COVID19: Are We Finally Reaching Endemic Phase? Can We Finally Hope...

What an unpredictable, insane, stressful, anxiety-ridden 2 years this has been. Today marks the day that I recall my family and I were readying ourselves for our last real vacation, even on the heels of a slight worry that something was beginning to emerge from the frontiers of distant lands. I still recall the feeling: the virus is concerning, but - I believe that modern science is solid, capable and intelligent - surely with our ability to sequence a virus so quickly, and with vaccine and pharmaceutical technologies we have, we can get ahead of it soon.

Well --- This has been a rollercoaster ride for sure. It's not the end of the ride, but I surely hope those twists and turns are beginning to become little hills and waves as we're reaching the end of the ride. Despite having the tools of modern science to create vaccines that can more effectively than not keep people out of hospitals, ICUs and ventilators, who would've known that politics and social media has made these last 2 years one of the most polarized and opinionated Twilight Zone-type movies I've ever imagined and felt like I was actually playing a part.

I wish our world would've been as easy as in Contagion - the movie that came out in 2011 (many years before COVID) where the symptoms appear far worse, but the world seemed to have got together, figured out a vaccine, and distributed it widely to cure a disease that was destroying the lives of many. No crazy social media issues. Some politics, but nothing too contentious. If it was like that, we may have been done already.

When people tell me COVID is not that bad, that the vaccines aren't needed -  it makes me really sad to think --- they must not know the healthy middle-aged gentleman who got a stroke while infected with COVID (unvaccinated), the young lady who developed new blood clots in the lungs (unvaccinated) while infected with COVID without other cause, the young college student who died on the vent from COVID respiratory failure and the many, many grandparents, mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers who have died. We in healthcare walked with them. We have also met and held the hands of many survivors, as they worked through 3-6 months of recovery from COVID (even if they weren't in the hospital). We saw a different reality - and it was hard to share, because we weren't believed. We were just a part of the media or propaganda. 

Then Omicron came about - and it made it so hard for us to convince people that it was all worth it. Getting the vaccines, quarantining, masking, testing - all the crazy things we had to do, all the time and money we had to spend, all the worrying, worrying, worrying. Omicron made my patients who originally supported vaccination doubt the utility of it (even as it kept them out of hospitals). I try to explain to people: we got flu shots every year, and invariably, I may get the flu, but only for 2-3 days, unlike my flu-unvaccinated who have it longer and more miserably. I am so grateful to get vaccinated every year. Some don't realize - this COVID19 vaccine may have actually saved their lives. We may only think: it was miserable, I was quarantined, I couldn't do anything, people looked at me and thought I was the plague, I have guilt, and I can't believe this happened to me. Isn't that what vaccines are for? It was supposed to make sure I did not get this virus.  Forget the Booster. 

I will remind everyone again, and again. Vaccines are not 100%. They never are and never will be. But they can be very effective doing 2 things - either preventing infection (not as effective in the case of Omicron) and/or preventing complications/hospitalizations (this is still very true).  The effectiveness is compounded and made more real - when the vast majority is also vaccinated and boosted or has strong immune presence against the virus. 

The Boosters are needed to complete the COVID19 vaccination series (truly it should be a 3-shot series, like some Hepatitis B vaccines), but many are disillusioned from this last viral wave. 

I will tell you one thing as a practicing physician in the trenches. Those of us in healthcare are very tired. We want to do the right thing, and recommend the best preventative care to everyone. But the pushback and the distrust has left us somewhat hardened and cynical as well. Your choice? Sure. I respect that. If you ever want more information, please feel free to ask - but my days of passionately discussing and doing a short science lecture for every patient? I'm not sure I have the energy to do this anymore. I will simply advise it's the smartest thing to do - benefits outweigh risks - but if the reply is a "no" - I might not explore why as in depth as I used to. I hope this feeling goes away soon. I know how precious and important our discussions are - but until you trust me to give you the right information, and you ask me specifically with curiosity and intent, I might carry a bias about you - that you do not care about COVID19 and the vaccines, and you don't care to know more. This bias is not a good thing - I totally admit to this, but physicians are humans, too - and we need your help to rebuild our patient-physician trust. You must trust that I have your best interest at heart, that your physician's medical opinion might have more good reasoning behind a certain treatment or procedure option than Joe Schmoe or Janey Doe from YouTube or TikTok or some Spotify podcast.  

Believe me. We're COVID exhausted, too. All of us need to work on recovering our humanity as well as find our new routine and lives -while living with COVID.  This is our new reality. Endemic means - we'll live with COVID19 - there will be ups and downs, we may get summer colds (more than we used to). We will need to still protect ourselves with the best tools we have, especially during the "season" when we see more infections - and use those tools to help those who are not as fortunate, are immunocompromised and need us all to be their heroes and protect our community.

My truest and dearest hope is that as we begin to settle our negative emotions about this pandemic, as the shockwaves begin to lessen, as our personal anxieties, guilt, blame, and cynicism begin to wane - we can look outside of ourselves, outside of our bubbles, outside of our own defense zones and begin to reach out a hand to help one another again. I hope that we can begin to stop feeling like the whole world is out to get us. Rather, I hope that we realize: We have purpose for this world -- that each one of us can bring a light to the world that no others can. We can stop feeling offended about every small thing, but begin to positively inspire people to do better. To create positive change in this world still requires a lot of grace for everyone - to allow people to make mistakes, but have the heart of gold to teach them that it is very human to make mistakes, and to consider another way of thinking or living life for the benefit of our self and others. These are hard discussions but they can be respectful and wonderfully done.  Can we all strive to be real and amazing leaders of the new world we wish to forge instead of forging it with fire, hatred, one-sided opinions and oppression? 

All of our hearts need to heal. I hope we can truly begin this year --although so much unpredictability... but, hey, one can hope and dream, yes?

2022 - perhaps now we can really say, Happy New Year - it has only just begun.