Covid Is A Serial and Repeat Offender

A friend recently quite rightly branded Covid, “a thief.” When you consider the numerous crimes committed against humankind, the list and spectrum of offences are of a life changing nature. So much has been taken, the biggest atrocity being the loss of lives.

Given the gravity of loss it would be easy to minimise the impact of the altered or cancelled religious festivals and occasions for celebration. However, milestone birthdays are a once only deal and other celebrations often have significance attached to dates. The absence of support when saying goodbye to a loved one and grieving in isolation can only make the process more prolonged and complex. Holidays overseas may be viewed as a treat or indulgence but can have increased importance if they have been years in the planning, arranged to fit with life commitments or involve connecting with friends and family. For these events rescheduling is not always a possibility or loses its pertinence.

For those with pre-existing life shortening illnesses or acute diagnoses during the pandemic, there has been the anxiety attached to treatment delays and more crucially the fear of being robbed of precious time with the people we love.

Covid has wreaked havoc on career ambitions and aspirations, rendering thriving businesses to empty spaces, causing financial ruin and hardship, loss of livelihoods and snatching away achievements and future goals. Education and career paths have been disrupted to an unrecognisable degree.

No-one could have foreseen a virus stealing our freedom of choice and movement but worse than this, the ability to see smiling faces has also been stolen and in a time where it was most needed.

Nothing is off limits to the virus, a fleecing of our senses has also occurred, depriving or distorting taste and smell, stripping away simple pleasures.

I fell prey to COVID last year and 9 months down the line, continue to be plagued by lingering symptoms which have altered my daily functioning and sense of self. Despite a refusal to acknowledge Long Covid, I have had no option but to acquiesce and manage symptoms with various remedies, medications and approaches.

If Covid were a person, there would be no get out of jail free card. Unfortunately, no amount of emergency services or vigilante groups can hold this virus to account. The only tools at our disposal are vaccines and safety measures.

There exists anger and outrage with no place to go, so seems to be directed at government or statutory organisations responsible for enforcing restrictions and in some cases fracturing communities because of beliefs.

What is in our control and how do we fight back? Renewed appreciation of who and what surrounds us coupled with the motivation to rewrite who we are and what our priorities are is the best retaliation against this virus. Now is the time to begin rebuilding and reclaiming what is ours. “Going back to normal” would be an insult to everything that has been endured and lost.