Because I'm fortunate enough to work with the fantastic @BethMarieMole, I haven't had to do a lot of pandemic coverage. But i've had to do enough of it to know this: if you're on good terms with anyone who's covered the pandemic intensely, check in and see how they're doing.

Like everyone else in the US, they're now probably directly affected by the pandemic—friends and family suffering, maybe some deaths. But they've also experienced the pandemic in ways most people haven't.

Most of us have found ways to set things aside and step away from the doom scrolling and depressing news for a few days here and there. People covering it—especially freelancers, who may have had the budget to take vacations—never get that luxury.

They also know, in ways most people don't, just how much of this death could have been prevented if the pandemic were handled competently, and people been less selfish.

And for doing their jobs, they've been attacked for spreading fear and foisting a "hoax" on the US.

Given all that, it's hard not to be angry and/or upset all the time, with no place to put that anger. In fact, it has to be submerged daily just to write objective news stories.

None of that's easy, and none of it's especially healthy. And for a lot of reporters, it's been like this for nearly 10 months now.

So, if you know someone who's been immersed in covering the pandemic, take a moment to see how they're doing and say something kind to them.