National

Voices from the Pandemic

A collection of accounts from people who have been sharing their personal stories about covid-19.

As told to Eli Saslow
Eli Saslow
Reporter on the National desk

Voices from the Pandemic ()

‘Do people understand what’s happening here? Do they care?’ Bruce MacGillis, on the excruciating wait for a vaccine inside a coronavirus-infected nursing home Read more from Dec. 5

‘This is how we treat each other? This is who we are?’ Amber Elliott, county health director, on the high cost of doing her job Read more from Nov. 18

‘Election Day is over, and guess what?’ Tom Dean, a physician, on the dire situation in South Dakota Read more from Nov. 9

‘Do something. Do something!’ Mary Jo Copeland, on choosing decency over anxiety and fear Read more from Oct. 24

‘What are we so afraid of?’ Tony Green, on dismissing, denying, contracting and spreading the coronavirus Read more from Oct. 11

‘It’s like Trump said: The cure has been worse than the disease.’ Mike Fratantuono, manager of Sunset Restaurant in Glen Burnie, Md., on the death of a family business Read more from Sept. 27

‘What could possibly go wrong?’ Chris Anderson, the supervisor of elections in Seminole County, Fla., on the risks of running a presidential election in a pandemic Read more from Sept. 20

‘Mom, help help help help!’ Jessica Santos-Rojo, on working, teaching and parenting at home in the coronavirus crisis Read more from Sept. 5

‘How is this possible? What are the odds?’ The Graveson family, on what the coronavirus has done to them Read more from August 23

‘May rent. June rent. Late fees. Penalties.’ Tusdae Barr, on being evicted from her home during the coronavirus crisis Read more from August 16

‘I’m sorry, but it’s a fantasy’ Jeff Gregorich, superintendent, on trying to reopen his schools safely Read more from August 2

‘No mask, no entry. Is that clear enough? That seems pretty clear, right?’ Lori Wagoner, retail clerk, on trying to enforce a state requirement to wear masks Read more from July 19

‘We’re all starved for hope’ Alan Haydon, on the trial and error of being injected with a covid-19 vaccine Read more from July 5

‘Heroes, right?’ Anthony Almojera, on being a New York City paramedic and the injustices of covid-19 Read more from June 21

‘The fires were everywhere’ Paul Swann, on the death of his mother, Darlene Krawetz Read more from June 7

‘It was me. I know it was me.’ Francene Bailey, on passing the coronavirus to her mother Read more from May 31

‘But what happens if they run out?’ Johnny Rivero, on his first time standing in a food line Read more from May 16

‘How long can a heart last like this?’ Darlene Krawetz, on what life becomes when covid-19 won’t go away Read more from May 10

‘I apologize to God for feeling this way.’ Gloria Jackson, on being 75, alone, and thought of as expendable Read more from May 3

‘Is this another death I’ll have to pronounce?’ Michael Fowler, Dougherty County coroner, on the reopening of Georgia Read more from April 25

‘It was impossible. It's still impossible.’ Mikaela Sakal, on being an ER nurse in an overwhelmed hospital and the decision she had to make Read more from April 19

‘Wearing a mask won’t protect us from our history.’ Burnell Cotlon, on his beloved community and why he’s keeping a secret list Read more from April 11

‘You’re basically right next to the nuclear reactor.’ Cory Deburghgraeve, on performing one of the pandemic’s most dangerous jobs Read more from April 5

‘Anything good I could say about this would be a lie.’ Tony Sizemore, on the death of Birdie Shelton Read more from March 28

Eli Saslow

Eli Saslow is a reporter at The Washington Post. He won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting for his year-long series about food stamps in America. He was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Feature Writing in 2013, 2016 and 2017.

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