I got COVID for the first time almost a year ago. This essay is from my stay at the COVID hotel the city sent me to so I could isolate. I repeat, this was written last year. The city’s COVID hotel program was still in place, just barely. We were right on the precipice of a new mayor, Eric Adams, who took office in January and immediately implemented his “ignore it and it will go away” policy. For the record, this policy is not successful.
My dad, a Korean, told me at the beginning of the pandemic that people in Korea talk about BC/AC (before Covid and after COVID), i.e. that our lives will never be the same and we will live with it forever. I remember Americans (including my partner) telling me that it was too a dramatic statement, the pandemic was bound to be over and we'll in fact forget about it all. I guess what is actually happening is that we're just going to *pretend* that it's not here anymore... I understand the urge, there's also a question of the economy, but it's never more than apparent who we're willing to sacrifice to access that normalcy again. Which is a long-winded way of saying, so sorry about being sick with COVID so many times. Hope you are feeling better.
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Last Year
My dad, a Korean, told me at the beginning of the pandemic that people in Korea talk about BC/AC (before Covid and after COVID), i.e. that our lives will never be the same and we will live with it forever. I remember Americans (including my partner) telling me that it was too a dramatic statement, the pandemic was bound to be over and we'll in fact forget about it all. I guess what is actually happening is that we're just going to *pretend* that it's not here anymore... I understand the urge, there's also a question of the economy, but it's never more than apparent who we're willing to sacrifice to access that normalcy again. Which is a long-winded way of saying, so sorry about being sick with COVID so many times. Hope you are feeling better.
“Dystopia achieved.” 🤌🏼