This day in 2020: AP residents recall the good, the bad, and the ugly side of pandemic

Visakhapatnam: This day two years ago was one of the most unexpected days for the residents of Andhra Pradesh. That was when they first heard of COVID-19. On 20 March 2020, the outbreak of COVID-19 caused worry and anxiety among the citizens of AP. Talking to NewsMeter, they recall their stories of the pandemic.

"I still remember the day, 20 March, when I came from Vijayawada to attend the wedding of my best friend. The news about the first Covid case in Vizag created a tense environment. The lockdown was imposed soon after and we were stuck for almost a month in Vizag," said Nikisha, resident of Vijayawada.

For Swathi of East Godavari, COVID-19 is one of the most tragic periods of her life. She lost her father to the virus. "I was five months pregnant when my father was affected with Covid. Within days, I also tested positive. I had to stay away from him as I was pregnant. He died within days and I couldn't see him," said Swathi.

The pandemic brought many unexpected situations in each home. While some lost their family members, some got time to spend time with their families. Good or bad, COVID-19 has taught us many things. "I came to India to renew my Visa and got stuck here after flights were cancelled. Initially, I was totally blank about my future, but fortunately, I had to work from home. For over a year, I was in India but I learnt the value of my family. I got what I had missed all these years. My parents tested positive, but I was happy that I was beside them," said Ravali, resident of Visakhapatnam.

Another resident of the agency area lost both her parents in the first wave and was homeless. Staying in an NGO, she completed her degree and is waiting for admission to a nursing course. "The pandemic is still a bad dream in my life when I lost my family and there was no one for me. In fact, the ex-gratia announced by the government has been delayed as there was no proper post-mortem report," said Lakshmi.