6 years since COVID… lest we forget.

[BrianL]

I've never had Covid.

Me neither, as far as I know. Every time I've had like symptoms, tests have come back negative, so it was a cold or flu. I suppose I could've had light symptoms as I know it varies, but I've generally been lucky.

 

[GAN]

I actually was in agreement with NannyBeBe - except for the not dying part. People did die, that's tragic, but, wait a minute, name one person who has not gotten sick - we all have. Closing schools did not change that and did far more harm than good. Even the experts, the ones who made the decision, agree to this in hindsight. It's too bad they chose to vilify and ignore those of us who were begging for the schools to be open instead of listening to us and doing the right thing.

I’m not debating you because I don’t necessarily disagree in theory, but I also believe that sending school-aged children into classrooms during a novel virus would have been a devastatingly bad decision. Who doesn’t believe that schools make terrific incubators? Just ask any parent what they can bring into a home…. I think the regret in hindsight comes from the realization that the distance learning had psychological effects on students. It was a no-win situation for everyone involved…. I don’t want to armchair quarterback people who’ve dedicated their lives to public health and know a hell of a lot more than me!

 

[elgerber]

I've never had Covid.

My dd never has either. The rest of us have, but not her.

 

[AppleDumpling]

that's also how science/medicine works. We get more information and we adjust. Early on we didn't know anything, but as we gathered data we updated guidelines, treatments, etc.

Exactly. In the beginning, so much was unknown. The mortality rate dropped significantly once the vaccine was developed and made available to the most vulnerable, and eventually to all. And of course, new medications and treatments also helped to gradually move beyond pandemic status. Unfortunately, the virus’ variants and vaccine hesitancy have slowed progress towards full herd immunity, yet it is much more manageable now.

While I did not have school age children at the time, I empathized with all the students, parents and teachers going through a difficult time, and I’m sure many still feel the impact of the disruption of their education. It’s easy to look at the big picture in hindsight, but it was a major public health crisis and safety became the top concern. I also have much respect and appreciation for the doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers, who cared for all the patients in hospitals, while risking their own health; they are true heroes.

I’m in the NYC suburbs, in a densely populated area that was hard hit. Like everyone else, we spent lots of time at home, working and keeping ourselves entertained. DH and I would go outside for a walk or bike ride when we needed to refresh. Through it all, I felt a strong sense of community, like we were in it together as a society. It actually reminded me of the post 9/11 period, and to this day, most here know and remember at least one person who died on 9/11 and same for the pandemic.

Many people suffered hardships, some had it worse than others, but I saw many acts of kindness and neighbors helping neighbors. One thing I’ll remember is people setting up tables in front of homes or other locations, with donated food and other supplies (things with shortages, like toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning products, etc.) for anyone in need. It gave me hope for the resilience of the human spirit.

 

[barkley]

It's easy to look back now and say that almost everyone in the world has gotten it and the vast majority didn't die from it. At the time, it was a novel virus: no one knew exactly how it spread or how to treat it. The mortality rates (percentage of those who had it and died from it) was very high. Yes, perhaps there was a bit of overhype on the media's part, but that is actually how a lot of healthcare professionals, including epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists felt.

Edited to add: that's also how science/medicine works. We get more information and we adjust. Early on we didn't know anything, but as we gathered data we updated guidelines, treatments, etc.

I think we will continue to learn about it's impact. there may be long term implications that won't be apparent for decades. there are studies on going monitoring non hospitalized children who had very minor symptomology with COVID that demonstrate widespread functional lung alterations are present. I have to wonder if decades down the road we will see something akin to what my late brother and his peers experience(d) in later life due to the polio epidemics. kids that were infected but did not suffer the horrific effects, experiencing a group of potentially disabling signs and symptoms that appear decades after the initial polio illness. These signs and symptoms usually appear between 30 to 40 years after having polio.

 

[bcla]

It's easy to look back now and say that almost everyone in the world has gotten it and the vast majority didn't die from it. At the time, it was a novel virus: no one knew exactly how it spread or how to treat it. The mortality rates (percentage of those who had it and died from it) was very high. Yes, perhaps there was a bit of overhype on the media's part, but that is actually how a lot of healthcare professionals, including epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists felt.

Edited to add: that's also how science/medicine works. We get more information and we adjust. Early on we didn't know anything, but as we gathered data we updated guidelines, treatments, etc.

Early mortality rates were anywhere from 2-5%. It was very different as a novel virus.

 

[Kae]

I've never had Covid.

Same and my DH, DD and DS did not either. And DS, DH and Myself went in to the office everyday. DD was in College so she was home. And when she went back in the fall she worked in a hospital and didn't get it.

I was very thankful I didn't work in a Lab anymore I can't imagine the pressure those people worked with.