COVID should be a concern...it's the people who think it's a hoax that really scare the hell out of me! I'm extremely cautious since I haven't received the vaccine yet. Once I receive the vaccine I'll continue to exercise caution by wearing a mask until I'm sure the pandemic has really ebbed.

While I've read the same things about COVID being around for the forseeable future, it's really not that uncommon for viruses. After all, influenza is still with us, & the strains continue to mutate each year. Flu shots are only 40-60% effective, but getting them reduces the severity of symptoms. There's a good chance we'll need booster shots for COVID in a fashion similar to the way they design flu shots. We may still get symptoms, but vaccines will reduce fatalities to a large extent.

In my opinion, the mental health issues that accompany all this isolation pose as great a risk to us as the virus. I double mask, social distance, use hand sanitizer & wash my hands regularly. There's not much more I can do. I limit my exposure to others...especially if they're nutjobs who think this situation is a hoax! I should be getting the vaccine in a month or two, so I can see an end to near total isolation in sight. I hope you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, too.

I can understand the fact that your boyfriend's death has really driven the respiratory nature of COVID home for you, as well as increasing your sense of isolation. I was with my aunt when she died in January; that had a big impact on me. I can still hear the death rattle right before she stopped breathing. Not a pleasant sound...kind of like drowning in your own body. I sympathize with your grief & fear. I hope you heal soon.

No. Your anxiety right now is very real & understandable. Try to keep in mind that this situation is temporary. We may have to get used to a "new normal" after this, but I believe the isolation will come to an end soon. Try to hang in there...easier said than done, though. Take care.