an essay about how covid changed our lives

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In Their Own Words, Americans Describe the Struggles and Silver Linings of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The outbreak has dramatically changed americans’ lives and relationships over the past year. we asked people to tell us about their experiences – good and bad – in living through this moment in history..

Pew Research Center has been asking survey questions over the past year about Americans’ views and reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic. In August, we gave the public a chance to tell us in their own words how the pandemic has affected them in their personal lives. We wanted to let them tell us how their lives have become more difficult or challenging, and we also asked about any unexpectedly positive events that might have happened during that time.

The vast majority of Americans (89%) mentioned at least one negative change in their own lives, while a smaller share (though still a 73% majority) mentioned at least one unexpected upside. Most have experienced these negative impacts and silver linings simultaneously: Two-thirds (67%) of Americans mentioned at least one negative and at least one positive change since the pandemic began.

For this analysis, we surveyed 9,220 U.S. adults between Aug. 31-Sept. 7, 2020. Everyone who completed the survey is a member of Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories.  Read more about the ATP’s methodology . 

Respondents to the survey were asked to describe in their own words how their lives have been difficult or challenging since the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, and to describe any positive aspects of the situation they have personally experienced as well. Overall, 84% of respondents provided an answer to one or both of the questions. The Center then categorized a random sample of 4,071 of their answers using a combination of in-house human coders, Amazon’s Mechanical Turk service and keyword-based pattern matching. The full methodology  and questions used in this analysis can be found here.

In many ways, the negatives clearly outweigh the positives – an unsurprising reaction to a pandemic that had killed  more than 180,000 Americans  at the time the survey was conducted. Across every major aspect of life mentioned in these responses, a larger share mentioned a negative impact than mentioned an unexpected upside. Americans also described the negative aspects of the pandemic in greater detail: On average, negative responses were longer than positive ones (27 vs. 19 words). But for all the difficulties and challenges of the pandemic, a majority of Americans were able to think of at least one silver lining. 

Both the negative and positive impacts described in these responses cover many aspects of life, none of which were mentioned by a majority of Americans. Instead, the responses reveal a pandemic that has affected Americans’ lives in a variety of ways, of which there is no “typical” experience. Indeed, not all groups seem to have experienced the pandemic equally. For instance, younger and more educated Americans were more likely to mention silver linings, while women were more likely than men to mention challenges or difficulties.

Here are some direct quotes that reveal how Americans are processing the new reality that has upended life across the country.

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About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

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Read these 12 moving essays about life during coronavirus

Artists, novelists, critics, and essayists are writing the first draft of history.

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The world is grappling with an invisible, deadly enemy, trying to understand how to live with the threat posed by a virus . For some writers, the only way forward is to put pen to paper, trying to conceptualize and document what it feels like to continue living as countries are under lockdown and regular life seems to have ground to a halt.

So as the coronavirus pandemic has stretched around the world, it’s sparked a crop of diary entries and essays that describe how life has changed. Novelists, critics, artists, and journalists have put words to the feelings many are experiencing. The result is a first draft of how we’ll someday remember this time, filled with uncertainty and pain and fear as well as small moments of hope and humanity.

At the New York Review of Books, Ali Bhutto writes that in Karachi, Pakistan, the government-imposed curfew due to the virus is “eerily reminiscent of past military clampdowns”:

Beneath the quiet calm lies a sense that society has been unhinged and that the usual rules no longer apply. Small groups of pedestrians look on from the shadows, like an audience watching a spectacle slowly unfolding. People pause on street corners and in the shade of trees, under the watchful gaze of the paramilitary forces and the police.

His essay concludes with the sobering note that “in the minds of many, Covid-19 is just another life-threatening hazard in a city that stumbles from one crisis to another.”

Writing from Chattanooga, novelist Jamie Quatro documents the mixed ways her neighbors have been responding to the threat, and the frustration of conflicting direction, or no direction at all, from local, state, and federal leaders:

Whiplash, trying to keep up with who’s ordering what. We’re already experiencing enough chaos without this back-and-forth. Why didn’t the federal government issue a nationwide shelter-in-place at the get-go, the way other countries did? What happens when one state’s shelter-in-place ends, while others continue? Do states still under quarantine close their borders? We are still one nation, not fifty individual countries. Right?

Award-winning photojournalist Alessio Mamo, quarantined with his partner Marta in Sicily after she tested positive for the virus, accompanies his photographs in the Guardian of their confinement with a reflection on being confined :

The doctors asked me to take a second test, but again I tested negative. Perhaps I’m immune? The days dragged on in my apartment, in black and white, like my photos. Sometimes we tried to smile, imagining that I was asymptomatic, because I was the virus. Our smiles seemed to bring good news. My mother left hospital, but I won’t be able to see her for weeks. Marta started breathing well again, and so did I. I would have liked to photograph my country in the midst of this emergency, the battles that the doctors wage on the frontline, the hospitals pushed to their limits, Italy on its knees fighting an invisible enemy. That enemy, a day in March, knocked on my door instead.

In the New York Times Magazine, deputy editor Jessica Lustig writes with devastating clarity about her family’s life in Brooklyn while her husband battled the virus, weeks before most people began taking the threat seriously:

At the door of the clinic, we stand looking out at two older women chatting outside the doorway, oblivious. Do I wave them away? Call out that they should get far away, go home, wash their hands, stay inside? Instead we just stand there, awkwardly, until they move on. Only then do we step outside to begin the long three-block walk home. I point out the early magnolia, the forsythia. T says he is cold. The untrimmed hairs on his neck, under his beard, are white. The few people walking past us on the sidewalk don’t know that we are visitors from the future. A vision, a premonition, a walking visitation. This will be them: Either T, in the mask, or — if they’re lucky — me, tending to him.

Essayist Leslie Jamison writes in the New York Review of Books about being shut away alone in her New York City apartment with her 2-year-old daughter since she became sick:

The virus. Its sinewy, intimate name. What does it feel like in my body today? Shivering under blankets. A hot itch behind the eyes. Three sweatshirts in the middle of the day. My daughter trying to pull another blanket over my body with her tiny arms. An ache in the muscles that somehow makes it hard to lie still. This loss of taste has become a kind of sensory quarantine. It’s as if the quarantine keeps inching closer and closer to my insides. First I lost the touch of other bodies; then I lost the air; now I’ve lost the taste of bananas. Nothing about any of these losses is particularly unique. I’ve made a schedule so I won’t go insane with the toddler. Five days ago, I wrote Walk/Adventure! on it, next to a cut-out illustration of a tiger—as if we’d see tigers on our walks. It was good to keep possibility alive.

At Literary Hub, novelist Heidi Pitlor writes about the elastic nature of time during her family’s quarantine in Massachusetts:

During a shutdown, the things that mark our days—commuting to work, sending our kids to school, having a drink with friends—vanish and time takes on a flat, seamless quality. Without some self-imposed structure, it’s easy to feel a little untethered. A friend recently posted on Facebook: “For those who have lost track, today is Blursday the fortyteenth of Maprilay.” ... Giving shape to time is especially important now, when the future is so shapeless. We do not know whether the virus will continue to rage for weeks or months or, lord help us, on and off for years. We do not know when we will feel safe again. And so many of us, minus those who are gifted at compartmentalization or denial, remain largely captive to fear. We may stay this way if we do not create at least the illusion of movement in our lives, our long days spent with ourselves or partners or families.

Novelist Lauren Groff writes at the New York Review of Books about trying to escape the prison of her fears while sequestered at home in Gainesville, Florida:

Some people have imaginations sparked only by what they can see; I blame this blinkered empiricism for the parks overwhelmed with people, the bars, until a few nights ago, thickly thronged. My imagination is the opposite. I fear everything invisible to me. From the enclosure of my house, I am afraid of the suffering that isn’t present before me, the people running out of money and food or drowning in the fluid in their lungs, the deaths of health-care workers now growing ill while performing their duties. I fear the federal government, which the right wing has so—intentionally—weakened that not only is it insufficient to help its people, it is actively standing in help’s way. I fear we won’t sufficiently punish the right. I fear leaving the house and spreading the disease. I fear what this time of fear is doing to my children, their imaginations, and their souls.

At ArtForum , Berlin-based critic and writer Kristian Vistrup Madsen reflects on martinis, melancholia, and Finnish artist Jaakko Pallasvuo’s 2018 graphic novel Retreat , in which three young people exile themselves in the woods:

In melancholia, the shape of what is ending, and its temporality, is sprawling and incomprehensible. The ambivalence makes it hard to bear. The world of Retreat is rendered in lush pink and purple watercolors, which dissolve into wild and messy abstractions. In apocalypse, the divisions established in genesis bleed back out. My own Corona-retreat is similarly soft, color-field like, each day a blurred succession of quarantinis, YouTube–yoga, and televized press conferences. As restrictions mount, so does abstraction. For now, I’m still rooting for love to save the world.

