The Road goes ever on and on ... Day 500 (1,000)

So here we are at Day 1,000. So much has changed, and so much hasn't. China continues to relax restrictions while still saying that zero-COVID remains in place. That may be true, but then why are there calls for the "full mobilization" of hospitals to ensure "combat effectiveness." Cities are said to be "accelerating the upgrading" of hospitals for "critically ill patients." For those critically ill people, there are fewer than one ICU beds for every 10,000 people. Local officials have been told to keep track of the health of everyone ages 65 and older. A virus testing center in Beijing shut down because all the employees were infected. Social media advised citizens to "please be patient." The official case count of 363,072 is up almost 50 percent from October 1. Zero-COVID, this is not.

Many people around here agree with POTUS's statement that the pandemic is over. The Professor and I treated ourselves to our favorite coffee shop this morning (it is a small local business, not Starbucks). The sign on the door saying that masks were no longer required but they appreciated patrons who wore them was gone. There were not many people there, but we were the only ones with masks. There were one or two other people wearing masks at the grocery store, but none of the staff wore them. As with the coffee shop, there was no signage about masks.

And I sit here on the Thousandth Day just up from the afternoon nap I have never before been able to take as a healthy adult. Naps are for sick people, and it appears I am one. I had a couple episodes of brain fog yesterday. I'm starting to wonder about things I may have done. I remember putting something in one place but it's no longer there. When I do find it, I have no memory of putting it where I found it. I worry about me. The pandemic is not over here.

Actively searching for and reading whatever news I could find each and every day did influence the way I looked at things. For one, it made me paranoid about being exposed and getting sick. I learned to accept that not everyone thought this way. When in-person instruction re-opened at The Local University, I accepted that there would come a time at which masks were no longer required. When The Professor put his mask aside and ended up with COVID, I, too, caught it. I had drawn the line at wearing a mask at home with The Professor and Son #1, who visited daily to run and get a dose of dog. I did not nag The Professor about wearing a mask after they were no longer required at The U; I could but do not regret that now. I am getting used to being the only one in the room wearing a mask.

I learned not to correct comments other people made; because I did not go anywhere, this rarely mattered in person. I learned to click past such comments on social media and remind myself of the First Amendment. Because we usually are drawn to similar people, I really do not personally know any anti-vaxxers, people who deny the pandemic exists or existed at all, or pandemic conspiracy theorists. That I some years ago ended social media friendships with people who openly supported our EX-POTUS probably helped in that regard. 

I at one point mentioned that I would keep this blog going until I was fully vaccinated. That did not happen. I mentally had other breakpoints that passed. Now, as it becomes harder to find new news about SARS CoV-2 coupled with not knowing how long I will be as tired as I am now, it seems to be time. I won't stop reading what comes into my inbox or what notifications appear on my phone. If something I read intrigues me, I will take some notes and post something here. If I write about some other thing that interests me, I'll post that, too. In other words, The View from the Hermitage has not really changed; The Road goes ever on and on and may for some time. I just need to wander elsewhere. I have enjoyed reading your comments, really. When I learn whether what ails me might really be long COVID, I'll post something about that. I hope it isn't, but if it's not, then I hope it can be treated. 

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night ... for now.