Thread by @1goodtern

This summer and autumn I've heard a repeated refrain from people who are trying to not join in the spread of Covid:

They've phased out contact with a large number of their old friends and family who refuse to acknowledge the situation.

They thought that things might have improved by now and that they would be able to resume the friendships where they had left off.

But they're realising that it's not going to change yet.

And a lot of people are sadly coming to a realisation that it's going to be very hard to forgive the people who have ignored covid.

It's going to be very hard to forgive the people who have ignored long covid.

It's just impossible to forget all they've done.

Because if 'covid ends', those people will have learnt nothing.

They will just be carrying all their covid damage and denial into whatever crisis comes next.

Nothing will change.

Some of them think the lessons of Covid for the next pandemic are:
Let it rip early
Don't vaccinate
Don't try to slow it down

Seriously.
So many people think that now.

They do.

Yes.
Their narratives are broken.

But how do we interact with these people who deny and ignore science?

Gently.
Kindly.
Firmly.

Carefully, because some of them are angry.

Carefully, because some of them are deluded.

But gently, kindly, firmly.

And maybe old friendships will one day be rekindled... but not before some serious healing has taken place.