At the Paris Review , Matt Levin writes about reading Virginia Woolf’s novel The Waves during quarantine:

A retreat, a quarantine, a sickness—they simultaneously distort and clarify, curtail and expand. It is an ideal state in which to read literature with a reputation for difficulty and inaccessibility, those hermetic books shorn of the handholds of conventional plot or characterization or description. A novel like Virginia Woolf’s The Waves is perfect for the state of interiority induced by quarantine—a story of three men and three women, meeting after the death of a mutual friend, told entirely in the overlapping internal monologues of the six, interspersed only with sections of pure, achingly beautiful descriptions of the natural world, a day’s procession and recession of light and waves. The novel is, in my mind’s eye, a perfectly spherical object. It is translucent and shimmering and infinitely fragile, prone to shatter at the slightest disturbance. It is not a book that can be read in snatches on the subway—it demands total absorption. Though it revels in a stark emotional nakedness, the book remains aloof, remote in its own deep self-absorption.

In an essay for the Financial Times, novelist Arundhati Roy writes with anger about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s anemic response to the threat, but also offers a glimmer of hope for the future:

Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.

From Boston, Nora Caplan-Bricker writes in The Point about the strange contraction of space under quarantine, in which a friend in Beirut is as close as the one around the corner in the same city:

It’s a nice illusion—nice to feel like we’re in it together, even if my real world has shrunk to one person, my husband, who sits with his laptop in the other room. It’s nice in the same way as reading those essays that reframe social distancing as solidarity. “We must begin to see the negative space as clearly as the positive, to know what we don’t do is also brilliant and full of love,” the poet Anne Boyer wrote on March 10th, the day that Massachusetts declared a state of emergency. If you squint, you could almost make sense of this quarantine as an effort to flatten, along with the curve, the distinctions we make between our bonds with others. Right now, I care for my neighbor in the same way I demonstrate love for my mother: in all instances, I stay away. And in moments this month, I have loved strangers with an intensity that is new to me. On March 14th, the Saturday night after the end of life as we knew it, I went out with my dog and found the street silent: no lines for restaurants, no children on bicycles, no couples strolling with little cups of ice cream. It had taken the combined will of thousands of people to deliver such a sudden and complete emptiness. I felt so grateful, and so bereft.

And on his own website, musician and artist David Byrne writes about rediscovering the value of working for collective good , saying that “what is happening now is an opportunity to learn how to change our behavior”:

In emergencies, citizens can suddenly cooperate and collaborate. Change can happen. We’re going to need to work together as the effects of climate change ramp up. In order for capitalism to survive in any form, we will have to be a little more socialist. Here is an opportunity for us to see things differently — to see that we really are all connected — and adjust our behavior accordingly. Are we willing to do this? Is this moment an opportunity to see how truly interdependent we all are? To live in a world that is different and better than the one we live in now? We might be too far down the road to test every asymptomatic person, but a change in our mindsets, in how we view our neighbors, could lay the groundwork for the collective action we’ll need to deal with other global crises. The time to see how connected we all are is now.

The portrait these writers paint of a world under quarantine is multifaceted. Our worlds have contracted to the confines of our homes, and yet in some ways we’re more connected than ever to one another. We feel fear and boredom, anger and gratitude, frustration and strange peace. Uncertainty drives us to find metaphors and images that will let us wrap our minds around what is happening.

Yet there’s no single “what” that is happening. Everyone is contending with the pandemic and its effects from different places and in different ways. Reading others’ experiences — even the most frightening ones — can help alleviate the loneliness and dread, a little, and remind us that what we’re going through is both unique and shared by all.

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Two Years In: How the Pandemic Changed Our Lives

From remote work to major life developments, the COVID-19 era left its mark on Duke staff and faculty

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Two years ago this week, the novel coronavirus fully took hold in the United States. While it had been in the country earlier, the second week of March 2020 was when cases spiked, and soon after, Duke University President Vincent E. Price announced in an “urgent message” that faculty and staff who could work from home should do so. 

Masking and social distancing policies became the norm while businesses, schools and offices went quiet.

As some  safety measures ease , COVID-19 has infected nearly 80 million Americans and left nearly 970,000 dead. As the pandemic raged with variants, education, research and health care continued across Duke University and Duke University Health System at a high level. 

And many of us are forever changed.

“I think we, as a people, are different,” said Duke Associate Professor of Medicine Jon Bae, a co-convener for the mental and emotional well-being portion of Healthy Duke. “In the last two years, people have learned different ways of working, different ways of living and different ways to take appreciation for things.”

Jon Boylan is one of those. 

The past two years have drawn Boylan closer to his wife, Katie, a steadying influence during uncertain times. But starting a family against the backdrop of a global pandemic has given him a deeper respect for how forces outside of our control can alter plans.

“I wasn’t one of those people who had time to learn how to bake bread or anything,” Boylan said. “But I think in terms of personal growth, a lot happened.”

We caught up with some Duke colleagues to hear how their lives are different two years into the pandemic.

Committing to Self-Care

“For me, I thought, ‘How do I have a rich, full life amid all of this and keep a positive attitude?’” Thomas said.

She decided that she needed a goal that she could work toward until the world opened up. Already with a long list of outdoors adventures under her belt, Thomas decided to plan a summer 2021 trip to Nepal to hike the summit of the 21,247-foot Mera Peak.

For the next several months, Thomas began running, working out at a socially distanced gym, and incorporating as many walks as possible into her day. While the trip to Nepal was the goal, the exercise to prepare for it became a central piece of her self-care routine.

“I just love being outside, it’s very restorative,” Thomas said. “And I like physical challenges, I get the rush of endorphins from that. So putting those two things together just helps me out mentally. Even just a short walk can help me focus.”

Eventually, travel complications required Thomas to postpone the trip to Nepal. Instead, she flew to Spain and, over three weeks in September and October of 2021, she hiked 335 miles on the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail.

“It was basically like a walking meditation for three weeks,” said Thomas, who is now exercising with an eye toward a 2023 Nepal trip. “It’s really an incredible experience.”

Defining Your Purpose

But she said COVID-19 tested everyone’s resolve.

“You just don’t know how you’re going to react to something until you’re in it,” Casey said.

In March 2020, Casey was the clinical team lead for Duke Raleigh’s ICU, a managerial role with less hands-on patient care. But it wasn’t far into the pandemic before Casey’s desire to help patients led her to return to a clinical nurse role.

There, she saw the virus’ danger up close. At one point in the summer of 2020, 13 of the 15 beds in the ICU were occupied by COVID-19 patients on ventilators. With no visitors allowed for COVID-19 patients, Casey witnessed several wrenching goodbyes said over cellphone.

Her challenges didn’t end when she left work. With four children and a husband who’s a police officer in Durham, at home, Casey faced stress from home schooling and a spouse also on COVID-19’s front lines.

While many ICU nurses ask to be transferred to different units due to the emotional strain, Casey was inspired by seeing colleagues bravely push forward, giving comfort and dignity to patients facing dire situations. She also said that, as the pandemic wore on, the bond between ICU nurses grew stronger. 

As hard as these past two years have been, Casey, who still serves in the ICU and recently began working toward an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner certificate through the Duke University School of Nursing , said the pandemic experience has only deepened her connection to her work.

“We all faced this as a challenge, personally, emotionally and professionally, and hopefully learned to grow through it and be better if this ever happens again,” Casey said.

Taking Charge of Physical Health

After the pandemic required many Duke staff and faculty members to work remotely , sending Carbuccia from working in the bustling Smith Warehouse to his Mebane home, the IT Analyst with  Duke’s Office of Information Technology  found himself making healthier choices without even thinking. 

Instead of eating lunch out or grabbing meals from events in his on-campus workspace, Carbuccia found himself eating homemade breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Scrambled eggs with vegetables, or simply prepared salmon filets are some of current favorites.

And without a commute, he has time for walks around his neighborhood before and after work.

Carbuccia saw the result of these changes a few months into the pandemic when he stepped on the scale and saw that he’d lost 26 pounds.

“When I stepped on the scale, I said, ‘Holy Moses! I lost a lot of weight, and I wasn’t even planning to!’” Carbuccia said.

A Better Mental Space

And each day also involved a roughly 30-minute commute along I-85 to her home in Graham, where the heavy traffic made her feel especially anxious, leaving her tense when she arrived at work or home.

But the past two years saw her work go fully remote, and now a move to a hybrid arrangement featuring one day of on-site each week. She cherishes the time she can spend working from home, often with her two dogs – Marx, a Boston Terrier, and Duke, a rescue – lounging at her feet.

“Working at home, I feel like my mental health is in a better place,” said Herrera, a wife and mother of three.

Herrera isn’t alone in her appreciation of remote work.  According to a Pew Research Center  report  from February 2022, approximately six in 10 workers who can do their jobs from home are working remotely most or all of the time.  

Herrera said her hybrid schedule leaves her feeling mentally fresh when she begins her workday and better able to transition between work and personal life. 

