Like rings in the water

Week 4: It began in January. Or that's where we first heard about it. The Chinese New Year was approaching. Our students at the Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research in Beijing told us that the university was closing down and the Danish students advised to go home. A severe viral epidemic was developing in China. We asked our friends. Yes, it was true - everyone had been asked to stay home after the New Year holidays. Concerned mails to our colleagues all over China. Hopefully, no one in their family was affected, and how were we going to do with our visit and teaching, which was to be conducted in the coming months? 

Week 7: A little later in February, the new disease Covid-19 was found in Italy and soon after in Denmark. Reports of overcrowded hospitals in other European countries are filling the news.

Week 10: At the beginning of March more than 400 infected in Denmark. Now suddenly I get worried emails from Ghana, whether I was stil in good health and what about the start-up meeting of our new project, scheduled for the end of the month. It was canceled at the last minute. It is a real pity that we cannot meet our new partners and get to know them.

Week 11: On March 11 comes the message of immediate closure of borders and all public institutions, etc. A bit of a hectic start for me as new section leader. How do we make the new everyday life work from home? Fortunately, we are used to working independently and, we work in an area, where closure does not immediately affect us as it does for so many others. Apart from our teaching, where by an extraordinary effort we manage to move forward virtually without interruption. Well done! To all our educators and IT people. Soon, Skype meetings and exams are part of our everyday lives. The mailbox is booming.

Figure 1: In my mailbox, the Covid-19 shutdown led to 33% more emails (Easter week excluded).

Week 14: Especially the families with children are under pressure. It is not easy to be effective with 2-3 children in the house. Among the many things we learn from the crisis is not least the importance of community institutions such as kindergartens and schools. Nice that we can have frequent section and coffee meetings and, in this way, keep good contact with all the colleagues in the section. Everyone is keeping the spirits high. We focus on working from home. Nice also that the field work has been opened up so that we do not lose a whole growing season.

Week 17: A month has passed at home. The epidemic is rolling on to other continents while several European countries are still severely affected. Fortunately, the number of people in Denmark is declining. Evidently, the doctrine is that it works to keep distance and to disinfect hands. These are cheap tips that I pass on to the WhatsApp group from our latest PhD course in Ghana before viruses start spreading there. 

Week 20: Denmark seems to have managed the pandemic with mercifully. The restrictions are eased gradually. Nice that the children can come back to school and kindergarten, even if it is not without concern for the parents. Laboratory work can now continue to a limited extent. It seems that many projects can go ahead without significant delays. 

Week 22: The epidemic is about to end, especially west of the Great Belt. Now we can finally get back to the offices, though still with restrictions and frequent cleaning. It will be nice to be able to talk to colleagues again - a certain skype fatigue had begun to emerge. Unfortunately, in other countries it is not over yet. I hope no one has been too badly affected personally and with regard to the families at home. After all, in the sections we have threads to all parts of the world, including those that have been ravaged by the pandemic and where it is still raging. I have never experienced anything like this and hope I never will again.