting menus to more accessible options, and the Lowells have been excited to experience food from restaurants where reservations were scarce in the BY LINDSAY C. BISHOP A Day in the Life of Quarantine HowStaying at Home Looks Diff rent Across the Country