I had a brief moment of joy and hope. I watched three trucks loaded with the COVID-19 vaccine begin their journey to distribute the vaccine to points around the country. For me, the pandemic is personal. My grandfather died in the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic, leaving my grandmother with four young girls.
In 2020, the vaccine is too late for my friend, Elinor, who died earlier this year from the effects of COVID-19. With sadness for the loss, it is even too late for the new speaker of the New Hampshire House, the 299,000 who have died and the millions infected.
The vaccine’s approval gives us hope. Now, it is up to each and every one of us to knuckle down, wear masks, practice social distancing, wash hands, and develop more patience and coping strategies during the holiday season and New Year until the rollout of the vaccine can become a reality. Let’s keep everyone safe. It’s not too late.
AUDREY V. SYLVESTER
Bradford