How are different types of people coping with the ongoing pandemic? Elizabeth Tracey reports

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You’ve seen them- the people who continue going about their daily business, cheerfully unfazed by the omicron craziness. Then there are others, furtively visiting the grocery store at 4am to reduce their risk of infection. Karen Swartz, a psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins, says she’s observed almost everyone falling into one of three groups.

Swartz: I believe there are three groups of people. The first is surprisingly resilient. The second is understandably exhausted, and the third is concerningly vulnerable. The rates of reported anxiety and depressive symptoms quadrupled in the summer of 2020, compared to the baseline rates of the summer of 2019. The rates of depression and anxiety symptoms remain three times higher than the baseline rates prior to the pandemic, and the recent CDC data, thirty percent of adults reported having significant anxiety or depressive symptoms.   :31

Swartz says transitions between groups are possible, and if you’re one of the vulnerable group seeking help may be your best course, especially if you feel things are getting worse. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.