The Brief: On Twitter, people are joking about how the phrase "once COVID is over" refers to a possibly distant future.
DEEP DIVE
For the past year, as the COVID-19 pandemic has affected people around the world, the phrase “once COVID is over” has become a common way to refer to a time where the virus will be under control and won’t pose such a deadly threat to the general public. While some countries and regions have made significant strides to mitigate the effects of the virus and vaccine distribution has begun, in the United States and much of the rest of the world, the “end” of the pandemic still seems far away.
On Twitter, people are expressing this sentiment in memes about how the phrase “once COVID is over” is synonymous with other far-off or even impossible concepts.
https://twitter.com/_justwinnie/status/1353043712125923329
“Once COVID is over” starting to sound a lot like “when Rihanna releases a new album”
— sammy (@smirhnn) January 22, 2021
“when we’re vaccinated” is the new “let’s get coffee sometime”
— farah brook (@farahbrook) January 25, 2021
“Once COVID is over” starting to sound a lot like “he doesn't want to label it, so we're just seeing where it goes😅😅😅"
— Lane Moore (@hellolanemoore) January 24, 2021
This whole “once covid is over” is starting to sound a lot like my “once I find a rich, hot boyfriend who can pay off my loans.”
— Chase Anderson, MD, MS (K.C. Ardem) 🦸🏽♂️🏳️🌈 (@ChaseTMAnderson) January 24, 2021
“once COVID is over” is starting to sound a lot like “once i get my license"
— juno (@venusized) January 24, 2021
A bad sign for anyone who was hoping to meet Harry Styles after the pandemic ends:
“once covid is over” is starting to sound like “when i meet harry styles”
— dylan obriens gf (@FlNEANGEL) January 24, 2021
“once COVID is over” is starting to sound a lot like “when i fix my sleep schedule”
— Alex Elmslie (@ImAllexx) January 24, 2021
“Once COVID is over” starting to sound a lot like “when Nintendo releases Metroid Prime 4”
— ʀɪᴄʜ ғᴏᴋᴀʟᴏᴛ | ᴀɴɢʀʏ ʙᴜʟʙᴀsᴀᴜʀ ɴᴏɪsᴇs 🌱 ♌ 千本桜 (@RichFokalot) January 24, 2021
For anyone looking for a more optimistic take on the subject, here are some of the fun things people are planning for when they get vaccinated.