During the Covid-19 lockdown, the internet has helped people stay in touch, now it's going to record the reality of the Coronavirus pandemic as told by those who lived through it with a new online archive, Coronavirus Chronicles.

Since the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic broke out in China at the end of 2019, global public policy has focused on severely limiting human physical interaction to curb the spread of the virus. The strategies of physical distancing and social distancing are essential public health policies, but they have also led to an increase in feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. However, the internet and technology have enabled us to share experiences and opinions across countries and continents.

Read More: The Irish around the world made the best of a strange St. Patrick’s Day

Read More: Irish American veteran survives Great Depression, WWII, and Covid-19

Coronavirus Chronicles

A group of historians, public health officials, and students have created a digital archive named the Coronavirus Chronicles. The Coronavirus Chronicles invites people from across the globe to pen “diaries” of their day-to-day life, submit poems, and upload photos or videos.

The main goal of this project is to record and preserve the stories of ordinary people, so future generations and historians can understand the real-life impact of this pandemic.

How to submit

You can submit your story, photos, or poems, so your voice becomes part of this unique historical experience. Everyone who visits the Coronavirus Chronicles will have the opportunity to upload their stories and read the experiences of other people. We hope this will allow people to understand the truly global impact of the pandemic, and feel more connected to the rest of the world. 

The project currently has diary entries from Ireland, the United States, Hong Kong, and India. These stories have ranged from critiques of government policies throughout the world to stories about walking dogs and the frustration of working from home—every story matters, big or small.

Hope for the archives

We hope that the project will continue to grow, and we think that the Irish American voice is vital to this story. The Irish Diaspora is one of the largest and most diverse diasporas in the history of the world. People who claim Irish ancestry throughout the world are being impacted by the pandemic regardless of gender, sexuality, or economic status. We believe this makes your experience crucial to any history of the pandemic.

The publicly sourced database will serve as an invaluable archive for future researchers seeking a grassroots understanding of the pandemic, expanding their data sources from policy, and breaking news to include your stories. The voices of the majority of people are often neglected in history books. Yet, this project hopes to enable scholars to include your diverse perspectives in future research about COVID-19. 
 
We are encouraging everyone to add their stories to this collection. You can post these stories using your name or a pen name if you wish to remain anonymous. Please feel free to upload your diaries, poems, photos, or videos to the website at www.CoronavirusChroniclesArchive.com.

Read More: Irish American veteran survives Great Depression, WWII, and Covid-19

This article was submitted to the IrishCentral contributors network by a member of the global Irish community. To become an IrishCentral contributor click here.