“I’m happier,” Herrera said. “I’m more at ease.”

Learning on the Fly

“Even though some of us had experience working remotely, it was still new,” said Roberts, who’s worked at Duke for nearly a decade. “Regardless of how much experience you had, I don’t think we were mentally or technologically ready for that quick of a transition.”

Roberts recalls PRMO leaders moving quickly to get desktops, monitors, laptops, cameras and headsets in the hands of team members. She also recalls many of her colleagues working diligently to familiarize themselves with new tools and programs, such as the collaboration platform Jabber, that were different from what was used in the PRMO offices on South Alston Avenue in Durham. 

Roberts and her colleagues also had to learn how to collaborate with one another when communication came by email and chat messages instead of a quick face-to-face conversation.

Working each day from her home in Franklinton, Roberts continues to help Duke Health patients with billing concerns. She’s part of a large team that gelled amid the pandemic and kept the pace of customer support high.

With PRMO keeping colleagues connected with department meetings and team-building Zoom events, Roberts said these past two years have given her a new appreciation of the resilience of her colleagues.

“It made me proud because nobody skipped a beat,” Roberts said. “Everybody took accountability. While some of our thinking and the logic behind how we normally do things had to change, I’m proud that it was still a really seamless transition for us.”

Finding Flexibility

“This is something that would have never happened before the pandemic,” said Atkinson, a regulatory coordinator with the  Duke Department of Surgery .

Like many administrators in Duke’s research areas, Atkinson has been working fully remote since the pandemic began, trading in her fourth-floor workspace in Erwin Terrace for a spot at home. The change reshaped Atkinson’s day-to-day routine in a drastic way, ridding her of a commute that ate up two hours each day.

Now, with more time to spend with her son, West, born before the pandemic, and her 10-month-old daughter, Iris, Atkinson, who has worked for Duke for nearly seven years, has the flexibility that allows her to feel rooted. And with more balance, she hopes to let the roots of her family, as well as the cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers that will be in the ground soon, grow strong.

“I’ve attempted a very small garden each year, but we have a very shady lot,” Atkinson said. “But this year, we’re putting it in the front, where we get a lot of sun, and West is helping me, so it’s going to work.”

A World of Change

In late 2019, she met Neil Gallagher at a party and hit it off. The pair dated for the next few months and, when the pandemic forced everyone to limit contact with others, they decided to keep each other in their quarantine bubble.

“It was one of those easy connections where we were really comfortable with each other,” said Meyer, who shared the  story of her mental health journey  with Working@Duke just before the coronavirus outbreak.

Over the next several months, the pair grew closer and, by the end of 2020, they’d begun talking about getting engaged and starting a family. Those plans hit warp speed when they found out Meyer was pregnant in early 2021. Not long after, they were engaged and later married in a small ceremony in Raleigh in July of last year.

And over a few hectic days in early October, the pair closed on a house together in Raleigh and Meyer gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Maggie.

Now in a very different spot in life from where she was when the pandemic began, Meyer said she greets each day with a new feeling of purpose and strong sense of gratitude.

“I think my husband and I have been keenly aware of how odd it’s been and how many blessing we’ve had at a time when life has been really hard for a lot of people,” Meyer said.

How has the pandemic changed your life? Send us your story and photographs through  our story idea form  or write  [email protected] .

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COVID in Review: How Has the Pandemic Changed Us?

Over two years ago, COVID-19 rapidly spread across the globe, changing the fabric of society. Masking has become the norm. Reports of newly-discovered variants crop up every few months. Many are battling COVID-induced brain fog and debilitating fatigue. Others are struggling to find ways to cope with grief and loneliness. Some would argue these changes may last forever.

In a short series, Verywell looks back at the ways COVID-19 has changed our lives. Our reporters asked the experts how the virus will continue to affect public health in 2022.

Are More Variants Coming?

Jessica Olah / Verywell

Alpha. Delta. Omicron. The Greek alphabet almost doesn't seem long enough to keep up with the ever-emerging COVID-19 variants. Over the course of 2021 ,   new variants consistently appeared with varying degrees of alarm. Is this what lies ahead for us in 2022 as well?

What we learned: The state of the pandemic is dependent on global cooperation . Experts say vaccines need to be distributed everywhere to help minimize mutations.

What to expect: We can expect that variants will develop as long as the virus is able to mutate. So, we'll likely see a few more variants in 2022. But it's difficult to tell whether they will be milder than previous strains.

Will We Wear Face Masks Forever?

Verywell / Jessica Olah

At the beginning of the pandemic, masks were our primary line of defense. As vaccinations came into the picture, mask guidelines began to loosen. But surges seem to always bring us back to square one.

What we learned: Mask recommendations are often in flux because the government has to adjust to emerging research and constantly-changing case counts. 

What to expect: The habit of mask-wearing might take hold in the U.S., even after the threat of COVID has subsided, to protect against other illnesses like the flu. But there's still no end in sight to masking up.

Will COVID Be the New Flu?

Eradicating COVID-19 entirely is no longer a realistic goal. Instead, the hope is the virus can look a bit like the flu —always around but much less dangerous.

What we learned: Though comparisons between the two are often made, COVID-19 is still much more severe and unpredictable than the flu.

What to expect: Viruses want to evolve to be mild enough to survive and continue replicating, which leads to milder illness in humans. So Omicron's emergence is a good sign. Still, no one knows how long until COVID-19 is considered endemic, like the flu.

What Should We Expect From Long COVID Treatment?

Patients and researchers alike have been searching for clues about what causes long COVID and how to treat it for the past two years. Still, long COVID raises more questions than answers.

What we learned: In 2021, researchers made significant advancements when it comes to understanding long COVID. Drugs for different diseases were repurposed as treatments. And we gained a deeper understanding of the mechanisms behind some of these lingering symptoms, like previous EBV infections reactivating .

What to expect: There is still plenty of progress to be made. Long-haulers want to see more collaboration within the medical community in understanding the condition.

The Pandemic Raised Mental Health Awareness. Will It Last?

Verywell Health / Jessica Olah

If this pandemic has had a silver lining, it’s the fact that many more people are now aware of the importance of mental health. Unfortunately, that's in part because people have been struggling with isolation, addiction, and grief.

What we learned: Many people reported feeling anxious and depressed last year. This was especially true for people living in areas hit hardest by the pandemic, and for healthcare workers .

What to expect: Hopefully, people continue to prioritize mental well-being in the new year. The rise of digital mental health services and online substance use treatment makes accessing care easier—and in turn, reduces stigma.

How Did COVID Change Addiction Treatment?

People are struggling to cope with the immense stress of COVID-19 and its impact. Since the pandemic began, we've witnessed a sharp increase in overdoses and substance abuse.

What we learned: Harm reduction groups widely promoted the use of Naloxone , also known as Narcan, a life-saving medication that can reverse an overdose caused by opioids.

What to expect: Experts hope to see a greater emphasis on addressing the root causes of addiction, such as poverty and housing, to prevent people from relapsing and reverting back to substances to cope.

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4 Ways That the Pandemic Changed How We See Ourselves

A fter more than two years of pandemic life , it seems like we’ve changed as people. But how? In the beginning, many wished for a return to normal, only to realize that this might never be possible—and that could be a good thing. Although we experienced the same global crisis, it has impacted people in extremely different ways and encouraged us to think more deeply about who we are and what we’re looking for.

Isolation tested our sense of identity because it limited our access to in-person social feedback. For decades, scientists have explored how “the self is a social product.” We interpret the world through social observation. In 1902, Charles Cooley invented the concept “the looking glass self.” It explains how we develop our identity based on how we believe other people see us, but also try to influence their perceptions , so they see us in the way we’d like to be seen. If we understand who we are based on social feedback, what happened to our sense of self under isolation?

Here are four ways that the pandemic changed how we see ourselves.

When lockdown started, our identities felt less stable, but we adjusted back over time

In crisis, our self-concept was challenged. A December 2020 study by Guido Alessandri and colleagues, which was published in Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research , measured how Italians reacted to the first week of the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020 by evaluating how their self-concept clarity—the extent to which they have a consistent sense of self—affected their negative emotional response to the sudden lockdown.

Self-concept clarity represents “how much you have [clearly defined who you are] in your mind … not in this moment but in general,” explains Alessandri, a psychology professor at the Sapienza University of Rome. While generally people have high self-concept clarity, those with depression or personality disorders usually experience lower levels. “The lockdown threatened people’s self-concept. The very surprising result was that people with higher self-concept clarity [were] more reactive” and experienced a greater increase in negative affect than those with lower self-concept clarity.

In Alessandri’s study, people eventually returned to their initial stages of self-concept clarity, but it took longer than expected due to the shock and distress of the pandemic. This reflects a concept called emotional inertia , where emotional states are “resistant to change” and take some time to return to a baseline level. At the beginning of the pandemic, we questioned what we believed to be true about ourselves, but since then, we’ve adjusted to this new world.

