A year ago I wrote about the then-novel COVID 19 pandemic. It is time to reflect on the past year and the coming ones. A year ago I mentioned that the Ebola epidemic in the Eastern DRC has come to an end. It’s back again, also killing people in West Africa. 

I am tired of diseases, of worrying about my people, about government incompetence in handling this dangerous disease, about people’s absolute stupidity regarding prevention. Most people, I suspect, have just about had enough of wearing masks, avoiding meetings, struggling with "Coveconomics", hearing of people dying. People still deny the existence of the virus, as if denying it will make it go away. Religious and veterinary miracle solutions enjoy equal currency, and South African Defence Chiefs spent a fortune on a useless Cuban remedy, convinced COVID is enemy biological warfare. And then someone forgot to close the refrigerator…

We need to be kind to ourselves. We and our societies are not geared to handle the stress that keeps on coming. We crave Disney’s magic wand, the happy ending, the ‘all lived happily ever after’ outcome. It’s not coming.

Even with massive vaccination, we are going to have a long period of reinfections, new variations of the virus breeding among unvaccinated mask deniers. Universal Polio vaccination took decades to eradicate the disease. Covid will not be that different, and it mutates and can form a reservoir in domestic and wild animals. And then there are new viruses and diseases waiting. Past pandemics had a third wave. Are we prepared?

Global economics seems to suffer a disconnect between soaring overheads, caused by creaking investments in real estate, shopping malls, and other suddenly redundant infrastructure on the one hand and diminishing incomes on the other. My income from investments and language services is down 30%. Tolls, taxes, municipal rates, and infrastructure costs are up by 30%. Millions are unemployed and running out of reserves while stock markets speculate on post-vaccine recoveries and video games.

The COVID drama has taken our attention away from the dangers of climatic change. The recent polar vortex in Texas, the tropical cyclones in the Mozambique channel are reminders that the climate is in serious, and worsening trouble. We need to realize that we are all victims of the pandemic and a crescendo of bad news. Those who had the virus may suffer unexpected after-effects. Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome causes severe emotional stress and depression, not to mention irrational actions and lashing out at imagined enemies. Does attacking Congress make sense?

So, in this time, take precautions. Denial is dangerous. A friend said: “If there may be scorpions in the grass, are you going to walk barefoot?”

Above all, be kind. To yourself, to others.