Dear Covid..

I’ve tried to remain positive about the situation. I really have. But after 3 months of attempted enthusiasm, I needed to write this virus a ‘strongly worded letter’ (which means I’m pi*s*d.)

Dear Covid. We are not friends.

You cheated me of time with my family back home, my friends and you made me unhappy. You made my children unhappy. You made my husband unhappy. My made my parents unhappy. You made my Grandma unhappy. You made Jenny from two doors down unhappy. (You made my dog…unhappy!) You made the global population relatively unhappy.

People have been denied cancer treatment, people have been too frightened to go to hospital when seriously unwell, people are unwell and still do not know it. They have missed their routine check ups, their medical screening, their blood tests. Their treatment may not be as effective…if and when they receive it. Thanks to you.

People have died Covid. They have died alone. Frightened, confused and alone. People have grieved.

Alone.

People have struggled.
People have watched the ends of their lives pass them by.
People have been in pain.
People have cried…and cried….and cried.

Alone.

You see Covid, we just can not be friends!

You took away my money. You took away jobs, livelihoods, almost entire professions. You made people homeless and hungry. You encouraged some to take away their own lives. You injected a stress into family units that they had not expected.

You took away education. You took away celebrations. You took away birthdays, weddings and holidays. You took away examinations, graduations and get togethers that have been worked for, saved for and planned. You took a portion of our children’s childhoods away.

It is true Covid, that you did do some good. You taught us about how to live life more basically. To not take things and people for granted. You allowed us to spend more time with those that live with us.

You taught us how to work from home and experience life without commutes, lunch breaks with our loved ones and removing work trips that take time away from our dependents.
And thank you, for that. We will not forget these lessons. We will not forget how the world slowed down and we liked aspects of it. We will not forget seeing sealife in Venice and animals dominating our high streets.

But all in all, enough is enough.

I am terrified.

Will I ever get to hug my friends again without an awkward fear? Will following generations be denied in classroom experiences and have to watch all their lecturers from afar? Will we become even more dependent on a computer screen? Will human interaction ever be the same? Will I ever get to experience a crowded bar, a crowded cinema or a crowded arena again? Will the world become so paranoid about infectious disease, that we go on to live a clinical existence with ongoing distance and segregation?

I hope not Covid. I hope not. But for now…we are ready for you to exit the building.

#covid #coronavirus #covid19 #socialdistancing #publichealth #life #isolation #alone #friends #wellness #health #wellbeing #infectiousdisease #mydubai