Please also see the original 12 days of COVID.

On the first day of COVID, the ongoing pandemic gave to me,

An insurrection in Washington, DC.

On the second day of COVID, the never-ending pandemic gave to me,

Two backordered gloves.
And an insurrection in Washington, DC.

On the third day of COVID, the society diving pandemic gave to me,

Three anti-vax Karens.
Two backordered gloves.
And an insurrection in Washington, DC.

On the fourth day of COVID, the soul-crushing pandemic gave to me,

Four surges without herd (immunity).
Three anti-vax Karens.
Two backordered gloves.
And an insurrection in Washington, DC.

On the fifth day of COVID, the constantly evolving pandemic gave to me,

Five COVID waves.
Four surges without herd.
Three anti-vax Karens.
Two backordered gloves.
And an insurrection in Washington, DC.

On the sixth day of COVID, the health care worker depleting pandemic gave to me,

Six epidemiologists a remaining.
Five COVID waves.
Four surges without herd.
Three anti-vax Karens.
Two backordered gloves.
And an insurrection in Washington, DC.

On the seventh day of COVID, the health care system overwhelming pandemic gave to me,

Seven nurses a quitting.
Six epidemiologists a remaining.
Five COVID waves.
Four surges without herd.
Three anti-vax Karens.
Two backordered gloves.
And an insurrection in Washington, DC.

On the eighth day of COVID, the excruciatingly divisive pandemic gave to me,

Eight state health departments a wilting.
Seven nurses a quitting.
Six epidemiologists a remaining.
Five COVID waves.
Four surges without herd.
Three anti-vax Karens.
Two backordered gloves.
And an insurrection in Washington, DC.

On the ninth day of COVID, the politicized pandemic gave to me,

Nine pundits tweeting.
Eight state health departments a wilting.
Seven nurses a quitting.
Six epidemiologists a remaining.
Five COVID waves.
Four surges without herd.
Three anti-vax Karens.
Two backordered gloves.
And an insurrection in Washington, DC.

On the tenth day of COVID, the inequality enhancing pandemic gave to me,

Ten tech companies a reaping (profit).
Nine pundits tweeting.
Eight state health departments a wilting.
Seven nurses a quitting.
Six epidemiologists a remaining.
Five COVID waves.
Four surges without herd.
Three anti-vax Karens.
Two backordered gloves.
And an insurrection in Washington, DC.

On the eleventh day of COVID, the burnout-inducing pandemic gave to me,

Eleven physicians left griping.
Ten tech companies a reaping.
Nine pundits tweeting.
Eight state health departments a wilting.
Seven nurses a quitting.
Six epidemiologists a remaining.
Five COVID waves.
Four surges without herd.
Three anti-vax Karens.
Two backordered gloves.
And an insurrection in Washington, DC.

On the twelfth day of COVID, the f-ing pandemic gave to me,

Twelve guesses to what’s coming.
Eleven physicians left griping.
Ten tech companies a reaping.
Nine pundits tweeting.
Eight state health departments a wilting.
Seven nurses a quitting.
Six epidemiologists a remaining.
Five COVID waves.
Four surges without herd.
Three anti-vax Karens.
Two backordered gloves.
And an insurrection in Washington, DC.

Russell Johnson is an internal medicine-pediatrics physician. Sonia Hegde is a postdoctoral fellow.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com