Lockdown in France, confinement, global crisis and toilet paper shortage

It's official: March 17th is the start of the lockdown in France. This is no news to anyone by the time I publish this. But I will have it in here as a memory of the past when I read this again in 10 years from now and remember some details of this historical moment and how people are coping and reacting.

The President of France announced it in his speech last night: we are all to stay home, 'We are at war!' After the ban of public gatherings of over 50 people, the shut down of non-necessary stores and the closure of schools, it is now time to go to the next phase: a stricter confinment and important social distancing measures. We can only go out for specific reasons and only with a signed certificate. Fines can go up to €135, the goal being to limit going outside to the bare minimum. More about this in an article from March 17th.

The panic of some people have spread to many and we have experienced a surprising phenomenon: people are hoarding toilet paper! It is almost impossible to find any. Slowly the stores are stocking up again, phew. Lots of fun jokes on social media are circulating about this and how toilet paper has become a valuable now.

I'm actually getting stuck on Facebook alot, just scrolling and looking at all the jokes, videos and memes about what is going on, what people are doing in quarantine, how people are coping with isolation at home, where people will travel to during the weekend (from kitchen to living room to bathroom and back, using the detailed map of their appartment floor plan), etc.

My social media is also feeding me lots of articles about how good this is for nature: how the water of the canals in Venice have become crystal clear, how wild animals are now roaming the deserted streets of cities, etc. Quite idealist and indeed a positive way of thinking of it: maybe this confinement time is nature taking a break from humans and hopefully provoking deep positive lasting changes to our society.

There is also the darker side and very unfortunate consequences of the pandemic and lockdown for so many people out of jobs, not able to pay rent, confined in tiny places with many other people. I'm worried especially about what is going on in the refugee camps in Lesbos Greece where I volunteered 2 years ago: how shall everyone wash their hands when there is no water? no bathrooms no showers? Images and stories I see are hearthbreaking. Luckily, really passionate organizations and volunteers are doing great work setting up hand-washing stations and turning the few buildings into medical shelters. Reliable organizations include Refugees4Refugees, Movement on the Ground or Starfish Foundation. Right now donation seems the only thing that one can do when confined at home looking at it from afar. And at least this helps a bit for now. But is this going to make a lasting change and is it enough? What are the root causes of this situation our humanity is facing?

Isolation is also an issue that is coming up for many who are stranded at home completely alone. We've heard before that loneliness can be as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day (article), so what will be the additional health damages to so many more? Here is an article that can help a bit. And thank goodness for all the tools for easy video calls to friends and family!

On my end, I am very fortunate to have a great space to be confined. I generally never get bored anyways and have a whole list of things I want to do during confinment, including daily yoga, meditation, journalling, calling friends and family, learning new skills, playing the guitar, singing, painting, calligraphy, reading, as so much more. How will I get it all done? Maybe I'm not the only one with the 'confinement over-achiever syndrome'. But I also notice I'm not the only one experiencing the reverse tendency: procrastination and being very unproductive. Definitely it has to do with too much time scrolling social media but it has also been explained by a general exhausting energy in the air felt by many. Hopefully we can move through it and come out stronger.

Best part of the day: 8pm clapping outside! It is the national time where everyone comes out to their windows and claps to thank all medical teams, nurses, supermarket employees, garbage collectors, etc, basically everyone who's job is essential for us to stay confined in good conditions and those risking their lives to care for the sick.

The clapping with neighbors all around is very emotional to me! and also a great moment to talk from our windows, see people in real life, not only video calls!  This has definitely been a time to connect with those around us and more than the usual 'hello'.

Below is a selection of social media posts: I know they are highly biased to all the groups I belong to and pages I like (ecology, travelling, positivity, volunteering, etc) and I'm curious to see what other people's news feed looks like.

Wishing you all to be safe and well.

The new value of toilet paper in this video

Best video so far

I'm definitely going through most stages here

So many examples of nature thriving while humans are confined, like here in Venice

There is just too much to do really!

For me it's rather a tea!

Free image from Pixabay to go with beautiful quote full of hope below

"And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and grew gardens full of fresh food, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently.

"And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal.

"And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed."
~Kitty O'Meara