Here's Hoping 2021 Lets Us Turn the Corner to a Brighter Year

May the dark clouds of 2020 give way to rays of sunshine for 2021.

Hope is on the horizon in the form of a vaccinations for Covid-19. We need to maintain our composure so that hope is not dashed however. I have noticed changes in the reporting on administering the vaccine that have given me pause. Just before any approvals, there was a set of guidelines created for who should recieve the vaccine first, second, etc. There were also concerns over whether enough people would step up and take the vaccine to make a difference in the pandemic. Then we had several days of reporting that certain hospital workers were getting vaccinated, then frontline police and firefighters and some nursing home residents. From what I can tell, not all medical professionals, first responders or nursing home residents have had the opportunity to be vaccinated in my area but that process is being worked through. Front line workers in the first group to receive vaccines are supposed to also include teachers and grocery store workers as well but I had not heard anything about how those people are being identified and offered sign ups yet. Then all of a sudden just a day or so ago, the reporting seemed to indicate that a stampede of people not in the early groups may be forming to try to get to the front of the line. I hope that is not the case.

Don't get me wrong, I am glad to see a ground swell of interest in being vaccinated. That is great. Remember however that those who were given the first Pfizer shots are due for their second shot in less than a week in order to be on their way to maximum immunity. They need to be assured of supply. While I am looking forward to being able to be vaccinated, based on supply and the ranking group I belong to, I fully expect it to be more than a couple of months before my turn in line shows up. We all need to take measure of what groups we fall into and be patient if we have to be so that the process does not turn into a melee. Success will also hinge on our ability to continue to wear masks, wash our hands frequently and practice social distancing while the population is being vaccinated.

While careful navigation is likely still needed in the weeks and months to come, my hope is that some sort of normalcy returns through our efforts so that we can look back at this time next year and say 2021 was a happy year.