When San Diego County first imposed stay-at-home orders in March, officials said they hoped the region would return to some semblance of normalcy within a few weeks. Nine months later, now on our second lockdown order, COVID-19 cases and deaths are skyrocketing.
Currently, 0% of Southern California’s ICU beds are available as more people are hospitalized with the virus. Already, more than 1,200 county residents have died from COVID-19.
We recently caught up with some of the families who lost relatives and friends this year — families that generously opened their homes and their hearts to our reporters and told us their stories. In a holiday season like no other in recent memory, they told us they are still looking for ways to cope and celebrate the people they lost to the coronavirus.
As a part of our July story, five families shared what happened leading up to their relatives’ deaths and how those deaths may have been avoidable. We followed up with another project in September, exploring the fears and other obstacles that prevented COVID-19 victims from seeking potentially life-saving medical care.
After that, we reported on the other deaths caused by the pandemic — the people who never contracted COVID-19 but are considered “indirect” victims of the virus: the mother of a 22-year-old who suffered a drug overdose, the brother of a heart attack victim and the daughter of a polio survivor. Each one told us how the pandemic changed their loved ones’ lives, mental states and workout routines, ultimately leading to their deaths.
One thing connects all the families we spoke with for our pandemic stories this year: They are still grappling with the unexpected losses of cherished family members.
To read more of Jill Castellano's article, please click here.
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