Biding our time until we know more about Omicron is all we can do.
A passenger wearing a protective mask and face shield makes his way to his flight at a terminal of Narita international airport on the first day of closed borders to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus Omicron variant amid the coronavirus disease pandemic in Narita, east of Tokyo, Japan, on November 30 2021. Picture: REUTERS/KIM KYUNG-HOON
That’s because waiting — for tidings ill or good, ironically — causes anxiety. And it is an affliction that, via the many stress hormones it sends coursing through our bodies, torments us almost as a virus does. As I observe the reactions in my own social circles, the psychological responses break down roughly as they did in early 2020, when the pandemic first announced itself. Some people opt for denial. With their body language, gestures, jokes, travel and social plans, they are signalling that, since we don’t know anything yet, there’s no point in worrying or adjusting. Let’s get in some living while we can.
Unfortunately, human brains easily go into overdrive. We notice a lump in some part of our tissue and have it checked out. The doctor sends it to the lab. Now we have to wait, and during that time we imagine what could come back. And oh how creative our minds get at such times. The problem is the excess. As our imaginations overshoot, many of us develop — here comes a fancy phrase — an intolerance of uncertainty, which can, in turn, lead to generalised anxiety disorder. That’s always true, but even more so in a pandemic. Anxiety has increased, especially among teens and young adults; globally, the rates appear to have doubled, to more than one in five.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Airlines race to respond to sudden changes brought on by new Covid variantAirlines now face a return to the uncertainty of shifting rules and public-health developments amid Omicron coronavirus variant
Read more »
Don't panic: Omicron symptoms seem to be mild — DoctorSA Medical Association chair Dr Angelique Coetzee said Omicron has so far not been shown to have severe symptoms.
Read more »
Don't panic: Omicron symptoms seem to be mild — DoctorSA Medical Association chair Dr Angelique Coetzee said Omicron has so far not been shown to have severe symptoms.
Read more »
Don't panic: Omicron symptoms seem to be mild — DoctorSA Medical Association chair Dr Angelique Coetzee said Omicron has so far not been shown to have severe symptoms.
Read more »
Those gravely ill from Omicron are unvaccinated, says NICDData so far suggest transmissibility of Omicron is increased and is being driven by younger people, say experts
Read more »
Gold inches higher as dollar easesMetal prices edge upwards while investors weigh Omicron impact
Read more »