Tara Murray
Judy Ingram just wants to give her sister a hug.
She wants to be able to invite friends over and be able to celebrate family Christmases, go to weddings and celebrate birthdays in-person.
But instead the St Albans resident has been stuck in her house for 700 days.
Judy went into voluntary lockdown in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic first hit. With cases still high and no end in sight, Judy has remained at home ever since.
“It’s coming up two years,” she said. “March 1 is two years.
“They told me it would be three months, then October and then I could see my family for Christmas.
“Then they said Easter. Now they haven’t given me a get out of jail date yet.”
Judy admits at times it’s been hard and she feels sorry for herself. She’s then quick to remember it could be worse.
She said there were thousands of other people in the same situation, many who live alone. She’s comforted that she’s got her husband, Ian, at home.
Ian, who at times during the two years had been able to go out into the community for small trips, is staying at home too.
“My immune system is too low to get the vaccine the doctors have said,” she said.
“Ian can’t get vaccinated either. If he gets a reaction [like the flu] he could give it to me. Even a mild case of the flu normally gives me pneumonia.
“I’m so cautious with this vaccine.”
Since the start of the pandemic, Judy’s visitors have been limited. She saw her sister three times last year and gets care services to help with some of the day-to-day stuff.
Judy said even for her sister to visit is not straightforward.
“Wendy has to go and get tested before she comes,” she says of her sister.
“Once she is tested, she has to isolate or she drives straight down.
“She doesn’t stay the night. She either stays at a motel or and drives straight back home. I’m still not able to cuddle her.”
Judy said in recent times, things had been made difficult with growing case numbers meaning care services can’t attend the house.
The cleaner hasn’t been in six weeks, the physiotherapist and other support staff have had to cancel appointments, sometimes on the day.
“This time around it is really affecting everybody providing house support for us,” she said.
While she’s been in lockdown, Judy has continued her work with the Brimbank community register and the Friends of Maribyrnong Valley.
She knows while the lockdown has been tough, there’s no alternative.
“COVID will actually kill me, even in a mild form.
“There is no end in sight until the doctor will finally allow me to get vaccinated.
“I don’t want to go to the pub or anything, I just want to be able to have people over.”
