2 Years Into COVID, MA Residents Share Personal, Financial Losses

MASSACHUSETTS — Two years into the coronavirus pandemic, Massachusetts has seen more than 1.55 million cases and 18,902 confirmed deaths.

But those weren't the only ways the pandemic affected Bay State residents. Everyone has been touched by the virus in some shape or form, from lockdowns to business closures, from masking to social distancing, and much more. And many of those things are still altering the way Massachusetts residents live their lives.

Despite mask mandates ending in Massachusetts, 58.6 percent of state residents still wear masks in public settings, according to an online survey Patch conducted with its readers. That means mask-wearing is continuing among most Massachusetts Patch readers, despite 93.7 percent of the 602 survey respondents saying they got at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

For the 6.3 percent of respondents who didn't get vaccinated, Patch asked why, and answers varied.

"I have natural immunity, still have antibodies," one respondent said.

Several respondents questioned the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and were worried about dangerous side effects. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective at preventing serious illness and death, according to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and prevention.

The CDC says the vaccines use science that has been around for decades, serious side effects are extremely rare, and the vaccines are much safer than contracting the coronavirus.

"I don't trust the government, and it's not preventing the spread," another respondent said. "If people, who have gotten the shot, weren't getting sick it would be different. People are always trying to shove unnatural things down our throat."

The Loss of Family and Friends

A quarter of survey respondents in Massachusetts said they lost a family member or friend to COVID-19. And 73.3 percent of those with losses said they were not able to hold or attend funeral services for their loved ones.

"My mother died right before funerals started being held again," one respondent said. "I did get to go to her grave, but I know she would have wanted something more."

For those that were able to have services for their loved ones, wakes and funerals were limited, because of COVID-19 restrictions. One respondent said their mother died, and just 10 people, including clergy, were allowed at the service.

Others couldn't be in the hospital with their family members to say goodbye.

"I lost my 90-year-old father," another respondent said. "It has been hard, first dealing with his last year of his life was under quarantine in an assisted living. Second, not being with him for his last days and when he passed. Third, not being able to give him a proper send off. Fourth, dealing with the politics of COVID."

Economic Impacts

Nearly a quarter of respondents said their personal finances are worse because of the coronavirus pandemic, stemming from lockdowns, lay-offs and businesses not being able to weather the storm.

According to the survey, 42.2 percent of Massachusetts respondents could not work continuously at one job during the pandemic.

"When I caught COVID-19, my employer told me I needed a negative result before going back to work," one respondent said. "Well that took over two weeks after the original five days missed work. Then I got laid off, so I basically lost my job due to COVID-19. Worse is that before COVID came around, I was self-employed, so I didn’t have enough weeks working for someone to qualify for unemployment."

Another respondent said they were able to continue working, but their job involved travel. Less travel meant less opportunity to earn money.

"Half my income every week was taken away, yet the bills remains."

About the survey

Patch opened the survey to readers on March 10 and asked Massachusetts residents a number of specific and open-ended questions about how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted their lives. Patch received answers from 602 respondents.

The survey was not scientific, but gave a general gauge of how Massachusetts Patch readers feel two years into the coronavirus pandemic.