Measured Risk

A recent realization about other people’s pandemic-related behavior brought me some much-needed clarity, so I’d like to share my thoughts with you. 

How often have you, as a PI patient, spent time considering how your choices may affect your illness? I certainly have, and it can feel like a never-ending battle with no clear answer.

I can't count the number of times I have said, "Well, I can't overdo it today or I will be run down, and possibly sick for my important event next week." Or, “I always feel exhausted, so will one more get-together really be a problem?”

A recent article in the Washington Post was a stark reminder that people who are not chronically ill may still be ignoring that conversation, two years into the pandemic. I read, with frustration, about a woman who got COVID after spending time with friends and family. She is painted as a victim, while I saw her as someone who lacked the type of forethought that has become second nature for most PI patients. And she isn’t alone, based on the incredibly high case numbers only one week after gathering for the holidays. Meanwhile, not considering the consequences is a luxury most of us do not have. 

So many of us have been virtually shut in for almost two years. Thankfully, I do believe this winter surge has the potential to help hasten the transition to an endemic virus.  But that doesn't help my morale for the next 4 months if “throwing caution to the wind” is the prevailing news narrative. 

No one should be surprised by exposure risks this late in the pandemic, especially as Omicron, the most contagious variant yet, rages across the country. No one should be surprised that they need to carefully weigh their choices in order to protect loved ones. While it isn't rocket science, it does seem a singular skill for those of us in the PI community – luckily for us.

Stay strong, stay safe, make the best choices you can, and be well!