COMMENTARY
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said multiple times Covid-19 will be with us deep into 2021. While it would be great if we could fill football stadiums, participate in concerts and sit next to neighbors in our favorite church pews, it is unrealistic to safely do these things for the foreseeable future. There is no medical breakthrough and a vaccine is still on the horizon. And, when one does arrive, we will still need to mask and social distance until there is a large, population-level effect from it.
Animal health pros are doing great job at masking around clients, as well as keeping respectful distances from each other. Keeping it up demonstrates leadership and caring to colleagues and clients.
Source: New York Times, September 15, 2020. Link. . . . life in 2021, especially in the first half of the year, will need to look much like life does now. Those who think that we have just a few more months of pain to endure will need to adjust their expectations. Those thinking that school this fall will be a one-off, that we’ll be back to normal next year, let alone next semester, may be in for a rude awakening.
This is a marathon, not a sprint. Both, though, require running.
INSIGHTS: Fall is here. As we enter flu season, the need to practice common sense is more important than ever. As the author says, “that means embracing, finally, all the strategies for fighting the virus that many of us have resisted.”
This is not hard! We are not being told to jump into foxholes under enemy fire, ration sugar and gasoline, nor even get in the storm cellar as a tornado hits. Sure, there are challenges, but they are temporary. Mask up. Keep your hands clean. Keep your distance. We’ll come out fine on the other side. We all know too many who’ve been hit – and some taken – by Covid-19. The more we comply now, the faster we’ll get to the next phase.
Also see: What is normal? And, what does it mean to me? Animal Health Digest, July 14, 2020. Link.