When I hear someone on a podcast refer to the covid pandemic ending in 2020 and then suggesting that things “returned to normal” in 2021, I cannot relate. The pandemic left a permanent impression on my life and in my mind.
I still have a hard time believing how the government shut down the entire country for months at a time and then continued to do extended shutdowns and social isolation protocols over a period of several years. I never thought Americans would accept lockdown, mask mandates and the silly, arbitrary rules that were imposed on us.
I think part of the reason why I still feel lingering effects of the pandemic is that covid has become endemic. The news reports spikes in covid anytime they occur, regardless of how “low” the spike is compared to the highest levels we had mid-pandemic. Variants, vaccines and covid waves seem to hit the headlines at least once a month. Studies about long covid detailing mild to severe side effects are constantly being posted to new sites.
I see people wearing masks. There are outdated covid protocols on many websites and posted in stores. When I hear someone cough, I instinctively hold my breath and get as far away from them as possible. I suspect I will avoid crowded indoor spaces for the rest of my life.
Based on what I’ve read, covid is here to stay. Like the flu, we can expect different strains, peak periods and varying vaccine effectiveness as we live with this new reality.
That kind of sucks.
It’s the first permanent pandemic I’ve had to deal within my life, other than AIDs (which had societal implications but few for me personally).
I’ll deal with it, of course. Just like the many generations of humans have lived and died through pandemics before me.