COVID, COVID, COVID... is there really any other story these days? Notice that I dropped the '19', it's been three calendar years since this scourge emerged. There's no other story which is independent of the pandemic. Supply chain problems? Anti-government sentiment? Labor shortages? All are affected by this disease, which in the form of the omicron variant, is sweeping the US in a potentially devastating fashion. The current pandemic statistics are horrifying.
The news is dire, with 20% of healthcare workers leaving the workforce, and elective medical procedures being canceled. In the NYC metro area, the MTA is reducing service due to the pandemic's effect on employees. It's no wonder that 'compassion fatigue' has increased among hospital staff- I call it righteous anger at recalcitrant assholes who endanger everyone else.
In yesterday's post, I toyed with the idea of being less of a 'doomer', and the reality is that I'm not as pessimistic in real life as I am online, but the fact remains that the pandemic is THE headline of the year for a third year running, this plague is the background noise that will be present behind all other stories for the foreseeable future. I don't want to be a one note bloviator all year, but to not center the pandemic in my commentary would seem irresponsible.
Up until today I rarely saw anyone unmasked or with their nose out, but today it was half of everyone I saw! WTF?
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way yesterday ms/mr string. I got to wondering if Safeway had half off for everyone who didn't wear a mask. That was probably my last trip to the store for a while. I'm afraid of my unmasked "neighbors" and tired of my brain saying "dead man walking". Bonnie
ReplyDeleteUp until today I rarely saw anyone unmasked or with their nose out, but today it was half of everyone I saw! WTF?
ReplyDeleteI don't know if it's just pandemic fatigue, or if people really think the omicron variant is mild, so they want to get it and get over it.
That was probably my last trip to the store for a while. I'm afraid of my unmasked "neighbors" and tired of my brain saying "dead man walking".
I'm thinking that I'll go into hermit mode for the next month or two.
It is going to be difficult. What good is food if all you do is choke it down
ReplyDeleteonly to survive for another day
I don't understand
I am in hermit mode. It is not my way of being.
These are terrible times.
I want you to understand that we are blaming this so called Republican party.
I want to tell you that my own family has seen this before.
Thinking that the trump people want to do this,
I get dizzy. I feel sick.