NEWS
Fauquier Times | www.fauquier.com | March 18, 2020
Stories from the trenches Residents share their coronavirus stories By Daniel Berti
Times Staff Writer
Tasha Nelson’s 8-year-old son Jack has cystic fibrosis, a chronic lung disease that puts him at highrisk for COVID-19. Nelson said the family has been isolated in their Manassas home for more than 10 days and are taking extraordinary precautions at the recommendation of her son’s specialist. “Covid could kill him,” Nelson said. When Nelson ventured out of the house to buy groceries last Friday wearing a protective mask and gloves, she said she was mocked by people in the grocery store. “People were rolling their eyes. Someone outright laughed at me,” Nelson said. “Another man said as I walked by, ‘Why are people overreacting?’” Nelson said she was taken aback that people in her community were not taking the threat of COVID-19 seriously. “The only way my son will survive this situation will be is if our neighbors and the rest of the community take this seriously,” Nelson said. “This is my neighborhood that’s being affected, and people are still
not social distancing. It’s heartbreaking,” Nelson said. “People are still going to restaurants and bars.” Nelson said she hopes her story will help people take the situation more seriously. Charity Furness, director of Experience Old Town Warrenton, shared this story Friday: “Thursday evening, eight hours before we were scheduled to leave for our two-week vacation, [my husband] Steve received a phone call that a colleague in his office had tested positive for coronavirus. At the time, this person was one of 17 people in Virginia that had tested positive. We made the difficult decision to cancel our vacation and self-quarantine. “The past 24 hours have been nuts. Our suitcases still sit packed by the door. The kids are out of school for the next two weeks. Steve and I are scheduled to be off and we now just wait. Perfectly healthy, with our bags packed, we sit at home socially distancing ourselves and wait. It’s hard. “We are in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. As humans it is our social nature to come together in times of uncertainty. It's called community. We live in a strong community where we come together to celebrate and support each other. Social distancing is not our nature. It’s hard. “The community wants to come together to ensure no one will go hungry during this pandemic. We
5
want to personally interact with our “Social distancing is hard, but it’s neighbors and let them know we important.” care and support them. The love Fauquier Times reader Christina and support looks so much different Fox had her own story to tell: “I went when you its recommended not to to Harris Teeter yesterday to do my physically gather. It’s hard. weekly shopping. The meat depart“As the days get longer and the air ment was sparse and I had a quick is warmer, we want to be outside play- moment of panic because of the way ing. We've had to postpone the soccer people are responding to this situation. season to help flatten the curve. As a I'm more concerned about the reaction coach and a parent, it's my instinct to to the virus than I am of the virus. say let's just get everyone together for a “I felt the need to hoard the rest fun team bonding party while the kids of the meat based on the limited play. It goes against my amount that was left. natural instincts to socially “The past 24 However, common sense distance myself. It’s hard. hours have prevailed. While I went “My job with EOTW ahead and got a couple of been nuts.” is to literally bring people CHARITY FURNESS extra, I stopped myself together; to create comfrom buying a ridiculous munity. The elderly are amount. listed as the most vulnerable during “… I asked the butcher about the this pandemic but I would argue that next shipment. He profusely apolosmall business ranks right up there gized about the situation and said the as well. The economy has taken a store employees were doing the best huge hit. We are told to stay home. they could under the circumstances. As much as our community has ral- I don't feel store employees are getlied around other important causes, ting enough credit. On a side note, a we need to rally around our small very kind woman offered me a pack businesses. Order takeout. Try out of her toilet paper (she had four packs Old Town's curbside pickup. Don't of four). I told her no thank you since let social distancing kill your favorite a friend of ours brought us a couple downtown business. It’s hard. of packs the day before from another “The waiting game is difficult. county three hours away.” What are we waiting for? This is Fox worries that hoarding is going something we've never experienced to leave the community’s most vulnerbefore. It is an invisible threat spread able at risk. “What about our senior citfrom person to person. It is not de- izens and other individuals on a fixed fined. It is not controlled. How will income? They can't afford to buy mass we know it is over? When can life go quantities of food and paper products back to normal? When do I unpack and can only afford to shop week to my suitcases? It’s hard. week.”
Choose wisely. Choosing a Real Estate Broker is an important decision: - Full Time Real Estate Broker - Finance Degree from Virginia Tech - Family Owned Firm with Excellent Reputation - 22 Years Local Experience on Your Side of the Table - Experience in All Price Ranges - Community Service Oriented
Tray Allen
540-222-3838
the Historic District • Est 1990
43 Culpeper Street • Warrenton, VA 20186
540-347-3838 • www.allenrealestate.com
