Covid was certainly hard for many people. Lots of businesses suffered, anything that involved people being exposed to other people. This included church services and people who needed AA meetings to help them stay sober. People were learning how to set up zoom meetings. People began having their therapy over the phone. Lots of people were suddenly out of work that suddenly could not pay their bills.

From what you shared your wife was exposed for how bad her drinking really was and how little she was actually doing while you and your children were gone during the day. She was using coffee/caffeine to wake up and alcohol to numb. This did not happen overnight. You are not the first person to be busy and not notice it right away. You are not the first to be treated like YOU are the bad guy and to have anything you did wrong thrown in your face to protect their disease of addiction.

Alcoholics don’t live in the real world, their life revolves around their disease. And they use all the techniques a narcissist used to hide their disease.