Many people were forced to adopt new social roles, but the discomfort they felt depends on how important that role is to them

Our identities are not fixed; we hold several different social roles within our family, workplace, and friend groups, which naturally change over time. But in isolation, many of our social roles had to involuntarily change , from “parents homeschooling children [to] friends socializing online and employees working from home.”

As we adapted to a new way of life, a study published in September 2021 in PLOS One found that people who experienced involuntary social role disruptions because of COVID-19 reported increased feelings of inauthenticity—which could mean feeling disconnected from their true self because of their current situation. It was challenging for people to suddenly change their routines and feel like themselves in the midst of a crisis.

But the study also uncovered that “this social role interruption affects people’s sense of authenticity only to the extent that the role is important to you,” says co-author Jingshi (Joyce) Liu, a lecturer in marketing at the City campus of the University of London. If being a musician is central to your identity, for example, it’s more likely that you would feel inauthentic playing virtual shows on Zoom, but if your job isn’t a big part of who you are, you may not be as affected.

To feel more comfortable in their new identity, people can start accepting their new sense of self without trying to go back to who they once were

Over the last two years, our mindset and control over the roles we occupy in many facets of life helped determine how virtual learning and remote work affected us. “We are very sensitive to our environment,” Liu says. “[The] disruption of who we are will nonetheless feed into how we feel about our own authenticity.” But we can do our best to accept these changes and even form a new sense of self. “[If] I incorporated virtual teaching as a part of my self-identity, I [may not] need to change my behavior to go back to classroom teaching for me to feel authentic. I simply just adapt or expand the definition of what it means to be a teacher,” she adds. Similarly, if you’re a therapist, you can expand your understanding of what consulting with patients looks like to include video and phone calls.

During the pandemic, many people have made voluntary role changes, like choosing to become parents, move to a new city or country, or accept a new job. Previous research by Ibarra and Barbulescu (2010) shows that although these voluntary role changes may temporarily cause a sense of inauthenticity, they eventually tend to result in a feeling of authenticity because people are taking steps to be true to themselves or start a new chapter. “The authenticity will be restored as people adapt to their new identity,” Liu says.

Our identities have changed, so it’s important to be authentic with how we present ourselves online and offline

We have more power than we may realize to navigate a crisis by accepting that it’s OK to change. But it’s important to act in a way that’s true to ourselves. “People have a perception of the true self … They have some idea of who they truly are,” Liu says. “When you lend that to the [looking glass self], I think people would feel most inauthentic when they are performing to others in a way that is inconsistent with how they are [thinking and feeling internally],” which can happen on social media.

In isolation , when we didn’t have access to the same level of social feedback as normal, social media in some cases became a lifeline and a substitute for our self-presentation. The pandemic inspired people to take space away from the Internet and others to become increasingly dependent on it for their social wellbeing. “[Our unpublished data shows] that time spent on social media increased people’s sense of inauthenticity, perhaps because social media entails a lot of impression management [and] people are heavily editing themselves on these platforms,” Liu says.

With all that we’ve experienced, many of us have fundamentally changed as people. “In the same way which the first lockdown required us to [self-regulate] and adhere to new social norms, these changes that we’re experiencing now require another self-regulation effort to understand what is happening,” Alessandri says. “We don’t expect that people will simply get back to their previous [lives]—I don’t think this is possible. I think we have to negotiate a new kind of reality.”

The more we accept that we are no longer the same people after this crisis, the easier it will be for us to reconcile who we are now and who we want to become.

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Personal and social changes in the time of COVID-19

A. ventriglio.

1 Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy (Email: [email protected] )

J. M. Castaldelli-Maia

2 Department of Neuroscience, Medical School, Fundação do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil

3 Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

4 Department of Psychiatry, School of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción, Asunción, Paraguay

E. M. Chumakov

5 St. Petersburg Psychiatric Hospital № 1 named after P.P. Kaschenko, St. Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

6 Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College, London, UK

Setting the scene

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has been one of the most powerful and lasting realities of 2020. Its impact at social and personal levels cannot be understated. The second and third peak of infections have been registered in all the countries, and authorities (governments and healthcare agencies) are struggling with new local, regional or national lockdowns in order to contain the spreading of the virus; also intervention plans have been adopted to reallocate resources for the pandemic-related economic crisis (WHO, 2020 a).

The World Health Organization has warned a mental health burden related to the spreading of COVID-19 infection through the global population: stress, worry, fear, changes in our daily lives (home working, temporary unemployment, homeschooling, etc.) are all challenging people’s mental and physical health as well as the global healthcare system and economy (WHO, 2021 ).

Changes at personal level

Feelings of uncertainty, confusion, fear and loneliness have been reported at a personal level (Torales et al. 2020 a; Ventriglio et al. 2020 a), with an increase in adjustment disorders as well as anxiety and depression (Torales et al. 2020 b). A sense of personal insecurity is likely to cause a psychological reaction to the pandemic as a majority of people may perceive themselves as vulnerable or potentially at risk of contracting the virus. It may be challenging to reframe the human psyche to a new normal life: Seligman’s construct of synergistic impact of the loss of control and rising uncertainty may explain the rising public mental health issues, but also positive psychologists may suggest a shift from pessimism and gloom to hope and optimism, with a settlement on endurance and resilience (Gibbon, 2020 ).

It has been widely described that changes in lifestyle due to the quarantine, in particular changes in sleeping and eating patterns, are significantly associated with increase of stress and mood disorders among the general population as well as patients affected by preexisting mental illness (Gentile et al. 2020 ). Also, behavioral consequences of the pandemic have included an increase in substance abuse, in particular alcohol drinking within the home (Torales et al. 2020 b), or substance abuse in lower income groups: these behaviors may increase the viral contamination among those subjects who are vulnerable to their own clinical and psychosocial conditions; in addition, the access to treatment for substance abusers has been limited by the emergency resulting in a worsening of their outcomes (Ornell et al. 2020 ).

It has been argued that individuals may also develop paranoid feelings and worries about being seen as infectious (Ventriglio et al. 2020 a). Long periods of personal distancing and lockdown have influenced the way people enter into relationships with others: a lack of social and emotional closeness may lead to psychological distress, an increase of paranoid attitudes as well as feelings of loneliness and hopelessness (Ventriglio et al. 2020 a; Ventriglio et al. 2020 b). Also, since personal distancing involves families, close friends, peers and colleagues, a remarkable change in the daily routine and social support will be felt. The current pandemic has also modified personal lifestyles: people are wearing masks most of the day, are following hygiene-sanitary norms while working, shopping, traveling and so on, are avoiding handshakes, hugs, kisses and socializing. Moreover, leisure activities have also been affected, for example, going to the gymnasium has been replaced by outdoor or home sports activity, cinemas and theaters as well as any other public events have been restricted, group- and sociocultural activities limited by the need for increased levels of hygiene (Ventriglio et al. 2020 b). The subjective/collective perception of limited individual rights has led to libertarian responses to personal restrictions (Ventriglio et al. 2020 b).

Increasing evidence report neuropsychiatric consequences of COVID-19 at an individual level. Recently, a UK surveillance study reported on neurological and psychiatric complications of COVID-19 among 153 patients: 62% of them reported cerebrovascular events (e.g. stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage and 31% altered mental status) (Varatharaj et al. 2020 ). Also, there is a growing concern regarding the long COVID-19 syndrome, characterized by prolonged multi-organ symptoms beyond the acute phase of illness including persistent cough, short breath, cognitive dysfunction and physical fatigue. The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has delivered clinical guidelines for the follow-up and management of persisting symptoms among affected patients (Venkatesan, 2021 ).

Changes at societal levels

Societies around the globe have been heavily affected by COVID-19. The economic burden of the pandemic has been phenomenal. It has led to a reduction in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), national incomes as well as a consequent rise in levels of unemployment (Pak et al. 2020 ). Healthcare systems are overburdened due to an increasing demand for physical and mental health care (Cash & Patel, 2020 ). Concerns about mental illness health have been warned by the WHO months ago (WHO, 2020 a). Education (primary and secondary school, university) has been affected by the pandemic at many levels (WHO, 2020 b; UNESCO, 2020 ): most of learning and teaching have been converted into remote education with the employment of online platforms and technology; the long-term impact on children, their learning and well-being are unpredictable (Power et al. 2020 ). Also, the social perception of limited rights (including work, leisure, education, health care, etc.) has led to collective behaviors and ideology of nonacceptance with a widespread denialism (Rohde, 2020 ). Social media plays a role in spreading various conspiracy theories, for example, the supposed man-made origin of the virus (created for putative international economic or political purposes), global distraction strategy aimed to hide an international secret agenda (such as the development and dissemination of 5G antennas) or the promotion of a global controlling vaccination campaign (Rohde, 2020 ; Ventriglio et al. 2020 b). We may argue that denialists and antivaxxers represent a collective response of some groups of the population, mainly based on cultural or subcultural beliefs, to a traumatic experience affecting everyone’s life (Ventriglio et al. 2020 b).

