You're being a bit too bogged down in the specific example there; I never got into the game myself and only used it as an example because a relative used it to socialise pre-pandemic.

I mean, VRChat can do the facial expressions, video games don't prevent exercise, and there's plenty of ways to share germs if you find vaccines too clinical and high-tech.

And of course, I'm currently using my glowing rectangle to group socialise with with people who have different and similar opinions and backgrounds, for example yourself.