COVID-19 stories

On this page, people with lived experience of disability share their personal COVID-19 experiences.

In these short videos, everyday Australians with disability talk about:

  • why they chose to get vaccinated against COVID-19
  • why it’s still important to them to practise COVID-safe behaviours.

If you’re unsure if you should get a COVID-19 vaccination, you can talk to your health provider.

On this page:

The stories at a glance

This video is an overview of the COVID-19 stories.

Video duration 1:14

Transcript

Crystal:

In 2020 when the whole world was shut down, it was difficult.

Patty:

My mental health really hit a hard spot because I wasn't going out socialising.

Miranda:

It was quite scary, being someone with a lung disease, so getting a vaccination was first and foremost to protect myself.

Crystal:

I know that it's still ongoing, so it's important for me to keep on top of COVID safety measures. Testing if I have symptoms, masking and staying at home.

Phillipe:

Getting vaccinated is important because I can go out, see my friends.

James:

I can now live out my daily life with confidence and feel safe. Having that sense of community brings out a lot of good feelings.

Patty:

I'm glad that I've got the vaccination because now I can connect with everything and everyone.

Miranda:

The community being vaccinated makes me feel loved. It says, "I care about you and you matter to me."

Video duration 1:14

Transcript

Crystal:

In 2020 when the whole world was shut down, it was difficult.

Patty:

My mental health really hit a hard spot because I wasn't going out socialising.

Miranda:

It was quite scary, being someone with a lung disease, so getting a vaccination was first and foremost to protect myself.

Crystal:

I know that it's still ongoing, so it's important for me to keep on top of COVID safety measures. Testing if I have symptoms, masking and staying at home.

Phillipe:

Getting vaccinated is important because I can go out, see my friends.

James:

I can now live out my daily life with confidence and feel safe. Having that sense of community brings out a lot of good feelings.

Patty:

I'm glad that I've got the vaccination because now I can connect with everything and everyone.

Miranda:

The community being vaccinated makes me feel loved. It says, "I care about you and you matter to me."

Patty’s story

Video duration 1:27

Transcript

Patty:

When I started dancing, the music gave me lots of rhythms and happiness and sad emotions all at the same time, but I felt really excited to dance and learn new things. I just have a passion for helping and encouraging more deaf people to get active and be healthy and fit and dance, and that's just my passion.

I'm a mother of five children, plus nine grandchildren. Kim is my granddaughter. We are very close. We love being together, going shopping and going to the beach, just doing little daily activities, going out, learning new things, and I just love it.

It was like a normal life for me until COVID hit. My mental health really, really, really hit a hard spot because I wasn't going out socialising. I'm happy to get out now because I'm vaccinated. The vaccination is good help for my protection, for my health. I stay safe by washing my hands, sanitiser, cleaning the house, wearing a mask.

I'm glad that I got the vaccination, because now I can plan ahead. I want to go overseas, make performances there, and meet new people and I want to connect with everything and everyone, because that's my passion.

Video duration 1:27

Transcript

Patty:

When I started dancing, the music gave me lots of rhythms and happiness and sad emotions all at the same time, but I felt really excited to dance and learn new things. I just have a passion for helping and encouraging more deaf people to get active and be healthy and fit and dance, and that's just my passion.

I'm a mother of five children, plus nine grandchildren. Kim is my granddaughter. We are very close. We love being together, going shopping and going to the beach, just doing little daily activities, going out, learning new things, and I just love it.

It was like a normal life for me until COVID hit. My mental health really, really, really hit a hard spot because I wasn't going out socialising. I'm happy to get out now because I'm vaccinated. The vaccination is good help for my protection, for my health. I stay safe by washing my hands, sanitiser, cleaning the house, wearing a mask.

I'm glad that I got the vaccination, because now I can plan ahead. I want to go overseas, make performances there, and meet new people and I want to connect with everything and everyone, because that's my passion.

Crystal’s story

Video duration 1:14

Transcript

Crystal:

I think my happy place is with my loved ones, where I get to enjoy swimming, either in the pool or lounging at the beach. I can just turn off my brain and it's just me and the water.

I also love connecting in the community to socialise. My community has helped me through so many challenges and troughs in my life.

So in 2020, when the whole world was shut down, it was difficult to be isolated.

That's why I think it's important for me to keep on top of COVID safety measures, getting vaccinated, testing if I have symptoms, and staying at home and masking because I know it's still ongoing.

I am an avid patron of the arts. I love being a performer, and I also love doing front-of-house duties and box office.

Staying safe gives me the freedom to thrive alongside the community. It's everyone's responsibility. We want to keep that going. Let's keep that up.

Video duration 1:14

Transcript

Crystal:

I think my happy place is with my loved ones, where I get to enjoy swimming, either in the pool or lounging at the beach. I can just turn off my brain and it's just me and the water.

I also love connecting in the community to socialise. My community has helped me through so many challenges and troughs in my life.

So in 2020, when the whole world was shut down, it was difficult to be isolated.