It is also crucial that the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating social inequalities. Marmot in his review of COVID-19 entitled Build Back Fairer has reported emerging concern about inequalities in mortality among minorities such as Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic(BAME) and in deprived areas. There is an urgent need for governmental interventions aimed to reduce inequalities in public health, mortalities and socioeconomic support during the pandemic: mental health services need to deal with the post-COVID-19 burden, promote peer support, voluntary activities as well as community interventions based on primary care surveillance and low cognitive behavioral support on a large scale (Marmot & Allen, 2020 ).

Actions needed

It is critical that an internationalist approach is needed as more vaccines become available. The governments must provide support:

• – at personal level: (a) people affected by COVID-19 with dedicated psychological support in the hospitals as well as (phone-) helplines for those in the at-home setting; (b) the frontline healthcare professionals in the fight against the virus; (c) psychoeducational messages delivered by media in order to provide correct information and regular updates regarding the infection and strategies to cope with restrictions and isolation and (d) positive and hopeful messages.
• – at social level: (a) timely emergency provisions should be adopted to deploy the health network and COVID-19 hospitals; (b) extraordinary funds should be provided to support categories afflicted by the pandemic (recovery funds); (c) timely provisions to deploy tele-education where needed and (d) awareness-raising campaigns should be conducted to challenge denialism and aimed to increase the level of social responsibility.

It is becoming clearer that the recipe against COVID-19 is based on personal and social responsibility.

Acknowledgments

Financial support, conflict of interest.

The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Ethical standards

The manuscript has been drafted according to the ethical standards in research. It does not report on clinical or experimental data so no Ethical approval was necessary.

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10 ways COVID-19 changed the world

The illness has affected nearly every aspect of life.

The year 2020 was defined by the coronavirus pandemic , arguably the worst pandemic the world has seen in 100 years. COVID-19 has caused more than 75 million cases and 1.6 million deaths worldwide as of mid-December. The illness has affected nearly every aspect of life, from work and school to everyday activities like getting groceries, and even our wardrobes. 

Here are just some of the ways COVID-19 changed the world in 2020.

New vocabulary 

A number of new words and phrases entered the general lexicon in 2020. We were told we need to " social distance ," or stay six feet apart, so that we could " flatten the curve ," or slow the disease's spread in order to reduce the burden on the healthcare system. People even became familiar with relatively obscure epidemiological terms like the " basic reproduction number " (R0, pronounced R-nought), or the average number of people who catch the virus from a single infected person. And of course the name of the illness itself, COVID-19, is a new term, with the World Health Organization officially naming the disease on Feb. 11.

Wardrobe addition  

The must-have fashion item of 2020 was a small piece of cloth to put around your face. 

With medical masks in short supply at the beginning of the year, sewing enthusiasts began churning out homemade masks for their communities. Then, clothing companies and retailers got on board, adding masks to their fashion lines. Now, in many parts of the world, you can't leave your house without putting on a mask.

At first, it was unclear whether wearing cloth masks would protect against COVID-19, but as the year went on, numerous studies showed the benefits of wearing masks , for both the wearer and those around them .

Anxiety and depression

The pandemic took a serious toll on people's mental health in 2020. One study published in August by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that levels of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts skyrocketed amid the pandemic.

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The study could not determine the reason for the rise in mental health conditions, but factors relating to the pandemic, such as social isolation, school and university closures, unemployment and other financial worries, as well as the threat of the disease itself, may play a role, the authors said. 

Pandemic drinking 

Another insidious side effect of the pandemic was increases in alcohol consumption . A study published in October in the journal JAMA Network Open found that alcohol consumption in the United States rose 14% during pandemic shutdowns. 

Women in particular reported worrying increases in heavy drinking during the spring of 2020, according to the study.

"In addition to a range of negative physical health associations, excessive alcohol use may lead to or worsen existing mental health problems," the authors concluded.

As businesses began to open after initial lockdowns, people needed to adjust to a new normal to reduce the risk of spreading the disease from everyday activities . Businesses implemented universal mask policies. Dining switched to outdoors only. Waiting rooms became a thing of the past. You needed a reservation to go to the gym. And large gatherings and events were banned completely in many areas.

Although there is no way to ensure zero risk of catching COVID-19, officials said taking precautions could reduce the risk of spread. However, as the fall began, many areas went into lockdown again amid surging COVID-19 cases.

Rampant rumors 

From the idea that drinking bleach can kill the norovirus to a theory that the virus was created in a lab as a bioweapon, the COVID-19 pandemic has generated a flurry of misinformation. Indeed, one study, published Aug. 10 in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene , found that the pandemic has hatched more than 2,000 rumors, conspiracy theories and reports of discrimination.

Such false information can have serious consequences — the researchers of the new study found that COVID-19 related rumors were linked to thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths.

"Health agencies must track misinformation associated with ... COVID-19 in real time, and engage local communities and government stakeholders to debunk misinformation," the authors concluded.

Pandemic puppies

With orders to stay at home as much as possible, many people decided to get a furry friend during quarantine.

The coronavirus pandemic has been a boon for pet adoptions, particularly dog adoptions. Many shelters, breeders and pet stores reported a surge in applications for dogs, with the demand far exceeding supply, according to The Washington Post . Some shelters reported double the number of adoptions compared with the previous year, and needed to resort to  waitlists to handle the demand.

Not only is this good news for pets who need homes, but also for their humans, given that many studies show there are mental health benefits to pet ownership, according to NPR .

School closures 

Children seem to be largely spared from the most severe effects of COVID-19, but they can still act as spreaders of the disease. So many schools across the U.S. and the world made the decision to close in 2020, and opt for virtual learning instead. Questions around how long to remain closed and how to safely reopen were the subject of much debate. As fall arrived with a number of schools still closed, many children seemed to be falling behind in learning. Statewide polls have found that nearly 9 in 10 parents are worried about their children falling behind at school due to the pandemic closures, according to The Educational Trust . 

Lowered emissions 

Coronavirus lockdowns, which slowed the normal hustle and bustle of cities to a near halt, also appeared to dramatically lower emissions of carbon dioxide around the world. A study published May 19 in the journal Nature Climate Change found that daily global carbon dioxide emissions dropped by 17% in early 2020, compared with levels in 2019. That appears to be one of the biggest drops in recorded history. But this temporary drop is far from enough to undo the harmful effects of man-made climate change.

"Although this is likely to lead to the largest cut in emissions since World War II, it will make barely a dent in the ongoing build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere," Richard Betts, Head of Climate Impacts Research at the Met Office Hadley Centre in England, said in a statement . 

New vaccine 

Developing a new vaccine normally takes years to decades. But in an unprecedented feat, researchers in the U.S. and several other countries created a coronavirus vaccine — taking it from lab bench to bedside — in just under 12 months. When 2020 began, COVID-19 and the virus that causes it, SARS-CoV-2, were unknown to science. But once the virus was identified, scientists acted quickly to begin developing a vaccine. By mid-March, early trials in humans had begun, and by late summer, the vaccines were ready for more advanced trials with thousands of participants. In December, the United States authorized two COVID-19 vaccines , from Pfizer and Moderna, after trials showed impressive results. Both vaccines used molecules known as mRNA to stimulate an immune response against the coronavirus, marking the first time that any mRNA vaccine has been authorized for use in people. The vaccines were heralded as an extraordinary scientific advancement , and the first doses were administered to healthcare workers in the U.S. in mid-December.

Originally published on Live Science.  

Rachael is a Live Science contributor, and was a former channel editor and senior writer for Live Science between 2010 and 2022. She has a master's degree in journalism from New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. She also holds a B.S. in molecular biology and an M.S. in biology from the University of California, San Diego. Her work has appeared in Scienceline, The Washington Post and Scientific American.

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How the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives: A study of psychological correlates across 59 countries

Affiliations.

• 1 Biosciences Division, Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, California, USA.
• 2 Department of Biological and Health Psychology, Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
• 3 Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA.
• 4 Department of Physiology, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
• 5 Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
• 6 Basque Center on Cognition, Brain and Language, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
• 7 Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain.
• 8 Biomedical Research Doctorate Program, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain.
• 9 Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
• 10 Department of Cell Biology and Histology, University of the Basque Country, Leioa, Spain.
• PMID: 33128795
• DOI: 10.1002/jclp.23082

Objective: This study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent social restrictions or quarantines on the mental health of the global adult population.

Method: A sample of 6,882 individuals (M age = 42.30; 78.8% female) from 59 countries completed an online survey asking about several pandemic-related changes in life and psychological status.

Results: Of these participants, 25.4% and 19.5% reported moderate-to-severe depression (DASS-21) and anxiety symptoms (GAD-7), respectively. Demographic characteristics (e.g. higher-income country), COVID-19 exposure (e.g., having had unconfirmed COVID-19 symptoms), government-imposed quarantine level, and COVID-19-based life changes (e.g., having a hard time transitioning to working from home; increase in verbal arguments or conflict with other adult in home) explained 17.9% of the variance in depression and 21.5% in anxiety symptoms.

