This is a journal of my thoughts and feelings during the pandemic of COVID-19. Written on December 15th, 2021.
Hello friends,
I haven’t written a Covid Chronicle in what seems like a long time. And to be honest I somewhat naively thought I might never write one again. Not that Covid had disappeared by any means, but with vaccines as effective as they were and with numbers low, life was slowly moving towards a sense of new normalcy. I thought I would write about other topics but I find myself pulled back to the this familiar series.
It’s hard to believe just days away from Christmas we find ourselves in the 5th wave of Covid-19. Cases are rising steeply across the country, frighteningly quickly. There is talk about cancelling Christmas gatherings and moving in-person events online. There is a new energy of fear in the media from specialists warning of this new variant.
Omicron. The name sounds like something out of a science fiction novel.
It feels a bit like déja vu. One step forward and three steps back.
I think we will likely be locked down again in the New Year, what a way to ring in 2022. But no politician will dare “cancel Christmas”. I can’t help but think there is such privilege in these decisions. We are so lucky that we feel like we can bend the rules with this virus even stretch the capacity of our healthcare systems. We are so spoiled that we think we can somehow bargain with it. But there is no bargaining with a virus. We like to blame this virus for what is happening to us saying, “Go away Covid”. We anthropomorphize it to comfort ourselves, turn it into the boogey-man, when really it is capitalist society who is to blame.
I can’t help but feel like putting our communities and loved ones at risk is the least Christmas-y thing to do.
We can only hope that booster shots will come swiftly to increase our resistance against this new variant, and that those still waiting on first and second doses around the world will finally get them. The fact that we even get to talk about 3rd doses is a tangible example of the inequities and injustices of our world.
We are all tired of this. I’m tired of this. But once again we begin running the marathon of unknown length, each day one stride closer to the end, we hope.
Hang in there friends.
Write soon,
Hannah B.L.
HBLogs 
I just lost a brother to Covid in October. The pain is still cuts like a knife when I hear someone make light of it. Only we can end this by doing what’s right for ourselves and our communities but until everyone does their part I seriously don’t see it happening. Thank you for bringing it up because after all, it’s real and it’s still out there.
Be safe and try to have the best holiday you possibly can.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your brother. As with so many things, it takes all of us working together to fix it. Sending you healing in this difficult time. I wish you also a peaceful holiday.
LikeLike