Covid-19: This is what it’s really like to have the virus in 2023

The Covid-19 virus has been making its rounds since late 2019 and led to multiple lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. At the peak of it, Covid-19 was responsible for numerous deaths across the globe and has left some people with what is called ‘long Covid’.

While we are no longer on lockdown and no longer have to follow social distancing guidelines, Covid-19 is still very much a part of our everyday lives. More cases have been counted recently, some ending in hospital.

However, one thing is sure, the behaviour towards the virus has changed.

Is Covid-19 a joke?

Even though we would like to think of Covid-19 as a thing of the past, this is far from reality. In the UK and abroad politicians and health specialists have even been considering bringing back face masks.

Though getting sick with Covid is serious, it appears that three years down the line, being infected with it has turned into a bit of a joke.

Not only that, the NHS guidelines are way less clear. They state that if you have ‘covid symptoms’ you should

Try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people

More worrisome they add:

You can go back to your normal activities when you feel better or do not have a high temperature.

Weirdly enough the same advice applies if you test positive. You are not obliged to stay home or stay away from people but instead you should ‘try’ to.

Covid-19, workers taken less seriously

The guideline from the NHS is very vague and leaves people to decide whether or not they should leave their house. Because of it, it is reported that people tend to go back to work sooner than they should.

For instance, readers of Yorkshire Live said:

No 1 actually cares now-.i had it 2weeks -was very ill -.but no 1 cares

I've had it recently, a day in bed and I was alright, hindsight tells me another day of rest would have aided my recovery but too late for that.

In the Autumn of 2022, The Atlantic already wrote:

Heading into the third pandemic winter, things have changed. Most Americans seem to have tuned out COVID. Precautions have virtually disappeared.

Adding:

much of the country sees COVID as a minor nuisance, no more bothersome than a cold or the flu.

Even though this reports on the American stance of the virus, it could be argued that the UK’s behaviour is not that different. For instance, when in mid-August 2023, scientists suggested that Brits put their masks back on, many were outraged and downright refused to do so.

Moreover, more companies are now asking their employees to return to the office full time even though working from home is both good for the planet and for employees’ mental health.

Finally, the victims of ‘long covid’ are very misunderstood as it is reported that its symptoms depend on the person. For instance, some will experience extreme fatigue while others will have shortness of breath.

Read more:

⋙ Covid-19: Who is eligible for the vaccine tackling new variant Pirola?

⋙ Covid-19: Expert reveals symptoms for Pirola strain could ‘particularly intense’

⋙ Covid-19: This little-known variant is currently on the rise, here's what we know about 'Fornax'

Sources:

Express:Scientists demand Britons wear face masks as new Covid variant spreads

The Atlantic: What Does It Mean to Care About COVID Anymore?

Bloomberg: Long Covid Is Real. Now the Evidence Is Piling Up.

Examiner Live: What it is like to have Covid in 2023 as Yorkshire residents with virus speak of 'awful' symptoms

NHS

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