Conclusions: In addition to posing a high risk to physical health, the COVID-19 pandemic has robustly affected global mental health, so it is essential to ensure that mental health services reach individuals showing pandemic-related depression and anxiety symptoms.

Keywords: COVID-19; anxiety; depression; mental health; pandemic.

© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

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'An epidemic of loneliness': How the COVID-19 pandemic changed life for older adults

by Lisa Marshall, University of Colorado at Boulder

Years after the U.S. began to slowly emerge from mandatory COVID-19 lockdowns, more than half of older adults still spend more time at home and less time socializing in public spaces than they did pre-pandemic, according to new University of Colorado Boulder research.

Participants cited fear of infection and "more uncomfortable and hostile" social dynamics as key reasons for their retreat from civic life.

"The pandemic is not over for a lot of folks. Some people feel left behind," said Jessica Finlay, an assistant professor of geography whose findings are revealed in a series of new papers.

The study comes amid what the U.S. Surgeon General recently called an "epidemic of loneliness" in which older adults—especially those who are immune compromised or have disabilities—are particularly vulnerable.

"We found that the pandemic fundamentally altered neighborhoods, communities and everyday routines among aging Americans and these changes have long-term consequences for their physical, mental, social and cognitive health ," said Finlay.

'I just can't go back'

As a health geographer and environmental gerontologist, Finlay studies how social and built environments impact health as we age.

In March 2020 as restaurants, gyms, grocery stores and other gathering places shuttered amid shelter-in-place orders, she immediately wondered what the lasting impacts would be. Shortly thereafter, she launched the COVID-19 Coping Study with University of Michigan epidemiologist Lindsay Kobayashi. They began their research with a baseline and monthly survey. Since then, nearly 7,000 people over age 55 from all 50 states have participated.

The researchers check in annually, asking open-ended questions about how neighborhoods and relationships have changed, how people spend their time, opinions and experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic, and their physical and mental health.

"We've been in the field for some incredibly pivotal moments," said Finlay, noting that surveys went out shortly after George Floyd was murdered in May 2020 and again after the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Collectively, the results paint a troubling picture in which a substantial portion of the older population remains isolated even after others have moved on.

In one paper published in February in the journal Wellbeing, Space and Society , 60% of respondents said they spend more time in their home while 75% said they dine out less. Some 62% said they visit cultural and arts venues less, and more than half said they attend church or the gym less than before the pandemic.

The most recent survey, taken in spring 2023, showed similar trends, with more than half of respondents still reporting that their socialization and entertainment routines were different than they were pre-pandemic.

In another paper titled "I just can't go back," published in SSM—Qualitative Research in Health , 80% of respondents reported that there are some places they are reluctant to visit in person anymore.

"The thought of going inside a gym with lots of people breathing heavily and sweating is not something I can see myself ever doing again," said one 72-year-old male.

Those who said they still go to public places like grocery stores reported that they ducked in and out quickly and skipped casual chitchat.

"It's been tough," said one 68-year-old female. "You don't stop and talk to people anymore."

Many respondents reported that they were afraid of getting infected with a virus or infecting young or immune-compromised loved ones, and said they felt "irresponsible" for being around a lot of people.

Some reported getting dirty looks or rude comments when wearing masks or asking others to keep their distance—interpersonal exchanges that reinforced their inclination to stay home.

Revitalizing human connection

The news is not all bad, stresses Finlay.

At least 10% of older adults report exercising outdoors more frequently since the pandemic. And a small but vocal minority said that their worlds had actually opened up, as more meetings, concerts and classes became available online.

Still, Finlay worries that the loss of spontaneous interactions in what sociologists call "third places" could have serious health consequences.

Previous research shows that a lack of social connection can increase risk of premature death as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day and exacerbate mental illness and dementia.

"For some older adults who live alone, that brief, unplanned exchange with the butcher or the cashier may be the only friendly smile they see in the day, and they have lost that," Finlay said.

Societal health is also at risk.

"It is increasingly rare for Americans with differing sociopolitical perspectives to collectively hang out and respectfully converse," she writes.

Finlay hopes that her work can encourage policymakers to create spaces more amenable to people of all ages who are now more cautious about getting sick—things like outdoor dining spaces, ventilated concert halls or masked or hybrid events.

She also hopes that people will give those still wearing masks or keeping distance some grace.

"It is a privilege to be able to 'just get over' the pandemic and many people, for a multitude of reasons, just don't have that privilege. The world looks different to them now," she said.

"How can we make it easier for them to re-engage?"

Jessica Finlay et al, "I just can't go back": Challenging Places for Older Americans since the COVID-19 Pandemic Onset, SSM—Qualitative Research in Health (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmqr.2023.100381

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How covid-19 changed lives - voices of children.

UNICEF Georgia asked children and young people around the country how they are coping with the new normal, and how their lives have been affected.

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Being a school student can sometimes be challenging, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made getting an education, and life in general, even more difficult for young people in Georgia.

With schools closed, lessons are being held remotely. All sports, school activities, and events have been cancelled. Friendships and relationships have been transported to live chats and video calls.

Mate Dvalishvili, 15 years old, Kutaisi

The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed my life. When I used to go to school, by the end of the day I would be exhausted – mentally as well as physically – and as a result, I did not have trouble falling asleep. Now, I don’t get tired enough during the day, so I can’t sleep at night, and I wake up late in the morning. That’s why I am sometimes late for, or even miss, video classes.

Before, I used to wake up at 8 a.m., and by 9 a.m. I was already at school. After classes I went to a tutor, then to play sports. When I came home, I did homework and hung out with my friends, if we had free time. I went to bed sometime between 11 p.m. and midnight. Now, I get up at noon, or even as late as 1 or 2 p.m. When the weather is good, I may go out to ride my bicycle with my family members, but the rest of the time I’m at home playing online games and watching films. I go to bed at 1 or 2 a.m., and at times, I am video-chatting with my friends until 3 or 4 a.m., sometimes until morning.

The teachers are trying to teach our classes like they did in school, but still, I can’t say that online classes are as interesting as they were in person. At least now, I have a bit less homework to do. I was more active during classes while in school, there was more interaction. The programmes that we use for online classes cannot replace school. In order to make online learning effective, they should develop a special online programme that could be adapted to school teaching. At the same time, teachers should be familiar with using the programme.

For me, the hardest thing in the new reality is the new reality itself: doing nothing (for almost 2 months), and the immense lack of communication with my friends in real life. It is not unbearable, but it is very difficult.

Keta Tkhilaishvili, 10 years old, Batumi

My life has changed completely since my school was closed. Before, I spent most of the day at school with my classmates. Now, this is my free time.

When I went to school, my schedule was really full. I got up early, prepared for school, and I also had extra classes like German, chess, circle dancing, and so on.

Now my schedule is organized according to the self-isolation rules. I wake up at 10 a.m., I have breakfast, and then I have my online classes. I spend my free time as I wish, then I prepare my lessons. Sometimes I watch classes on TV. I am at home all the time. Since I have plenty of time now, I try to balance out working and free time on my own.

Interaction with my classmates in school is what I miss the most from before. When I went to school, I had more homework, but the lessons were way more engaging and interesting, I could concentrate better. Online schooling is something very new. At times, I struggle with online group studying because I don’t understand what the teacher is saying because of the Internet connection and other technical problems. But it’s interesting too. I learned how to do homework electronically and search for information on the Internet. Before, I thought that the Internet was only for playing and entertainment.

I want to go back to school soon, and before that happens, I want to be able to communicate on the Internet without interruptions.

Sandro Turabelidze, 11 years old, Village Jimastaro, Imereti

During the pandemic I had to switch to distance or online school. I don’t find learning online difficult, it is easy. Before the class is over, teachers give us an assignment, we do the homework, take a photo of the exercise book, and send it to the teacher. During the next lesson the teacher tests our knowledge. When I have free time, I play with my sister at home. I no longer visit my neighbors. I play by myself in the yard, I try to stay isolated. To spend time with my friends, I call them, we talk to each other, and play online. I go out to the yard for 5-10 minutes only, to play something by myself, like ride the bicycle, or play ball by myself, and then I go back inside as I try to avoid contact with neighbors.

Elene Iashvili, 11 years old, Kvitiri

I live in the village of Kvitiri and I go to the Kutaisi Chess school. I had great plans this year. I was so excited to participate in the Georgia, Poti, Racha, and Tkibuli chess tournaments. Traveling around the country during tournaments is so much fun. We would go to the sea to relax after the game in Poti, and we would cozy up and enjoy the fresh air in the evening in Racha. In Tkibuli, we got to go to the swimming pool. Now, I play online chess games with a computer. Online chess tournaments are held for adults only. They are very rarely held for children my age. I also play with my grandfather, but it is very difficult for a child chess player to develop during quarantine.

