We are approaching two full years of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are like me, you probably thought this would have been over a long time ago. Last summer, things were starting to look better – until they weren’t. The spike in August 2021 was definitely an unwelcome end to the summer.
And here we are, yet again, at the end of January 2022, dealing with the biggest spike of the entire pandemic. Omicron has swept across the country like a raging wildfire, affecting many in her path (even the vaccinated). Granted, those who have been vaccinated and boosted have greater protection from the virus, and if they happen to become infected typically have milder symptoms. But that doesn’t mean she hasn’t caused quite the mess.
Given the recent unprecedented spike of infections, it has most everyone I know asking “When will this ever end?”
While no one knows the exact answer to this, public health professionals predict that “the end of the pandemic is near.” Dr. Christopher Murray, a global health professor at the University of Washington, believes “After the omicron wave, COVID-19 will return but the pandemic will not.”
Could Omicron be a blessing in disguise? Could it inch us closer to herd immunity? That is yet to be determined but many experts agree that this could be the beginning of the end of the pandemic. That doesn’t mean that COVID-19 will be eradicated, rather we are transitioning from a pandemic to COVID becoming endemic, the constant presence and/or usual prevalence of a disease or infectious agent in a population within a geographic area.
What are the Signs of Pandemic Fatigue?
According to ID physician, Dr. Francis with Piedmont Healthcare, signs of pandemic fatigue include:
- A decline in compliance with mask-wearing and social distancing
- Having anxiety if you even briefly pass by someone who isn’t wearing a mask
- Feeling tired even after getting enough sleep
- Lack of motivation or feeling like you don’t have a sense of purpose
- Snapping at loved ones
- Feeling depressed and isolated
Do any of these symptoms above apply to you? Are you feeling tired and burnt out? You are not alone! Pandemic fatigue is real.
Talk to your healthcare provider. Establish care with a therapist. Reach out to your friends. Dr. Francis points out, “Given what we’ve experienced, it is normal to need mental health support right now. Getting support can help you find healthy ways to cope with stress, anxiety, fear and depression.”
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
OR
Text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
Jeremiah Robinson is a certified and licensed physician associate with T Douglas Gurley MD in Atlanta, GA.