That's why I think it's important for me to keep on top of COVID safety measures, getting vaccinated, testing if I have symptoms, and staying at home and masking because I know it's still ongoing.

I am an avid patron of the arts. I love being a performer, and I also love doing front-of-house duties and box office.

Staying safe gives me the freedom to thrive alongside the community. It's everyone's responsibility. We want to keep that going. Let's keep that up.

Phillipe’s story

Video duration 1:14

Transcript

Phillipe:

I love working out. When I work out, I feel excited, pumped. It makes me feel more alive. Before, when I didn't use to work out, I was like in a shell, but now I notice that I'm getting more confident.

Family is important for me. I love to spend time with them. I love to have a laugh with them. I like to be around with them.

When I heard about COVID, I was like a bit worried. I guess, stressed, because of course was like staying home 24/7, not doing nothing. And I really want to go outside, but we couldn't. Kind of boring of course.

Getting vaccinated is important because I can go out, see my friends, I can do whatever I like.

Me and my friends love going to the bowling alley. When I get a strike, I feel like I've won like a big prize or something. Like yeah, it's a cool feeling.

Now, I stay COVID-safe by looking after myself, putting my mask on, putting hand sanitiser on. If I'm unwell, I can stay home. It makes me feel safer that I took the vaccine.

Video duration 1:14

Transcript

Phillipe:

I love working out. When I work out, I feel excited, pumped. It makes me feel more alive. Before, when I didn't use to work out, I was like in a shell, but now I notice that I'm getting more confident.

Family is important for me. I love to spend time with them. I love to have a laugh with them. I like to be around with them.

When I heard about COVID, I was like a bit worried. I guess, stressed, because of course was like staying home 24/7, not doing nothing. And I really want to go outside, but we couldn't. Kind of boring of course.

Getting vaccinated is important because I can go out, see my friends, I can do whatever I like.

Me and my friends love going to the bowling alley. When I get a strike, I feel like I've won like a big prize or something. Like yeah, it's a cool feeling.

Now, I stay COVID-safe by looking after myself, putting my mask on, putting hand sanitiser on. If I'm unwell, I can stay home. It makes me feel safer that I took the vaccine.

Miranda’s story

Video duration 1:23

Transcript

Miranda:

Everyone loves music, and being able to play with other people and see how they feel through music, and then just having that connection where you're in sync, it always brings people together.

I'm a young person with a disability. I have a lung disease, but that doesn't stop me from getting out and living my life.

Being part of the community is a really important part of being me, but also, my family is super important because there's no one else who knows me better.

I got vaccinated, first and foremost it was important to protect myself, but also as a member of the community who's very active, I felt so much more safe just going around and living my life.

The main practice I use is probably sanitising, but especially if I'm feeling a bit under the weather I will wear a mask because it's better to be safe than sorry.

The community being vaccinated makes me feel loved. It says, “I care about you and you matter to me”.

Video duration 1:23

Transcript

Miranda:

Everyone loves music, and being able to play with other people and see how they feel through music, and then just having that connection where you're in sync, it always brings people together.

I'm a young person with a disability. I have a lung disease, but that doesn't stop me from getting out and living my life.

Being part of the community is a really important part of being me, but also, my family is super important because there's no one else who knows me better.

I got vaccinated, first and foremost it was important to protect myself, but also as a member of the community who's very active, I felt so much more safe just going around and living my life.

The main practice I use is probably sanitising, but especially if I'm feeling a bit under the weather I will wear a mask because it's better to be safe than sorry.

The community being vaccinated makes me feel loved. It says, “I care about you and you matter to me”.

James’ story

Video duration 1:16

Transcript

James:

When I'm playing table tennis, I do get lost in the moment. You're really focused, obviously, on the rally. It's quite a good feeling.

I've got quite a close-knit family, so I love spending time with my mum and dad, with my girlfriend, who obviously lives with us as well. We are dog lovers, our family, they're a very integral part of our life. We go for walks together. We get to say hello to a lot of the locals. Having that sense of community brings out a lot of good feelings, particularly in a time coming out of COVID.

During COVID, like, there was a lot of times thinking about my disability and having that turmoil. That was probably the toughest thing that I felt. Getting vaccinated was important to me because I can now go out in public and feel safe and live out my daily life with confidence. Being able to spend my days with those around me that I care about, that's the main thing, brings me a lot of joy for the future.

Video duration 1:16

Transcript

James:

When I'm playing table tennis, I do get lost in the moment. You're really focused, obviously, on the rally. It's quite a good feeling.

I've got quite a close-knit family, so I love spending time with my mum and dad, with my girlfriend, who obviously lives with us as well. We are dog lovers, our family, they're a very integral part of our life. We go for walks together. We get to say hello to a lot of the locals. Having that sense of community brings out a lot of good feelings, particularly in a time coming out of COVID.

During COVID, like, there was a lot of times thinking about my disability and having that turmoil. That was probably the toughest thing that I felt. Getting vaccinated was important to me because I can now go out in public and feel safe and live out my daily life with confidence. Being able to spend my days with those around me that I care about, that's the main thing, brings me a lot of joy for the future.