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The WHO has officially declared the Covid variant NB.1.8.1 to be a “Variant Under Monitoring” which is reminder that this pandemic continues to be many things but one thing it is not is under control.

As the new variants circulate the Covid positivity rate in France has risen to 19%, around 1 in 5, but that is there not over here, over here we know how to keep that rate low, yes, here we know how to keep that rate quite low, the secret is to not bother keeping track.

Five years ago, at May’s end, the newspaper of record notoriously called the nearly 100,000 lives then taken by Covid “an incalculable loss,” but that was then, they stopped counting (we stopped counting) long ago, so now as the losses continue they are truly incalculable.

I know, my friend, that this new wave does not seem too frightening, by now you have survived many waves so surely you can survive another one, but please, my friend, remember that many of those who did not survive the last wave initially approached it with the same attitude.

I saw a tv clip (on the topic of pet names) in which the guest casually explained: “I had covid six times and it wiped out the name portion of my brain,” and though he smiled for a moment he looked directly at the camera as if to say: I’m not the only one this has happened to.

The Secretary of the HHS has announced that the Covid vaccine will no longer be recommended for healthy children and healthy pregnant women, but considering how many times most children and women have contracted Covid it is questionable just how “healthy” they really are.

My aunt, the doctor, told me a new joke. She asked: How bad is the new Covid variant? I replied: I don’t know, how bad is it? And she answered: The new Covid variant is so bad that the media is having to report on it. And then neither of us laughed.

When you see people react to news of the new variant by stating: “we are not doing this again,” kindly and calmly tell them that unfortunately the virus will just keep doing this again and again and again unless and until we are willing to do something about it again.

By now you have heard that the pandemic is over, indeed, by now everyone has heard that the pandemic is over, and yet the new variant is a reminder that even though everyone has heard that the pandemic is over, the virus isn’t listening.

The reports say one of the symptoms of the new Covid variant is “razor blade throat… a sensation likened to swallowing shattered glass or razor blades,” and though I’ve been told that wearing a mask is uncomfortable I’m certain wearing one is preferable to “razor blade throat.”

Will we survive this new variant? Yes, we will survive this new variant. But please take care oh, my friend, please do take care, for we will survive this new variant, but you might not.

When you hear them say (and you will hear them say) that, yes, they have contracted a summer flu but they aren’t worried because they always contract a summer flu, please remember that what they are really saying is that every summer they contract Covid.

You may have heard that there are some who have taken to referring to the new Covid variant as “nimbus,” so please remember: a cumulus cloud is white and fluffy, a cirrus cloud is thin and wispy, a stratus cloud is low and flat, and a nimbus cloud is dark and threatening.

I heard the commissioner of the FDA testify: “By the way, America doesn’t want Covid boosters,” and I fear this is why in the coming weeks so many Americans will experience the unwanted symptom of razor blade throat.

At this point I know better than to expect people to care that a new variant is causing hospital admissions to rise in other countries, for at this point I know that when a new variant causes hospital admissions to rise here in this country most people still don’t care.

I can understand, my friend, if at this point you no longer believe things will get better but please, my friend, do not let despair beget apathy, you may no longer believe things will get better but do not allow yourself to be satisfied by things not getting worse.

If you don’t have time to read the article “What to know about the new Covid-19 variant NB.1.8.1” please, allow me to summarize its contents: what you need to know about the new variant is that the pandemic never ended and you do not want to catch (or spread) this variant.

By now we have heard how yet another variant is causing cases to rise, but we are unwilling (oh we are quite unwilling) to do anything to try to flatten that curve, though in a few weeks I fear many of us will wonder why it feels that we and those we know have been flattened.

After so many years of this pandemic we know what we must do to make it through yet another wave: wear a proper mask, test frequently, protect ourselves, and try to protect others, yes, after so many years we know what we must do, but (alas) how few of us are willing to do it.