SICK OF COVID? Hoosier Doctor Says "Pandemic Fatigue" is Real

WITZ RADIO NEWS IS AN AFFILIATE OF NETWORK INDIANA

STATEWIDE -- Many Hoosiers are sick and tired of the coronavirus pandemic.

It's a state of mind that many medical experts, such as Dr. Graham Carlos at Eskenazi Health, are calling "pandemic fatigue." He said it's this fatigue that is is a big contributing factor to the recent surge in coronavirus cases throughout the United States.

"This pandemic, we've been in it for months," he told WISH-TV. "While it lightened up during the summer months, it never went away. It seems like it's carrying on and on."

With people getting sick of wearing masks, avoiding large gatherings, and other precautions that help negate the spread of the virus, people are getting lax in following these recommendations, which he says is contributing to rising COVID numbers.

Though he agrees that it's been tough to deal with, he says one thing that will help is telling your stories from the pandemic to your friends when you do talk to them.

"It's affected us in emotional and financial ways. It's impacted us, and we need to remember that," Carlos said. "The cure is for everybody to follow the direction, and stories can be powerful reminders of what we need to be doing right now."

He also said to keep a positive attitude about the pandemic and to not focus so much on the negative stories, but rather the positives.

"Much of what is seen, heard, and shared are the negatives," he added. "People who have passed away, people that have lost their jobs, but what doesn't get shared as much as I wish it would are the wins. Those who made it through their hospital stay. The tremendous sacrifices communities, non-profits, have done to chip in."

The Centers for Disease Control said this week that the next 12 weeks are going to be some of the toughest during the pandemic with more people spending time indoors during the winter months. That can make it easier to spread the virus, they say.

Dr. Carlos said even then it's important to stay positive.