'Waving and blowing kisses on FaceTime is not the same'

RTÉ’s Teresa Mannion talks us through her COVID-19 experience, from work and wellbeing to missing loved ones and  longing for a hug

The ‘new normal’ is now run of the mill for me with just occasional visit to the office for bits of housekeeping and to pick up post and so forth. I now work primarily from home using my laptop to edit reports for TV news bulletins and I file audios on an app on my phone.

Working as a reporter still requires being out in the field, but at the height of the pandemic our traditional news-gathering was seriously curtailed. I set up my stories in the kitchen and recorded interviews on Skype and WhatsApp as a ‘needs must’ option. However, I’m back working outside with professional crews where possible, and we adhere to social-distancing and hand sanitising and wiping kit. We also wear our masks in compliance with public health guidelines. 

I did a piece to camera in my mask recently at a farmers’ mart where everybody was wearing face coverings.

Out on the road we use microphone stands instead of holding any equipment. It’s time-consuming but essential for the protection of ourselves and others.

My most recent big news story was the miraculous rescue of two young women in Galway after they were swept out to sea while paddle boarding near Furbo Beach. The story was fast moving and dramatic with a lot of running around getting reaction and going live into all the news bulletins. There was no way it could have been covered from my kitchen! 

But this story captivated the nation because it was the only good news story in such a long time. People could talk of little else and it was a great example of how badly we all needed a lift and something to smile about at last.

On a personal level, COVID-19 has given me more time to catch up with my husband Dave and two sons, Cian and Tom, who are 21 and 22-years-old. 

They’re all around the house more and you get unexpected windows to grab a coffee and a chat normally reserved for co-workers.

I’m not a gym bunny but I like to walk the Salthill prom and do some Pilates during normal times. 

Now I’ve got a little bit of home exercise going on which helps lift the mood and energy levels. 

The garage is normally packed with students, so I’m using the space to hop on a very basic stationary bike for a few weekly half-hour sessions. There are hundreds of YouTube tutorials to choose from.

I also have a rebounder which is a kind of mini trampoline loved by toddlers and middle-aged women! Seriously, it’s the fastest way to get the blood flowing and the heart rate up. 

Even just ten minutes a day is beneficial and there’s no impact on the joints. 

I bought a fairly decent one online and it was worth the money. I stick in my AirPods and bounce away to a Californian instructor on YouTube. Or else I just bounce to my own tune.

When I’m not in the humour for cycling or bouncing, I might pour a glass of vino and read a book or watch Netflix. Like everybody else I got stuck into Tiger King. It’s entertaining and sensational and attention-grabbing.

I’m from Dublin and recently some of my family came to Galway on staycation. It was wonderful to see them in the flesh rather than on Zoom and made me realise how we’re all social animals at heart and connection is vital for wellbeing and mental health.

COVID has taught me that family is everything when all is said and done. The saddest part of this pandemic for me has not being able to see my mother. She is in a nursing home in Dublin with dementia. 

I last visited her in February before restrictions came into effect and I long to give her a hug. Waving and blowing kisses on FaceTime is not the same and she doesn’t always recognise me. That’s heartbreaking. 

As one of seven children there was always someone going in to see her daily. Now we fear that the lack of physical contact with family will see her condition deteriorate more rapidly. The staff are wonderful but under so much pressure to keep the virus at bay. 

They have succeeded in doing this and for that we are immensely relieved. 

But nursing homes are perhaps the standout example of how COVID-19 took so much from one of the most vulnerable sectors of society.