COVID has changed how we understand time

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View this email online December 18, 2022 by Andrea Muraskin This week: The pandemic has given us a new awareness of "the fragility of time." Plus, how the World Cup has made spending December in the hospital a little brighter. And, with COVID spreading again, here's what to know about the most effective drug for preventing severe disease.  How the pandemic has warped our sense of time Jun Cen for NPR It was a phrase that echoed amongst people who were able to work from home after the first month or so of pandemic lockdown: “Time has no meaning anymore.” The sun continued to rise and set at regular intervals. Radio and TV shows kept running on schedule, as hosts figured out how to broadcast from their basements and living rooms. Nevertheless, one day seemed to run into the next.  Psychologist Ruth Ogden surveyed people around the world about changes in their perceptions of time during the  pandemic. She found that different people’s perceptions of time changed in very different ways. For example, in Argentina, younger, physically active women felt time passed faster than older men. In the U.K., many people felt that time had sped up compared to the pre-pandemic era, while in Iraq almost everyone said time felt slower. For Ogden herself, stuck at home with three young kids, it was a mix of both.  It turns out human brains have several different ways of keeping time, and there’s no “master clock.” Culture can play a major role too. (Living in New England, I sometimes picture a little Puritan in my head, admonishing me for taking too long in the shower). “We're aware of the fragility of time,” Ogden says. “We're aware of what happens when your time to do the things you want is taken away from you.” Learn more about the science of time-keeping in our brain, and how emotions such as fear influence our sense of time. Also: Perceiving without seeing: How light resets your internal clock   Newsletter continues after sponsor message How World Cup fever lhas livened up hospitals for patients and staff Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images If you’ve ever spent time in a hospital you might have noticed that in patient rooms, the TV is usually just…on. Kind of like an ambient background to whirs and beeps of whatever equipment is in the room, it doesn’t do much to bring up the mood. But Austin-based physician Grace Farris says this holiday season, the World Cup has brought cheer and excitement to the hospital where she works, helping staff and patients connect on a human level. “It’s the holiday event I didn’t know I needed,” she says.  Farris is also a cartoonist. She drew this illustrated ode to watching the World Cup at the hospital.  Also: Children’s hospitals are struggling to cope with surges in RSV and flu You tested positive. Should you take Paxlovid? Joe Raedle/Getty Images When my home test came out positive amidst flu-like symptoms this May, it didn’t occur to me at first to ask for Paxlovid– or even notify a doctor. But then I found out that I qualified for a prescription. When I started the five-day course, my throat was so swollen that I didn’t speak a word all day. But quickly, my symptoms started to improve. For me, it really felt like the medicine made a difference.  Paxlovid can be close to 90% effective in reducing the risk of severe disease, more effective than  other antivirals prescribed for COVID. But experts in the U.S. say it’s underused. One study found that among adults over 65 who tested positive, only 20% took Paxlovid.  Paxlovid is recommended by the CDC for people considered high risk for developing severe disease. That includes people over the age of 50, people who haven’t been vaccinated, and those with certain chronic conditions. But there can be exceptions to the rules; and it’s worth talking to your doctor if your symptoms are getting worse over time and you’re feeling very ill, even if you aren't officially "high risk.". You do need a positive test to qualify, and one reason prescription numbers are low may be because fewer people are testing at this point in the pandemic.  And then there’s the aftertaste. I can tell you it’s gross, but it was still worth it to get help kicking COVID. Here’s what to know if you’re considering Paxlovid, or if you do test positive.  Plus: Tips to keep you and your family safe from the ‘tripledemic’ during the holidays   Before you go: Photograph by Ethan Richardson/Unsplash; Collage by NPR Listen: How “best by” labels lead to more food waste You can order free COVID tests by mail again. Here's how Is this friendship worth salvaging? We asked a psychologist Court rules former research chimps must be retired at a federal sanctuary Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us on Twitter at @NPRHealth. Thanks for sticking with NPR Health this year. If you've written in, we read and really appreciate your feedback. We're off next Sunday. Wishing happy and healthy holidays to all who celebrate, and see you next year!  All our best, Andrea Muraskin and your Shots editors Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: shots@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. 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