Oh, it's real, and given the alternative, I'd take it today without reservation.
I just hung up with a buddy that had Corona months ago and his sense of smell still has not come back. Fortunately, he's not suffering like the thousands of long haulers out there who have been debilitated by this disease.
My best friend called me Monday as he had just tested positive. He's a builder by trade, a few pounds overweight, and on the diabetic fringe, and I'm really concerned for him.