I was very sad at the beginning, but my friends and I found a solution together. We created a chat and communicate via that chat very often. We named the chat “girls” but later we added boys to the group as well. These relationships are very helpful.

We became tied to our computers after the schools closed. Online classes can’t replace in-school classes. At school they explain the content in more detail. And also, many of my classmates can’t attend online classes. They may have the Internet, but don’t have a personal telephone or laptop. It would be unfair if they have problems because of this.

During self-isolation, I got interested in taking photos. I go out to the yard, take photos of the flowers. Now the strawberries have ripened. I try to take joyful photos to cheer up people who are locked inside. Having a relationship with nature is one way to keep spirits up.

Luka Turabelidze, 10 years old

I am in the fourth grade and have been studying online for 2 months now. Online learning is not hard at all.

I spend my free time riding my bicycle, and playing with my ball. I am lucky to have a yard, we don’t have to stay inside the house all the time. But, we don’t visit others and no one comes to visit us. That is why I am a bit bored. Also, I miss my classmates. I do talk to them on the phone, but meeting them and playing is a totally different thing. My mother and father are saying that the pandemic will go away soon and we will be able to live our lives like before. I hope that we will be able to go to the river and have a good time this summer.

Nana Samkharadze, mother of Tekla and Lile Machavariani

Tekla and Lile are having a good a time as possible during the pandemic. We try to keep up with their education – they are 4 and 5 years old – and we are teaching their age-specific skills as much as we can. We learn letters, numbers, addition and subtraction, and most of the time we play. We come up with different things. The girls have even made a small flower alley. The entire house is filled with their toys. So, we are having fun together and trying to make sure that the children do not feel the pandemic and its effects. It’s good that they have each other, they would probably be much more bored if they were alone.

Giorgi Kapchelashvili, 17 years old, Kutaisi

The recent changes have affected me very deeply. Staying at home for such a long time is bad for one’s health. Most of the time I am on the computer. I miss real life communication with others a lot.

Before, I woke up at 8 a.m., now I wake up in the afternoon. I play on my phone while still in bed. Next, I have “breakfast” and again – telephone. The exception is the three days a week when online classes start at 10 a.m., and I have to wake up early.

I think one can receive a good education through distance learning, if willing. But real school was more interesting, because discussions with friends helped me to better understand the content. I love mathematics very much, and I miss going to the math teacher.

Although, I have found one upside – I’m in a band, I play an electric guitar. During this quarantine I have improved my playing technique considerably. I have also improved my English language skills. My sister is an English teacher and has helped me with my English.

Amiko Turabelidze, 12 years old

I love TV school programmes, and I watch them often. I personally like distance learning very much, because I have more free time. Now, I can spend more time riding my bike, drawing, and listening to music. I also help my grandfather in the vineyard. I communicate with friends on the Internet, but we cannot see one another and talk. I hope everything will be alright and we will see each other soon.

Nika Khelaia, 13 years old

Initially, I was afraid that online classes would be difficult, but it doesn’t seem as hard as I expected. In a way, it’s even easy. Currently, anatomy is the most interesting subject for me, because I am going to become a doctor, specifically, a surgeon. I usually take part in a lot of competitions, and I hope to be able to participate again starting in September.

I spend my free time with my brother, I ride my bicycle, and spend time outside. I have a younger brother – he’s 2 years old – and I try to keep him entertained. I give my parents a hand so that they have time for household chores.

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Ways to celebrate earth month 2024 at the university of chicago, covid 2025: how the pandemic is changing our world, video series explores impacts of coronavirus—from health care to international relations.

Coronavirus is changing life as we know it on a daily basis. But what will our world look like in the next five years? How will the pandemic permanently reshape our lives?

In the video series “COVID 2025: Our World in the Next 5 Years,” leading scholars at the University of Chicago discuss how COVID-19 will change health care and international relations, education and urban life, and many other aspects of our lives. The series, from the producers of the  Big Brains podcast , provides new insights and understandings into the pandemic—and its long-term impacts. See the episodes below:

Facing the threat of future pandemics

How covid-19 will challenge and change cities, changing the rules of international relations, changing the face of health care, how an explosion in remote learning changes education.

The coronavirus pandemic has dramatically altered the way we think about public health in the United States and how we deliver patient care, says Assoc. Prof. Emily Landon, a leading University of Chicago infectious disease expert.

In this episode of “COVID 2025: Our World in the Next 5 Years,” Landon discusses building a robust frontline defense against future outbreaks through a dedicated corps of epidemiologists that would respond to future outbreaks by using contact tracing on smartphones. She also argues that hospitals should rethink how they use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while building upon technology such as telemedicine to protect and empower medical personnel.

While we have learned a lot from this pandemic, Landon suggests larger shifts in public health are needed to better protect the population against future outbreaks. She argues that we must trust our public health experts, comply with health regulations, and build a more equitable health care system that benefits everyone in order to combat COVID-19 as well as address future epidemics.

The coronavirus pandemic presents special challenges for urban areas—not only in public health but also how cities fundamentally operate, says Luis Bettencourt, a leading University of Chicago researcher in urban science.

In this episode of “COVID 2025: Our World in the Next 5 Years,” Bettencourt discusses how the pandemic has forced cities to reexamine the complex systems and networks that comprise every aspect of urban life. The worldwide shutdowns provided urban scientists with a rare glimpse into the inner workings of cities. This “X-ray” created a clearer picture of the socioeconomic disparities between neighborhoods and populations—and their devastating effects as the virus spread.

Bettencourt argues that it is imperative that we learn from this current crisis. Utilizing these insights will help policymakers and local officials create better living conditions and an infrastructure that promotes better public health, human development and sustainability.

The coronavirus pandemic has exposed just how fragile the international system is, fueling changes in alliances, institutions and the global economy, says Assoc. Prof. Paul Poast, a leading University of Chicago political scientist.

In this episode of “COVID 2025: Our World in the Next 5 Years,” Poast discusses how the pandemic is accelerating changes in international relations as nations respond by stepping away from each other rather than taking steps to tackle the crisis together. In the years ahead, these shifts could include China increasingly asserting itself as an alternative to the United States on the world stage, and a retreat by many nations, including the United States, from global institutions such as the World Health Organization. 

What’s only beginning to emerge is the potential for sweeping impacts from coronavirus on developing nations, which could have a deep impact on the global economy in the years ahead. In addition, Poast says, watch for the power of the U.S. Federal Reserve to continue to grow globally and increased evidence of the need for global political solutions rather than just advances in technology.

The coronavirus pandemic is upending health care in the United States. It could result in a series of changes, ranging from a sizable expansion in telemedicine to a dramatic shift in how we think about health care coverage, says Prof. Katherine Baicker, a leading health economist at the University of Chicago and dean of the Harris School of Public Policy.

In this episode of “COVID 2025: Our World in the Next 5 Years,” Baicker discusses how the pandemic has shown the interconnectedness of the U.S. population—and that old dividing lines between the insured and uninsured no longer make sense. The pandemic could result in support for a more robust public health care system and a variety of new tools to monitor public health, and ramp up or ramp down economic activity if needed.

At the same time, Baicker sees the potential for new measures to increase the flexibility of the U.S. health care system. They could include allowing nurses to work in different states under a single license, letting physician assistants provide expanded care, and removing liability barriers to allow medical equipment makers to increase production at times of crisis.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused the United States and other nations around the world to rush into remote learning. This sudden shift will have a sizable impact on teaching and learning long after COVID-19 crisis ends, says Prof. Randal C. Picker, a leading legal scholar at the University of Chicago Law School.

In this episode of “COVID 2025: Our World in the Next 5 Years,” Picker says that the technology and infrastructure for remote learning has been building in the United States over the last decade, making the huge push online possible. This massive shift is resulting in experimenting on a global scale, while underscoring a digital divide based on income and location that has long existed, says Picker, the James Parker Hall Distinguished Service Professor of Law.

Remote learning is a powerful tool from elementary school to professional education classes, and while Picker says it doesn’t replace the classroom, it shrinks distances and supports teaching in new and interesting ways. For example, inviting a guest speaker from Europe is a few clicks away rather than requiring air travel.

However, considerable regulatory steps are needed over the next five years to support the growth in distance learning, including addressing privacy concerns and increasing federal funding for infrastructure to increase broadband access. To close the digital divide, the federal government needs to view broadband like the U.S. Postal Service when it was first developed, concentrating on connecting all citizens rather than just communities where the service makes economic sense, Picker says.

