There’s a new Corona variant!
omg omg omg omg
No seriously, that’s serious. But it’s also not nearly as serious as it was when we first found out about this virus. Freaking out about something you know nothing about makes a lot of sense to me. You don’t know, and you don’t want to take the risk. For all we knew, back in 2019, we were on the verge of becoming zombies!
But now, after two years, no matter how you cut it, we have more than enough data, vaccine discussions, studies, and mandates to approach any new variant with poise.
It’s bad, but it’s not zombie apocalypse bad.
I am also ready to accept a new reality: much like the Spanish flu, which eventually turned into many different variants including some that still exist today, Covid could become something similar. Our bodies and fields of science will continue to fight it for some time.
Seasonal flu shot? That’s a thing for some people. Seasonal Covid shot? That might also soon be a thing for some people.
Anyways, I write this because it was both surprising and almost amusing to watch markets dip hard on news of a new variant. Yes, of course markets have been running for months, and there’s enough euphoria to spark a downtrend, but by itself the recent sell-off is prime example of the old adage “Markets are always looking for a reason.”
On Thanksgiving eve, small cap US stocks, for example, were down big:
I was joking with friends the other day: I’m reaching a point where I would rather get a small dose of Covid, pour it into a shot glass, and down it with a cold beer. Anything than endure years and years of Covid hysteria. I am joking of course, but I do feel like there is some truth to it. Heck, I feel pretty healthy – I’ve been running a lot lately and eating better. Bring it on!
I should be clear: I’m not saying I’m not taking it seriously. I have to keep in mind that what’s true for me, might not be true for others. Covid has impacted a lot of people. So I still plan on helping others as much as I can, especially those who have been impacted.
I’m just saying the hysteria is over in my eyes. I’ve done everything possible to be safe, and will follow certain safety precautions best I can. Everything else is out of my control.
I hope you enjoyed my thoughts. Just me thinking out loud. I love reading my old thoughts and watching them evolve as I’ve wrote about this a few times since the pandemic started:
Thinking About The Rona Part 1
Thinking About The Rona Part 2
By the way, just for fun, I want to take a moment to revisit how far we’ve come. I remember going into our Manhattan office feeling like:
