Covid struck in early 2020, and on March 13, the president declared a national emergency that shut down much of the country. People were dying and hospitals were full of very ill patients. Fear was rampant as we were told to stay home.
Less than a year later, vaccines became available, thanks to the phenomenal work of scientists and massive government funding. The vaccines seemed miraculous. Relief was in sight.
At last, in April 2023, the government declared the end of the national emergency. The three years had seemed endless. People were tense, worried and depressed. The days at home were very long, as many juggled isolation, work and children, spending way too much time on Zoom.
I remember at the time reading an article about how quickly people had moved on from the devastating 1918 flu epidemic that killed millions. It seemed hard to believe.
And yet, we’ve done the same thing. As devastating as Covid was, we’ve forgotten so much -- the fear, the dying, the relief we felt when vaccines became available.
Remarkably, the very president who fast-tracked Covid vaccines in 2020 has done much since then to attack science and foster suspicion about the safety of all vaccines. The misinformation has scared parents. One result is outbreaks of measles around the country. I’d say it was too soon to move on.
I’m Deborah Booth and that’s my perspective.
