Yes, I’m very aware of my statistical insignificance that causes everyone to assume I did something to deserve long term consequences of covid. Between the antivaxxers who scowl at me for wearing a mask the rare times i dare be in public, the extreme pro-vaxxers who ask increasingly invasive medical questions to find a reason that I must have done this to myself, society leaving me to rot now they’ve all moved on because the vaccines solved everything, and the doctors telling me they have no strategies for me because there isn’t enough research… I promise that I haven’t forgotten that I’m the tiny and easily dismissable minority, despite my covid-triggered amnesia.

People always remind me of it when I don’t fit their narrative of the irresponsible or gullible fool who bought into the anti-science grift or flouted restrictions. Perhaps it’s because it’s more comforting to remind themselves that it’s improbable that they will also end up as one of the forgotten. At least, for now, until the ridiculously contagious and quickly mutating virus happens to not play nicely with their own latent medical issues and unknown genetic errors.

I’m sorry your friend was deceived by the propaganda that the vaccine was worse than the disease. And I’m sorry that you blame them for being deceived instead of understanding that fear causes people to make poor choices.