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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
There is not one individual on the face of this planet who hasn't been affected by this pandemic. Our immediate reaction was to panic. It was to stock up on toilet paper. It was to go out for coffee and pretend like none of this was happening. We did this out of fear. We did this out of ignorance. Now, the world is coming to life as it realizes that it is truly homebound. This sparks a lot of negative feelings of despair. Therefore, I've been finding ways to channel hope. ... Taking pictures is essential in the 21st century. ... So, being the 18-year-old I am, I snapped some pictures. ... "Well," I thought, "If toilet paper is back and Dunkin' is open, maybe the world isn't ending." And the truth is, it isn't. There have been pandemics before us and there will be plenty after this one. Humans are just going to have to adjust and make the best of it. Documenting these small, mundane images serves as hope for me. As I watch the dandelions grow beneath my feet in this ever-changing season, I realize that COVID-19 is not the end-all. I realize that, even in the face of hopelessness, there are small ways to channel faith. It all depends on your outlook.
June 30, 2020
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How is the coronavirus pandemic affecting your life right now? Tell us about your experiences, feelings, and thoughts.
Today is the one year anniversary of my first Pfizer vaccine… and I am finishing day 5 of my covid quarantine. I have lived the last 2 years in fear of getting sick or spreading this virus. I am in healthcare and I am mentally exhausted. Over the past 2 weeks I have had multiple exposures at my work and in my personal life. Last Monday my boyfriend got sick. He tried to isolate but we live in a 700 sqft apartment. By Wednesday night I had an intense headache that I knew was probably Omicron. I called out of work Thursday and scheduled a PCR covid test. It has since been 5 days and still no test results. I am supposed to return to work tomorrow so I spent hours today searching for a home rapid test. Results: positive. In the time it took me to find a test I have fully completed my quarantine period (per updated CDC guidance). My symptoms were as follows: Day 0- intensive headache, sore throat, cough, SOV, SpO2 93-98%, max fever 99.8 F Day 1- Sore throat, cough, short of breath, body aches, chills, fatigue, max fever 101.8 F, SpO2 89-95% Day 2- Sore throat, cough, stuffy nose, sneezing, max fever 99.5 Day 3- Sneezing,stuffy/runny nose, slight cough Day 4- sneezing, congestion, cough Day 5- residual cough I am grateful to be vaccinated x3. I am a young, active, healthy person with no comorbidities and this was a severe illness for me. Covid guidelines aside, I would have called out sick from work. Things I am worried about: I am returning to work too early because I still have slight symptoms, lack of sick leave, long covid, reinfection with future variants.
January 12, 2022