It’s an odd time.
COVID-19 numbers are surging, yet the number of vaccinations are also increasing.
Hopefully inoculations will soon catch up with the virus and help trend it downwards. By the time this gets published, I’ll have my first vaccination.
Like most people, I’ve never liked getting shots.
In Grade 8, I got the Meningococcal vaccine. After 10 minutes, I fainted and soon awoke to paramedics staring down at me. I was fine, but my body got a little nervous. At least I got a juice box out of it (not too mention protection against a deadly disease that has killed millions around the world). For the next few years, I got my vaccines laying down as its hard to faint in that position (nurses tell me I’m very brave).
With COVID-19 turning society on its head and cancelling anything and everything with a social component for more than a year, I am excited to get my vaccine.
With all the gloomy news, this inoculation is a small vial of hope.
However, it’s naive to think the world will return to what it was in 2019. As Frodo Baggins said upon returning to the Shire after destroying the ring of power, “How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on, when in your heart you begin to understand… there is no going back. There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep, that have taken hold.”
COVID-19 has changed the world. Forever. Many meetings will probably stay virtual, the acceleration of a cashless society will most likely not reverse nor the push for remote work or the decline of brick-and-mortar retail. Perhaps even vaccination passports will become a thing.
Yet, a post-pandemic society might be far off.
In fact, Canada is close to over taking the U.S. on the number of new COVID-19 cases per capita.
While the U.S. plans to have roughly 90 per cent of it’s population vaccinated this month with at least one dose, approximately 15 per cent of people in Canada are currently vaccinated.
We are behind Uruguay (22 per cent), Serbia (22 per cent) and Bahrain (32 per cent). Israel is in the lead by far with more than 60 per cent of it’s population vaccinated as of April 6.
As inoculations rise in Israel, COVID-19 numbers have fallen. The country may even soon lift the requirement to wear masks. Currently, confirmed cases per capita for COVID-19 is 87 per cent lower in Israel than Canada.
Hopefully, this means a life where COVID-19 does not dominate headlines is possible. Fingers crossed.
Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email:liam.harrap@revelstokereview.com
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