#COVIDCatLady, Day 774 (?)

For the first time since the pandemic started, someone I personally know tested positive for COVID in Shanghai. That gives you an idea of how much of a bubble we've been living in since 2020. This means I am now pet-sitting a dog and a cat. On top of my 2 cats and my boyfriend's kitten, that's... A lot of dependents lol

Most quarantine hotels can't accommodate pets, and there aren't clear protocols on pet care (or housing or employment protection) for those who test positive, who must be hospitalized, and their close contacts need to go into centralized quarantine. My friend and I made a pact at the beginning of this outbreak that we'd look out for each other's pets.

My cleaner (yes, weekly house cleaning is an affordable luxury in Shanghai, and I've employed the same cleaner for over 8 years) has had to sleep at my apartment with my cats because her neighborhood has been under lockdown this whole time; she can't go home. There are also stories of migrant workers who have been trying to avoid being under lockdown because they work jobs where they can't WFH and can't afford to miss a day's work.

Speaking as someone who's a freelance writer and hasn't step foot in an office for the last 6 months, with my food deliveries and unlimited pet time... I feel incredibly spoiled. My lifestyle isn't been much affected by lockdown. I have been turning down social engagements and skipping group yoga classes for a couple of weeks now. It's not exactly a struggle. If anything, it's given me ample excuse to stay right here, on the couch, typing and petting.

See? Spoiled

The covid cranky's leveling up in Shanghai. Most of the city's 24 million population has been double-tested, but several districts are still under lockdown. A few of areas have been in lockdown for 12 days and counting, with no clear end in sight. The uncertainty of when lockdowns start and end and the lack of clear communication are really wearing on people.