Covid is still serious even if we are “over” the virus

Now more than ever Americans are frustrated and have grown tired of Covid. Many want to get back to how life was before the pandemic, without the precautions and patience Covid has required us to have. Even though Covid cases are at an all-time high right now, many countries are beginning to take away Covid restrictions. Instead of the previous plan to reach herd immunity through Covid vaccinations, tests, and quarantines, many have followed what NBC refers to as a “let it rip” strategy.  Not only are other countries dissolving their restrictions, but so are many US citizens. Citizens are now saying they are willing to accept that getting Covid is “unavoidable”. However, this inconsiderate acceptance will be fatal to many Americans, both now and in the future.

When vaccines were made available to the public, many in authority spread misinformation about vaccine efficacy and government overreach to deter eligible Americans from getting the vaccine. The misinformation that swayed many is partially responsible for only sixty-three percent of eligible Americans being fully vaccinated.  The spread of false information has also destroyed the hope of herd immunity, that would have likely ended the pandemic, or at least limited the casualties it has brought.

Since not enough people are fully vaccinated or received access to the vaccine, Covid has continued to spread. The consistent spread of the virus lead to mutations, which have since created many prevalent strains of Covid, like the delta variant. At the moment, the most prevalent strain of Covid in the US is omicron, which is possibly the most infectious strain yet.

Although omicron’s effects are usually milder than previous more deadly variants, the effects of omicron are still extreme. The quickly increasing number of cases in the US means that many vulnerable immunocompromised and unvaccinated people, including children, will get severely sick with the new variant. Omicron’s level of contagiousness allows it to spread rampantly throughout schools, neighborhoods, and cities. According to NPR, hospitals have more Covid-19 patients now, during the rise of omicron than any previous surge during the pandemic.

Arguing that Covid is “just a cold” is underestimating the severity of this virus and how harmful it can be. Most attempt to avoid contracting the common cold. So, if we were to view Covid like a cold as many say to do, we would still try not to contract this virus. Therefore, it is an inconsistent statement to compare the severities of a cold to Covid, a virus that has hospitalized and killed millions.

Even if you do have all the assets for beating Covid, like being young, vaccinated and boosted there are still other consequences that come with Covid other than a “bad cold”. For example, the lingering symptoms of Covid even after beating the virus. One in every three people have lingering Covid symptoms up to six months after getting the virus. Not only are there possible short-term issues but there are also long term and future concerns that come with contracting the virus. According to NBC, there are as many as 200 long-haul side effects with Covid that can affect 10 various organ systems.

The blatant disregard the “let it rip” idea has for human life is shameful. Instead of valuing the importance of health, people are opting for convenience. If we let Covid run wild, then it will spread to people it could be fatal to, like the elderly, health-compromised, and unvaccinated- which includes children under 5 who have not yet been cleared for the vaccine. Arguing to let Covid “rip” is just another way of explaining survival of the fittest. It tells us that in this society it is acceptable to lose a large population of people, because we are too annoyed with the ongoing pandemic to take them into consideration.

Covid can be avoidable and eventually put behind us, only if we collaborate and take into consideration the importance of each other’s lives. If we put aside our own self-interests, we can work together to keep everyone safe.