Vaccines don’t equal vacation

COVID won’t disappear overnight

It may be exciting as vaccines roll out, but it’s important to stay safe.
Photo courtesy of Jakayla Toney via Unsplash

As the saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” With that in mind, people around the world and especially in the United States must keep in mind that COVID-19 will not be eradicated in a day, either. After an entire year of sickness, death, and isolation, many people are itching to go out and experience the world with relative normalcy. However, despite thousands of people being vaccinated every day, everyone should still be wearing masks, washing their hands, and staying inside.

In an interview with Harvard, Dr. Anthony Fauci states that herd immunity may be achievable by fall, and the world can start going back to “normal” by the end of the year. However, he also reminds everyone, “You just have to suck it up and keep going,” when it comes to health and safety. While the vaccines protect people, they do not help lower transmission, so everyone should still remember to take their masks with them everywhere they go. Despite the pent up feelings from being stuck at home, everyone needs to stay calm and continue as if nothing has changed.

People will continue to get COVID even after much of the population has been vaccinated, because eradicating a disease as easily transmissible as the flu is an extremely difficult task if at all possible. Therefore, people should take just as many cautions as they did before and listen to educated officials such as Fauci for more information. Disneyland will still be there by 2022 and beyond, so folks should not feel as though they need to break out and travel right away. There are perfectly entertaining things to do without coming close to anyone, as the internet is a wonderful place full of opportunities. People should pick up their hobbies they abandoned half-way into quarantine and try again, but do so safely so the pandemic has time to burn out.

Additionally, while so far the vaccines have proven to be effective against the various mutated strains of the virus, this might not always be the case. While people should not hide away from the world forever, caution is still advisable when COVID-19 is a mystery that remains largely unsolved. Make sure children understand the importance of staying healthy at school since many are returning to in person, as well as on-site work conditions. People cannot forget that they are not trapped inside. Taking walks, riding a bike, or simply sitting on the porch with a good book are options to stave off the cabin-fever for a little bit longer.

This has been a year of opportunities people would not normally get. More time to spend with family, learning how each other works when not together, or seeing how children learn in school. The pandemic was something no one was prepared for, and although it is not fun to stay isolated from others, the end is in sight. Everyone cannot jump towards the finish line too early, rather keep hopes up and know the future will be there tomorrow.

This is a selection from the Feb. 24 issue. To view the full issue, visit: https://online.flippingbook.com/view/126531465/