There's no such thing as moving on from COVID-19

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Decimated by COVID-19, a Texas county struggles to move on By Alejandro de la Garza Staff Writer These days, it’s not uncommon to hear that we’re moving on from the pandemic. But what exactly does that mean? A few months ago, I went to Lamb County, Texas to find out. Nearly one out of every 100 residents in these rural, panhandle towns has died from COVID-19, one of the highest death rates in the nation. Many people there were immersed in right-wing misinformation during the pandemic, and they continue to believe that the virus was not that bad, even when they know people who died from it. Others are still angry over the loss of people they loved, but they don’t have a clear idea of who to blame. It became clear to me that the pandemic was not merely an event over the past three years—it’s a reverberating, resonating crisis that still affects people to this day, and which changed places like Lamb County forever. Lingering horror: Many of those who handled the bodies are still coping with what they experienced. Gary and Rhonda Yesel, funeral workers in Lamb County, say they worked 18-hour days to keep up with the tide of deaths. "If we hadn't worked, we'd probably have bodies stacked up at the gate," Rhonda says. Political tribalism: For many people, disregarding masks and vaccines became bound up with religious and political identity. “No matter where you landed on the issue, you were either shredding the Bible, or shredding the Constitution,” says Mike Bryant, a pastor. Permanent loss: “They say that when you lose somebody, it gets easier [over time],” says Amelia Zamora, who lost her brother. “I think it gets harder … You never get to hear their laugh. You never get to experience the joy that he brought into our lives. He’s gone.” READ MORE   Share the story

What else to read Gaslighting, Narcissist, and More Psychology Terms You’re Misusing By Angela Haupt Mental-health experts say we often use psychology terms incorrectly—and that's a problem. Read More » You Are What You Breathe. How to Test Your Home’s Air and Make It Safer By Tara Law From testing for common toxins like asbestos and radon to running an air purifier, here's how to reduce indoor air pollution. Read More » Pfizer’s Bivalent COVID-19 Booster Gets FDA Nod for Infants and Toddlers By Nacha Cattan/Bloomberg Children ages six months to four years can get the booster at least two months after their primary series of shots. Read More » Tuning in to Your Most-Ignored Sense Can Make You Happier By Haley Weiss Want to feel happier? Curating your soundscape may benefit your physical and mental health. Read More » Florida Bills Would Ban Teachers From Calling Students Pronouns Differing From Biological Sex By Solcyre Burga The bills would also make it the policy of state schools that sex is "an immutable biological trait." Read More »

One Last Read The mental health toll of caring for lab mice While researchers who experiment on lab animals largely agree that such work is necessary, the emotional toll can be intense, leading to depression and anxiety. As David Grimm, writing for Science, reports, a small group of researchers, led by a team at University of Washington, is raising awareness about the dangers of compassion fatigue. Read More »

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