My regular guava seller from our Taman's pasar malam has been delivering guavas to my condo every week since the first lockdown last year. Her guavas are the best and she always selects guavas with the kind of texture that I prefer for me. The girls and I prefer slightly soft guavas vs. hard and crunchy ones.
Last Thursday when Peggy delivered the guava to me, she told me a terrible news. Her stall neighbor at the pasar malam had died of Covid. He was only in his early 40s. I sometimes patronized his stall to buy bananas and seasonal local fruits. He was infected by his brother - all his family members were hospitalized and he was the last to be admitted but sadly, he didn't make it.
Our residential area is almost like a war zone now with over a hundred Covid cases. Several foreign workers residing at a nearby shophouse plaza have been infected with Covid with several deaths. But the hospitals do not have sufficient beds for them and those with mild symptoms were asked to go home and self quarantine. Maria, our part-time helper stays at the shophouse plaza. She and all her friends residing there were tested by the plaza Management with Covid self-test kits yesterday. Fortunately Maria is negative. It's going to take at least another month or so before Maria can safely return to our home. Going out to get essential items now feels like going into the battlefield. My heart pounds each time someone walks towards me. I am treating everyone as Covid positive unless proven negative.
The Taman adjacent to ours has been declared an EMCO area on Sunday with barbed wires cordoning the entire place. Today the supermarket at our Taman that I always frequent is closed temporarily as a few of their staff were tested positive! With this supermarket closed, the other supermarket and wet market adjacent to our Taman under EMCO also closed, I think I'm going to have to resort to getting fresh veggies and meat from online sellers again.
When will the Covid war ever end?! We are all so tired battling this war for 1.5 years with no light at the end of the tunnel. In fact, it's getting from bad to worse.
I can't wait to get my second dose of the AZ vaccine next Wednesday. The hubs has gotten his second dose last Wednesday. Dear God, please keep me and my loved ones protected from Covid 🙏