Have we Forgotten?
- eruano2
- Nov 13, 2023
- 2 min read
As a college student living in the dewy midst of fall there have only been two things on my mind: pumpkin spice lattes, and avoiding the flu at all costs. In class, I teeter on the edge of my seat, dodging the snot rockets and mucus bullets coming from my transmitting classmates. I'm reminded of a time not too long ago. A time that has been engrained into the back of all our skulls. The year of 2020.
While it may not be an enjoyable topic, it's important to recognize how the COVID-19 pandemic has continuously impacted every aspect of the human condition. Businesses continue to suffer, social norms have forever altered, and many unfortunate individuals lose their lives daily. However, in my own experience, people have lost any regard for this. College parties act as superspreader events, those who wear masks are looked at in a negative light, and any public covid-safety guidelines have become a thing of the past. It's almost as if people have forgotten the seriousness of the disease. In fact, Nigel Chiwaya, the Senior Editor and Data Viz for NBC News Digital, has found that hundreds of people are still dying from COVID-19 every day. In a study he conducted with NBC News, he found that, “Covid deaths have leveled out below 600 deaths a day since the omicron wave subsided in early 2022” (Nigel 2023). One would think that this fact would be more alarming, however with the way the public addresses the virus, reading a number as high as 600 is understandable.
This makes me wonder; why don't people care? It's easy to say that some are actively choosing to ignore it. With so much pain and heartbreak arising from the virus, it's understandable that people want to move on. Establishments have decreased their restrictions and protocols towards preventing the disease, it's really only continually fought against in places like hospitals and airports. People shiould care more!
Reading the part about dodging sneezes in class brought a smile to my face! It’s a lighthearted start to a serious topic. During my first two years at USC, I remember being cautious about getting sick. Your post made me think about how we've begun to overlook COVID-19, despite its previous dominance in our lives. Your mention of Nigel Chiwaya's research was enlightening, reminding us that the pandemic persists. I feel like the marketing campaigns for COVID vaccines have obscured ongoing issues. Your piece skillfully blends personal experience with broader world issues – the essence of good writing.
This is very enjoyable writing–and to answer your title, I don't think it's too much of people forgetting what we've been through, and more so the heavy desire to go back to what we were before the pandemic. It wasn't guaranteed that we'd be able to revert back completely (I still don't think we can) but people are seemingly doing anything to feel that sense of nostalgia and act like nothing every happened. The truth is it doesn't stop with COVID and it would be naive to think so.
I agree with you that people should definitely remember the hardships many people went through because of the pandemic. However, it could just be that people are trying to overcome that difficult period of time and want to forget about it so they can move on with what we were so used to as "normal."
It's indeed surprising to see how rapidly people have adapted to the post-pandemic normal, almost as if COVID-19 is a thing of the past. I resonate with your observations, especially in a college setting where the urgency seems to have diminished. The statistics you mentioned are concerning and it's perplexing to witness this general sense of indifference. Perhaps it's a coping mechanism or just an eagerness to move on, but it definitely raises questions about our collective approach to health and safety. It's a delicate balance, trying to return to normalcy while remaining mindful of the ongoing risks.
Thank you for sharing your insight on this topic! American society has had a mad rush back toward "normalcy", and I agree that many people and institutions have tried their best to put the past behind and encourage everyone to forget about the pandemic. The fact that seeing ~600 deaths a day from COVID is an odd form of "normalcy," but the American approach seems to be to "rip the bandaid off" and try to push through and get back to normal. On the other hand, countries like Taiwan had times where they worked hard to keep the number of COVID cases down to 0 per day. This approach is completely opposite from Americans, and also provokes discussion about how…