My experience with COVID isn’t special or particularly severe, but I did experience two mild side-effects I hadn’t considered: fear and loneliness.

A few days ago I tested positive for COVID for the first time. I’m fine. I feel lousy and it hurts to swallow, but I’m OK.

My entire immediate family had gotten COVID back in 2022, somehow I didn’t at the time (or at least I was asymptomatic and never tested positive).

My symptoms are typical (head cold, sore throat, body aches, foggy head, chills/fever) and not particularly severe — but bad enough, thanks.

I’m sure many (most?) of you have already experienced this, but it was new to me. After living under the cloud of COVID for years, like everyone else, when you actually see those two lines in a COVID test, it feel surreal. It’s a bit scary.

I’ve been vaccinated with every booster available to me, and I realize the risks are relatively low. I’ve also heard the horror stories of long-COVID, hearing loss, permanent head-fog, weeks of low-energy, etc.

I’ve also mostly been alone in a (very comfortable) room for about three days. I miss hanging out with my family.

The isolation and fear also feed each other. It’s scary to be alone and sitting alone in a room is a good time to spiral about unlikely worst-possible outcomes.

So, my brilliant insight on COVID: it is bad and it makes me feel bad.