COVID

 Hello again. This is a tough one for me. Given that we are still very much in the midst of COVID, and really at it's peak if you look at the numbers (21.1 million cases in the US with 357,000 deaths and 86.6 million world-wide with 1.87 MILLION deaths), taking an optimistic look feels like I am lessening the horror of the situation. Especially here in the US, where I look out the window at packed bars with no masks while a few blocks down the road people are dying in the hospital. But, nonetheless, here is my attempt at an optimistic view.

Clearly, the best part of the pandemic is its end. And  we now have light at the end of the tunnel, thanks to the vaccines produced by the various pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer, Moderna and others). While we still have challenging months ahead, we will eventually have the ability to immunize the majority of the population, or at least give them the choice to get a vaccine. But it's even better than that. I am certainly not an immunologist and essentially know next-to-nothing about it, but my understanding is that we actually developed an entirely new method for vaccinations for the virus. So in basically a year (really less), humanity was able to theorize, develop and test a very effective new immunization mechanism that, if I understand correctly, represents a leap forward in technology and could be applied to other diseases we have been struggling with in the past! Wow. And on top of that, we are actually distributing the vaccine (at least to some extent) with the correct prioritization order (healthcare workers, the elderly, high-risk groups, etc...). So it's not just the rich come first. And, there is a push world-wide to make sure poorer countries also get the vaccine. Talk about coming together and helping each other.

But beyond the vaccine, we do have some other silver linings. One big positive I see coming out of this pandemic is the work-from-home situation. By being forced to allow their employees to work from home due to the risk of infection, many companies have come to realize that this not only made the employees happier, but also that they actually saved money since they did not have to heat/cool/light the building as much as usual. More than that, some companies are actually selling their properties or downsizing and passing those savings on to customers and/or shareholders. So you have happier employees that are able to spend more time with their families, have a more flexible work-life balance and are generally more productive (this is probably a contentious statement that depends on industry and average age but I represent my opinion) while also making the company more profitable. Talk about a win-win situation.

And speaking of spending more time at home (which can certainly be frustrating... even someone like me who is a super introvert is getting tired of being here and actually would like to go see people), it seems it has given a lot of people the time to pursue hobbies and interests that they would usually not be able to do. I know I have a fair amount of friends who have started to exercise regularly and eat healthier. Others have gotten into cooking, playing instruments, drawing or sketching and many other activities. I know D&D (Dungeons & Dragons, a role-playing game for those less versed in the nerdy arts) has greatly risen in popularity, which is a fun game for friends or family that can be played remotely. I have seen stories on Reddit of individuals quitting or switching jobs because being at home in a more relaxed space has made them realize they did not like how their lives were going and wanted to re-prioritize.

We have also (I hope) started to realize as a nation that perhaps it is time to make some changes to how we treat ourselves. I think the need for universal healthcare is now more evident as so many have have gotten sick and have massive medical bills they cannot pay. And perhaps even the need for a universal income (gasp) with so many losing their jobs and struggling to make ends meets. I will not get political here (see the other post for that), but as a nation we have also shown our unhappiness with the current state of the government by changing the parties in charge, which is in itself encouraging to me because it shows that one person really can make a difference (looking at you Stacey Abrams).

So those are some good things that may come out of the pandemic. Of course it's terrible, and we are all frustrated and annoyed (if not worse) by the situation. And yes, of course we will all throw a giant party as soon as this is over and make all kinds of terrible decisions. I'm pretty sure the day after we all feel relatively safe will have the highest call-in-sick count ever. But for now, while we wait and are patient and safe and keep wearing our masks to show we care about and protect each other, these are some things to keep in mind to keep you going. And if you haven't, maybe pick up an instrument or start writing or going for walks... you might discover something wonderful that will be with you for the rest of your life.