Your ‘never Covid’ experiences
We asked you how you think you might have avoided Covid so far, and got over 10,000 responses.
“I spent the pandemic taking care of a friend with cancer and avoided everyone just to focus on him and make him feel safe. He passed away in February and I started going out again and seeing new people, but I still haven’t caught it! Either I am immune or I have a Covid guardian angel (him).” — Jessica Choe, Brooklyn, N.Y.
“Healthy constitution. Rarely got colds or flu even before the pandemic, plus early precautions, masking, vaccines, boosters, working from home and luck. Two and a half years with nary a sniffle, so we’ve given up our masks, dine indoors, socialize and party regularly now. Probably jinxing myself as I type.” — Katherine Fife, Davis, Calif.
“I think neither my husband nor I have caught Covid mostly due to luck. We don’t have kids. We maintain a small, close circle of friends that shared the same views on how best to navigate the pandemic. We also had the benefit of living in Wyoming at the start of the pandemic, a place that isn’t densely populated. We’ve since moved to Okinawa, Japan, and have become embedded in a culture that prioritizes public health and welfare over the individual. Mask-wearing is normal here, making it easier for us to continue the habits that have kept us safe and healthy these past almost three years.” — Jillian, Okinawa, Japan
“I have no idea. Stupid luck? Providence? l quarantined in the basement when my husband had it (mildly) in January 2021. He now suffers from PASC, or long Covid, and it has forever changed and devastated our lives.” — Malia Schaefer, Cincinnati
“Because I’m immunocompromised, I knew I had to do everything I could to not get infected. In the first year of the pandemic, I almost exclusively lived in quarantine. From then on, I always worked with an FFP2 mask, never took the bus or train, was never in the supermarket without a mask and avoided places with a high risk of infection. I have all vaccinations. Even today, I always wear a mask in public facilities. Those around me tried keeping me safe, always testing themselves before they came to see me. I am very grateful for that.” — Julia Litschke, Essen, Germany
“I was sent home to WFH early in the pandemic because I had just finished chemo and radiation. I’ve been working remotely for two years now. I also got the vaccine as soon as it was available. I’ve gotten every booster, including the bivalent vaccine. My mask protocol is: Check your surroundings. Is there a ceiling? Wear a mask. Is there a crowd? Wear a mask. Neither? Take it off. That being said, I suspect I have been infected but was asymptomatic or mistook it for an allergy.” — Kim Haas, Pittsburgh
