This is another in a series by our reporters on how they managed to cover the news at the onset of the novel coronavirus in 2020.

LUCEA, Hanover — The novel coronavirus which first touched ashore the island in March 2020, according to the Ministry of Health and Wellness, had brought with it life-changing experiences for many. It was no different for me as I was forced to maximise the use of technology in performing my job.

The flu-like virus had quickly mushroomed into a pandemic that not only created anxiety, fears and uncertainty in the lives of many, but also affected institutions, businesses, schools, and radically changed social and work life. However, I quickly adapted and adjusted to guidelines and protocols set out by the Government as I carried out my duties.

The magnitude of the impact of the virus on the psychology, forced me to get busy preparing for the little-known disease at that time. I bought basic items from early, but the reality of the impact hit home when my editor, Mark Cummings, and I sought to get feedback from the pharmaceutical industry across western Jamaica.

At that time, the pharmaceutical industry was reporting a shortage of critical items to battle the virus, such as hand sanitisers, dust masks, latex gloves, Lysol and vitamin C, just mere minutes after Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton announced the first known case of the virus on the island on March 10.

Heightened fears had also led to Janet Silvera, president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, telling me, when contacted for a story I was working on, that the chamber had secured a meeting with the health and wellness minister.

Minutes later, I was told by president of the Negril Chamber of Commerce Richard Wallace that the virus was having a negative impact on travelling, which has resulted in booking cancellations and the closure of at least one hotel.

Hanover was the last parish to record a case of the virus, and is currently the parish with the lowest number of confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Some people have attributed this to the proactive approach taken by residents and organisations such as the Hanover Municipal Corporation and the Hanover Health Department.

The corporation, in March, established a COVID-19 response committee, while the community of First Brissette took action by establishing a sanitisation station at the entrance to the district.

I noticed the continuation of anxiety among Jamaicans, which was amplified during my coverage of a meeting with National Solid Waste Management Authority Executive Director Audley Gordon and individuals at the Retirement Disposal site in St James. One man, who referred to himself as a “hustler”, on the landfill, and who was playing a game of dominoes with others, asked “when will the virus leave Jamaica?”

By the end of March, several planned functions, meetings and press conferences were either cancelled or postponed, which resulted in me becoming more creative in getting stories out and keeping the public informed, by maximising the use of my phone, social media, the Internet, among other things.

The educational landscape had changed with the suspension of face-to-face classes. At that time, Linvern Wright, president of the Jamaica Association of Principals of Secondary Schools and Errol Stewart, principal of Grange Hill High School, predicted that at the end of the pandemic a new learning landscape would emerge.

However, I observed that the lack of devices or poor Internet connectivity soon became an issue for teachers, students and parents. This led to some teachers becoming creative in the delivery of schoolwork to students. I was impressed with Keron King, principal of Little Bay All-Age and Infant School in Westmoreland, who travelled by bike taxi to deliver schoolwork to his students at their homes.

While I was a bit timid and fearful to go out to cover stories at the onset of the virus, I began to develop more courage by the end of March and was able to meet people face to face again, while at the same time being careful to take all the precautions.

However, getting to and from assignments was difficult, especially when I had to use public transportation. At times, it was nerve-racking travelling in a packed taxi. Most times I prayed that no one in the vehicle had the virus.

The summer came by quickly and by then speculations had heightened that Prime Minister Andrew Holness would be calling the general election, which he did in August.

Covering nomination day in the St James Southern constituency was risky as party supporters, who came out to support their candidate of choice, broke out into the familiar street gatherings and pranced about as if they were at a carnival event. This made it difficult at times for me to navigate my way through the thick crowds, many of them not wearing any masks, to carry out my duty while adhering to protocols such as social distancing.

However, things changed on Election Day, September 3, 2020. The day’s proceedings were much more orderly with COVID-19 protocols being observed, for the most part, in the constituency of Hanover Western, where I covered.

By the end of October, there was a spike in the number of confirmed cases of the virus in sections of the western region, resulting in drastic actions being taken to minimise the spread.

In December, the popular Christmas Eve grand markets across the region were cancelled, to further curtailing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

So far, I am happy to report that I have not been among those confirmed to have contracted the virus and I pledge to continue feeding the public with credible information despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic.