As we have experienced the pandemic, this last 6 months have been a lull of sorts-everything has sort of flattened out.
Infections are down, hospitalizations are down, and so are deaths.
But wait-deaths are down-but they're not completely down to maybe a dozen a week-they're at the rate of 300-500 people dying every day.
That's a lot of people per week. That's anywhere from 2100 to 3500 people a week. Multiply that figure for the month, and that's a lot more people.
We've lost our empathy, our sorrow and fear of the virus. It might just come back to haunt us.
This essay is better than I am at saying how bad this is.
I posted a response from one public health professional to Biden’s “pandemic is over” remark elsewhere in this forum. I think this is the new normal under our present political and societal realities. Sucks and I am not at all happy about it but the intent of the Serenity Prayer does seem applicable here—as I say it, “may we find it in ourselves to grant us the serenity to accept that which we can not change, the courage to change that which we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
I don’t care if most of the people dying are Republicans. They have completely obliterated whatever compassion I might have had for them even five or six years ago. It’s us versus them now, and they made it that way. But I feel for people who still have to be really careful for other reasons. Hopefully that means I am not completely dead inside!
Big hugs. <3
I am almost always alone in wearing an N95. Few wear any mask at all. I also rarely venture out unless I really need something and even then I make do!
I used to be very empathetic... whether it was family, friends or strangers. It was nearly exhausted ... (I know it drove me here and I have seen a lot of others saying the same.) I am trying really hard not to comment on the individuals on the main page and try to mock their ignorance rather than the death. NOT making a MEMEorial grave stone has made a huge difference as well. It made me dwell too much on the death. I am back to helping out neighbours and being more of my giving trusting self... but remain wary of any strangers. I am not going to just look for the good... they need to SHOW IT TO ME or I am gone.
I would say I am more tribal for sure... and save my sorrow for those I know. The world will be a lot less friendly and kind if all of us who are givers are done with sharing our emotions, time, money and stop helping others.
We called it empathy fatigue and no wonder... it is very real... https://health.clevelandclinic.org/empathy-fatigue-how-stress-and-trauma-can-take-a-toll-on-you/
As long as the vast majority of those dying are antivaxxers then I’m ok with the new normal. ‘We’ haven’t lost our empathy, they have taken it. I feel sorrow for all the people who are still dying needlessly because of them. I do feel fear, for myself and others who have done the right thing but still might get sick or die because of them. Sorry, not sorry.
Chart is a couple of months old, but you get the picture.
This is so disheartening. I haven't given up, though. I'm doing what I can. Much love to those of you who are doing the same.