15 people share the common pandemic decisions that have now backfired.

When the year 2020 started, no one knew what was coming.

COVID spread like wildfire, and before we knew it, everyone on earth was affected by the virus.

As the pandemic raged, businesses shut down, cities locked down, and people desperately scrambled to find ways to survive and avoid sickness and death.

Amidst this scramble, a lot of rash decisions were made, which logically makes sense - given the urgency and stakes.

But now that we have vaccines, and parts of the world have 'returned' while other parts remain in strange pandemic-time, we have a better view of what did and didn't work during lockdown.

In a popular AITA post, people shared the quarantine decisions that are now 'biting people in the a**.'

1. Doggystyle_Rainbow wrote:

Oh man. The number of people who filed for unemployment who did not qualify and are now getting overpayment notices with the 30% penalty fee is insane. I'm talking owing 20-36k in overpayments.

The worst ones claimed up to 52 weeks at 750 a week plus 30% penalty.

2. thebody512 wrote:

Paying $300 more a month in rent to be closer to my job and never stepping foot in the office.

3. OnionTruck wrote:

Not refinancing their mortgages when the rates were at 2.5%.

4. Darmok47 wrote:

I remember reading a Reddit thread in 2020 about men who had had secret families or affairs and lived double lives for years, until Covid lockdowns started.

They'd maintained two separate lives under the guise of lengthy business trips for years, and now that everyone had to work from home, the jig was up. EDIT: Found the thread

5. j4321g4321 wrote:

Overeating/not exercising and not giving af about it when you’re in sweats all day. Rude awakening when things started to open up again and you had to wear normal clothing

6. Billoby42 wrote:

Drinking heavily. Well, drinking heavily AND joining an online casino. Does nothing for your savings, I can attest.

7. rupret1 wrote:

My friend found an above-ground pool on clearance for $199 at Lowe’s right as the pandemic was starting. She texted me about it saying there were several left and I should hurry and go get one. I was too cheap to go buy one.

I regretted that decision every day for the next year.

8. xtheinvisiblehandx wrote:

Encouraging retirement for older employees, ESPECIALLY airline pilots. A big reason there's been so many issues with travel in 2022 is because back during peak pandemic, a huge chunk of pilots were pushed to retire

Now travels back at pre-pandemic highs and airlines are looking around like 'F*ck...who is gonna fly the planes?'

9. breakwater wrote:

Not addressing the inevitable problems with child development, drug and alcohol abuse that lockdowns would cause.

10. punkterminator wrote:

A bunch of people in my area decided to buy houses in rural areas under the assumption they'll be working from home forever.

Now a lot of workplaces are hybrid or fully back in person and they're all stuck with long commutes and less wealthy people in rural areas are being priced out.

11. Nicopernicus13 wrote:

Closing outdoor spaces at the same time as schools. I’m sorry, the PARK is closed? Hiking trails are closed? National parks are closed? WHY?!

12. Tirekyll wrote:

Buying a pet they couldn't afford to keep once the pandemic ended. Lots of animals are in shelters or euthanized due to it.

13. Alternative-Yak6369 wrote:

All those idiots that bought pallets of hand sanitizer and toilet paper to sell at a markup and then were left without sales and still have those pallets in their garages.

14. peej__wrote:

Putting off trying to make new friends, it has become immensely more difficult for me to make friends since the pandemic and I'm not completely sure of the source.

15. Glittering-Carpenter wrote:

How is no one saying putting infected old people in old folks homes with healthy people and keeping them in there.