When the Pandemic Hit Home
New York Times readers share the moment they realized Covid would change the world.
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With the acute phase of the Covid-19 pandemic fading even as the coronavirus persists and evolves, a new normal is taking shape around the world.
We asked readers how Covid has changed their attitudes towards life. Here is what they said:
“I'm a much more grateful person. Life is precious, and I see the beauty in all the little miracles that happen all around me. I'm a humbled human being now. I have more empathy and compassion towards everyone.” — Gil Gallegos, 59, Las Vegas, N.M.
“The pandemic has completely changed my approach to educating my child. My spouse and I had never seriously considered homeschooling until March 2020. Now, we wouldn't have it any other way.” — Kim Harper, 47, Clinton, Md.
“I had contamination OCD before the pandemic began. The last four years have been a steady string of my worst fears coming true. I never feel safe anymore. I know very well now that my body can betray me at any time.” — Adelia Brown, 23, Madison, Wis.
“I don’t take for granted the pleasure of being around people. Going to a show, a road trip, a restaurant, people watching at the opera. I love it.” — Philip Gunnels, 66, Sugar Land, Texas
“My remaining years are limited. On the one hand, I feel cheated out of many experiences I was looking forward to; on the other hand, I do not want to live my remaining years with long Covid. It’s hard.” — Sandra Wulach, 77, Edison, N.J.
New York Times readers share the moment they realized Covid would change the world.
By Catherine Pearson
The more time students spent in remote instruction, the further they fell behind. And, experts say, extended closures did little to stop the spread of Covid.
By Sarah Mervosh, Claire Cain Miller and Francesca Paris
Covid was declared a national emergency on March 13, 2020. Even as the threat of severe illness and death has faded, the pandemic’s effects linger.
By Julie Bosman
Covid brought live performance to a halt. Now the audience for pop concerts and sporting events has roared back, while attendance on Broadway and at some major museums is still down.
Four Years On, the Mysteries of Covid Are Unraveling
Are superdodgers real? Is Covid seasonal? And what’s behind its strangest symptoms? Here’s what we’ve learned.
By Knvul Sheikh
Long Covid May Lead to Measurable Cognitive Decline, Study Finds
People with long Covid symptoms scored slightly lower on a cognitive test than people who had recovered. But long Covid patients who eventually got better scored as well as those whose symptoms did not last long.
By Pam Belluck
Older Americans Should Get Another Covid Shot This Spring, C.D.C. Says
The agency recommended another round of vaccinations for Americans ages 65 and older.
By Apoorva Mandavilli
Your 2024 Guide to Covid Symptoms and Treatment
Rest, fluids and medications are your friends.
By Dana G. Smith
President Biden has homed in on the infamous moment, which crystallized the chaos of the Trump presidency, as he trolls his political opponent.
By Zolan Kanno-Youngs
The I.R.S. estimates that 940,000 people who didn’t file their returns for that year are due back money. The deadline for filing to get it is May 17.
By Ann Carrns
Officials are moving to increase enforcement and change laws in response to the rise in counterfeit or expired plates, which exploded during the pandemic.
By Michael Corkery
After a drawn-out global controversy over the coronavirus, the W.H.O. has updated its classification of how pathogens spread through the air.
By Carl Zimmer
Readers submitted small ways that the pandemic shifted their thinking for the better, or introduced a new joy into their life.
By Soumya Karlamangla
In the year after a pandemic-era policy preserving Medicaid coverage lapsed, more than 20 million people were dropped from the program at some point.
By Noah Weiland
Una nueva investigación muestra que las enfermedades hepáticas y otros problemas de salud vinculados con el alcohol aumentaron incluso más de lo esperado en las mujeres de 40 a 64 años durante la pandemia.
By Dani Blum
Originally charged after 190 decomposing bodies were found at their Colorado funeral home, the couple now face federal charges that they fraudulently obtained $880,000 in relief funds.
By Jesus Jiménez
A dozen red roses is timeless. But its price tag is not. At Ditmars Flower Shop in Queens, where costs have soared in recent years, a bouquet is $72, up from $60 in 2019.
By Stefanos Chen and Adrienne Grunwald
Prosecutors said Keith Berman falsely claimed he had invented a blood test that could detect Covid-19 in 15 seconds. His lawyer said he had put “genuine effort” into developing such a test.
By Michael Levenson
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