How can I convince you to bite the bullet and hunker down for a few more months?

Let me start by introducing you to a young man who’s living with us:

Age 21 from Northern Idaho
Contracted COVID in April
Ended up fighting for his life in the hospital (has no memory of the week he was there)
Now, eight months later he suffers from recurring fevers, joint aches, headaches, mouth sores, loss of balance (has fallen multiple times, once down the stairs), dramatic mood swings, severe weight loss. Each day the cocktail of symptoms changes
He moved in with us a month ago and since then he’s seen a doctor twice and been to Urgent Care twice

This young man has been through too much, and the reason he’s living with us is another heartbreaking story, which obviously adds stress to the mix. We’re surrounding him with love and can help him with his emotional health, medical care and pump him full of healthful foods. However, there’s nothing we can do to erase the horrifying, long-term effects that COVID wreaked on his body.

I see friends posting photos with various groups of friends, maskless, huddled together for photos. I hear stories of small gatherings, but then see that each person in the group has other small gatherings, who in turn have other small gatherings. I keep hearing the same rationale: “I’m young, I’m healthy, I don’t have any pre-existing conditions, I’ll probably only have a mild case. I have to consider my mental health!”

I’m worried my friend, because you’re right – chances are you’ll have a mild case. But it’s the long-term effects (now? In 10 years?) that can knock you, and the friend in your arms, to the ground, again and again and again.

Believe me, the mental-health cost of dealing with a full-body cocktail of symptoms with no end in sight is beyond what you can imagine.

Please – for you and everyone you love – hunker down! Vaccines are on the way and we’re almost out of the woods.

Please take COVID seriously