— Watch all videos in the COVID 2025 series on YouTube

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How COVID-19 is changing the world

A statistical perspective, Volume I

COVID-19 has turned the world upside down. Everything has been impacted. How we live and interact with each other, how we work and communicate, how we move around and travel. Every aspect of our lives has been affected. Decisions made now and in the coming months will be some of the most important made in generations. They will affect people all around the world for years to come. It is imperative that governments making those decisions have access to the best information available. Throughout this crisis, the international statistics community has continued to work together, in partnership with national statistical offices and systems around the world to ensure that the best quality data and statistics are available to support decision making during and after the crisis. This report gives a small flavor of that cooperation. It has been compiled jointly by 36 international organizations, under the aegis of the Committee for the Coordination of Statistical Activities (CCSA).

The United Nations and other partner organizations of the CCSA make a wealth of impartial data and statistics available free of charge with the spirit of promoting facts-based planning. This report presents a snapshot of some of the latest information available on how Covid-19 is affecting the world today. Although a wide range of topics are covered in this report, a consistency of message is clear – this is an unprecedented crisis, and no aspect of our lives is immune. The quantitative knowledge presented in this report covers different aspects of public and private life from economic and environmental fluctuations to changes that affect individuals in terms of income, education, employment and violence and changes affecting public services such as civil aviation and postal services. The report also puts a spotlight on the affects for some sub-population groups like women and children as well as geographical regions.

DOWNLOAD THE REPORT

A snapshot from the report:

Covid-19 is altering the lives of children – especially the most impoverished – to a catastrophic extent.

Children already left behind will likely bear the brunt of the pandemic’s impact, whether through missing out on life-saving vaccinations, increased risk of violence, or interrupted education.

Many children, especially those in the poorest households and the poorest parts of the world, risk losing their lives to pneumonia, diarrhoeal diseases, malaria, HIV and other preventable diseases unless urgent action is taken to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. For instance, any further disruptions to immunization services will result in more children dying from pneumonia, which already kills around 800,000 children under the age of five every year – about 2,200 per day.

Access more information on child mortality and COVID-19

Handwashing with soap and clean water is out of reach for many children 

Access more information on WASH and COVID-19

Lack of access to digital technologies keeps many children from learning

Children already at risk of violence find themselves more vulnerable.

As communities are being disrupted, children already at risk of violence, exploitation and abuse will find themselves even more vulnerable. Nearly 8 in 10 children from 1 to 14 years of age were subjected to some form of psychological aggression and/or physical punishment at home by caregivers in the past month. As many as three quarters of children aged 2 to 4 worldwide are subject to verbal aggression or corporal punishment by caregivers at home. In addition, 18 per cent of ever-partnered women and girls aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical and/or sexual partner violence. During times of crisis, especially now, girl’s and women’s risks of intimate partner violence in the home is very likely to increase.

Access more information on child protection and COVID-19

Of the world’s 13 million child refugees, those who reside in camps face similar challenges. They, along with a million child asylum-seekers and 17 million displaced children, are among those most likely to be excluded from social protection, and to be negatively affected by movement restrictions that may keep them from obtaining a more secure status.

Access more information on child migration/displacement and COVID-19

For more information on how COVID-19 is altering the lives of children, please refer to the report.

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Data to inform the covid-19 response.

Handwashing data to inform the COVID-19 response

Tracking the situation of children during COVID-19

How COVID-19 is changing the world: A statistical perspective, Volume II

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How Shah Rukh Khan Lit Up Anand Pandit's Daughter Aishwarya's Reception

"shah rukh khan made the night more memorable by joining us," wrote anand pandit.

Shah Rukh Khan pictured at the event. (courtesy: anandpandit )

Film producer Anand Pandit hosted a grand wedding reception for his daughter Aishwarya and son-in-law Sahil in Mumbai on Thursday (April 11) and he shared some inside photos and videos from the event on his Instagram profile. Sharing some photos of Shah Rukh Khan from the reception, Anand Pandit wrote on Instagram, "It indeed became a night to remember as the man who spreads smiles with his charm, Shah Rukh Khan made the night more memorable by joining us in blessing Aishwarya and Sahil Chaudry."

Check out the post here:

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anand Pandit (@anandpandit)

Anand Pandit also shared a picture of Abhishek Bachchan from the reception and he wrote, "Last night was special with Abhishek Bachchan joining Pandit and Chaudry family's celebration, making it even more meaningful."

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In terms of work, Shah Rukh Khan had a stellar 2023 professionally. He returned with a bang and how. He featured in the smash hit Pathaan last year, alongside Deepika Padukone and John Abraham. The actor then starred in Atlee's smash hit Jawan with Nayanthara, Sanya Malhotra and Vijay Sethupathi and Deepika Padukone. The film was a big hit. He ended the year with Rajkumar Hirani's Dunki , co-starring with Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal and Boman Irani. The film opened to largely positive reviews.

Anand Pandit, besides being a film producer, is also a film distributor and real estate developer. He is the owner of the production house Anand Pandit Motion Pictures, which has backed projects like Total Dhamaal, Missing, Sarkar 3, Great Grand Masti, Thank God, The Big Bull and Chehre to name a few. He is also the founder of the real estate brand.

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Rohit Sharma To CSK Next Year, Ruturaj Gaikwad 'Just Holding' Position: England Great's Big Claim Amid MI Captaincy Row

Apart from mumbai indians, csk also saw a leadership change with ms dhoni handing the captaincy to ruturaj gaikwad..

Inflation is still bad. It's both Trump and Biden's fault. Who will fix it?

Gaslighting americans isn't just wrong, it's foolish. even if wages are outpacing inflation, they have catching up to do..

It started with former President Donald Trump and it ends with President Joe Biden. Not the election, the economy. Specifically, inflation. Something for which neither candidate wants to take responsibility, though both should.  

According to the March consumer price index report, inflation has surged again . Overall prices for everyday goods have increased 3.5% from last March and are up from 3.2% in February. The typical household spent $202 more in July than they did a year ago to buy the same goods and services, according to Moody's Analytics.

Rent, gas and food are the culprits, as any American who drives a vehicle or goes to the grocery store can attest.

Inflation is being felt by Americans on a daily basis

For everyday Americans – the national median household annual income was $74,580 for 2022 – and especially for folks on a fixed income, inflation is affecting their bottom line.

In March, the average price of a dozen eggs was about $3, an increase from January of more than 18%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2018, eggs cost almost half that.

The prices of some products have improved, such as used cars and appliances, but those are typically purchases people make every few years.

What do consumers want? If you like your car, good luck keeping it. Biden's EV mandate drives change people don't want.

It’s the cost of daily goods, like rent and food, that have increased and that make people really feel the pinch.

Trump's COVID stimulus started us down this path

Trump, Biden and Congress share the blame.

Inflation began to surge as a result of the pandemic. Well-founded fears of a recession or worse drove the Trump administration to pour trillions of borrowed dollars – Trump’s infamous stimulus – into the economy to keep things afloat.

Such an idea was bound to lead to a surge in prices, or inflation, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Why aren't Americans anti-abortion? Did conservatives win the battle on abortion but lose the culture war on life?

Biden ignores the the impact inflation has on our lives

In a 2022 interview , Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said she failed to realize just how bad inflation would get and how long it would last.

The Biden administration still fails to acknowledge the reality of what inflated prices on everyday goods for average Americans does to their finances. This is where he shoulders his share of the blame.

He not only fails to acknowledge that the economy is tough and that his Bidenomics plan stinks , he is also spending his share of taxpayer dollars.

In a speech about the economy to union workers last year, Biden said he cut the debt . But fact-checking by CNN showed that "the national debt has continued to increase under Biden. It is the deficit that has declined. "

The U.S. government’s  debt actually has passed $34 trillion , a new record.

Now Biden is wiping out more than $1 billion in student debt loans for millions of Americans? This is unfair for folks who have paid their student loans or skipped college because it wasn’t right for them or they couldn’t afford it. Those are the people who absorb the cost.

In a speech Tuesday on the Senate floor, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said the president “and the leaders of his administration have tried to downplay the impact of inflation, but the American people aren't buying it .”

Cornyn is right.

Gaslighting Americans isn’t just wrong, it’s foolish. Even if wages are outpacing inflation, they have catching up to do. People don’t know how the overall economy is doing because most folks aren’t economists. They’re just purchasing goods their families need. So they know if they’re spending more than normal – and they are.

Biden would earn considerable political capital if he would be honest with Americans about inflation, where it came from, his role in perpetuating it – and propose a plan to lessen it.

Instead, he placates to a base with student loan forgiveness, continues to spend furiously and tells everybody Bidenomics is working, even when their bills have increased every year for the past few years.

Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist for USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids.

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How One Family Lost $900,000 in a Timeshare Scam

A mexican drug cartel is targeting seniors and their timeshares..

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A massive scam targeting older Americans who own timeshare properties has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars sent to Mexico.

Maria Abi-Habib, an investigative correspondent for The Times, tells the story of a victim who lost everything, and of the criminal group making the scam calls — Jalisco New Generation, one of Mexico’s most violent cartels.

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Maria Abi-Habib , an investigative correspondent for The New York Times based in Mexico City.

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How a brutal Mexican drug cartel came to target seniors and their timeshares .

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