Why everything is worse, but better than it seems.
If someone had told me in March 2020, that two years later the pandemic was still in full swing, it would surely have evoked a sense of panic in me. More than five million people have died from Covid-19. There are more infections now than ever before and our lives are still nowhere near as unrestricted as they once were. At this stage, we are all asking ourselves how much longer is this going to go on?
From the data, we know that less than 2% of those that become infected die as a result of the virus. We also know most of the people that are dying had previous underlying health issues or otherwise weakened immune systems. Sadly, this means society is losing the most vulnerable of its members. Even worse, those who don’t have access to first class medical care are at a considerable disadvantage. There are only two lines of defence when it comes to fighting a virus: limiting exposure and strengthening our body’s ability to withstand a full-on assault on many levels.
Unequivocally, being in large crowds exponentially increases the risk of getting infected, not just because of who is there, but where these people were before. It is why we are advised to wear masks. Think of it this way, if someone were to cough in your face, would you prefer to have a cloth absorbing the first impact or would you rather bathe your nostrils, eyes, and pores in the full load of foreign particles, microbes, irritants, fluids, and mucus?
Then there are the antivaxxers. Unquestionably, very few people like having anything injected into their bodies, but guess what they are going to do in the ICUs to keep you alive? Moreover, if your body is such a temple, then I would also hope that you are not eating processed foods, consuming sugary drinks, smoking, drinking alcohol, taking all sorts of over-the-counter, prescription or illicit drugs, and otherwise running up that hill on a regular basis.
The good news is, we are “learning to live” with the virus. Infections are up, but deaths and hospitalisations are down. The hope is that the Omicron wave is fast and furious, but ultimately edges us closer to herd immunity and corona is all she wrote. The fear is that I will be writing to you with yet another post on the subject, 1032 days later. Wonder how many of us are prepared for that possibility?