Reflecting on Covid

We've been living with Covid around us for almost three years now. It has definitely changed the way we spend our time. Because Terry has chronic leukaemia, we are both very cautious. We're both had all our shots (5)... and we wear masks when we're out and about.

And ... just in case... we have a few boxes of rapid tests near at hand.

But - when I see headlines like this, from Time Magazine (above) - I wonder if we're being too cautious. Doesn't that continue to be the big question: How cautious do we need to be?

Recently our daughter was surprised to discover she had Covid. She thought it was a cold... Working from home, she only leaves her apartment to go for a walk or a run - or to buy groceries. Like us, she wears a mask when she goes out. She felt under the weather for a few days - spent 2 days in bed. She almost didn't test herself... it felt so much like a cold - even though she did lose her sense of taste. But she tested positive for Covid. Fortunately, after a week, she was feeling better.

Hearing about her Covid experience could make it seem as if the virus has evolved to be less harmful. But friends of ours - about our age - headed off to visit family and friends out of province. They were gone for two weeks - and returned with Covid. 

Was it like a cold? I asked. 

It was an awful experience, my friend replied. Like lying on a bed of needles.The pain would disappear suddenly, then reappear between my ears, sawing sharply! It took 2 weeks for me to test negative.

Her husband, who - like Terry - has a pre-existing medical condition, was sick for 4 weeks. Twice he needed antibiotics for a lung infection…

Hearing my friend’s story, I realize it’s not quite time for us to ease up our efforts. The virus hasn’t disappeared. It's still wrecking havoc!