Well, I haven't had much choice. Last year we had 132 days of a very strict lockdown. We had a short period of fewer restrictions. Then in December we were sent back to the dreaded phase 2 which is weekend lockdowns. You work from home all week and barely can go out and then you are stuck at home all weekend with only 2 hours to go out with only essential businesses open. There was one fleeting week where we got to phase 3 in January and they promptly sent us back to phase 2. It is horrible. I am married, so I have contact with my husband, but that is it. March 3rd marked one year since the first case here. I haven't seen good friends since February 2020.


It has taken a severe toll on my mental health, my husband's and many other people I know. I feel fortunate that at least we live in a house, with a yard, not an apartment. An apartment without even a balcony would be worse. I'm not coping well, I admit and my usual strategies for anxiety don't seem to help as this drags on.


The main vaccine being used in my country is of low efficacy and research from Brazil is showing it's even less effective against the Brazilian variant. I have been reading with only a 50% efficacy rate (which the Brazilian studies showed on this vaccine before the Brazilian variant showed up) it is going to be very hard to get to herd immunity. Basically you would need to have another 20% of the population get sick and develop antibodies. Although, that might not help with the new variants. I was reading that some people are getting reinfected with them.


I am last priority for the vaccine and I am not even sure if I should get the crappy one that is on offer when it's my turn or wait until something better arrives. We have other ones on order, but richer countries are grabbing up all the supply for now. That is an additional source of anxiety. If I get the vaccine on offer, I will not feel safe since I still have almost a 50% chance of getting the virus.

I am not sure if the lockdowns that we have had even help. There are currently cities that have been in quarantine for 2 months and the active cases have barely budged. Maybe another approach is needed. At one point the government said that lockdowns would not last for more than 4 weeks, but quickly retracted that promise.


You are definitely not alone in how you are feeling.