Mr Hawkes. Yes, for many COVID wasn't serious; I've had it a couple of times and it's been like a bad cold; the reason I've isolated is because I wanted to avoid spreading it, very annoying when I had it a year ago as we had to miss a wedding where there were likely to be vulnerable people. Perhaps I was fortunate that I caught it after I'd been vaccinated - although I did have a mistry bug the January before lockdown and some swollen joints that matched secondary symptoms, but perhaps just coincidence.My friend and ex-colleague was definitely suffering from the first three of those physical ailments listed: extreme tiredness (fatigue), feeling short of breath, problems with his memory and concentration ("brain fog") … however, the symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression sound more like a reaction to constraints imposed by the lockdowns? Which doesn't mean they're not important but I'd question if they were a direct rather than an indirect result of Covid? (I'm sure I've had those symptoms when struggling to deliver a difficult IT project!)Obviously, things depend on personal circumstances and pressures, I was newly retired and I think our cat approaching 21 was appreciative of the constant attention. I also was able to compare it to my father's experience of four years in a German POW camp where he didn't have the benefit of Zoom conferences with friends and relatives, Ocado deliveries, long walks on Putney Heath and Wimbledon Common ... or even know who might win the war and whether he'd survive. He obviously did survive but perhaps being brought up as an orphan in a children's home prepared him for more adversity?I must admit after being "jabbed" and allowed to go out to play we couldn't wait: it was great going to theatres and concerts surrounded by mandatory empty seats, and having drinks and meals delivered to a cabin shared with a few friends at, for example, the Green Man. However, I realise it was more difficult for many who were vulnerable, had health or financial issues, or lost friends and relatives, all of which would contribute to stress, anxiety and depression. As Mr Brigo points out, there are others on this forum who have more personal experience of the more severe effects of Covid who may put us right on this.I'm not sure we have a namby-pamby generation but are just more aware of the impact of neurological issues. Soldiers during and after the first world war suffered from "shell shock", I guess we now consider that PTSD and treat it rather than shoot people as cowards? Similarly, it's recognised other life events cause conditions such as PTSD and it seems sensible to assist and treat those suffering from them, doesn't it?
Michael Ixer ● 26d