Literally 7 months ago I used to eat in indoor restaurants and feel fine if some lib unmasked next to me on the train. Now I seeth in rage anytime someone tells me that covid is over or that we need to go back to normal. Maybe it was the 4th late night trip to the emergency room. Maybe it was hearing “I can’t breathe” and “I’m afraid I’m going to die” several times a week for months on end and trying to be the main person of support for the first time in my life. Maybe it was repeatedly reminding workmates that I have a vulnerable person at home and them mostly not being arsed to mask up around me.

My partner was 40 when she got covid this year for the first. She was vaxxed and boostered. She worked out. She had zero health issues.

Really, I just want people to stop pretending that covid is nothing or that we can get past it. I get that realising our own mortality is terrifying and that people naturally want to react against it. I don’t want anyone to be stressed or paranoid. I just want to push back against any lib complacency that we can live with covid like most Westerners are doing.