VIA Times – January 2021 Issue Vital News, Vibrant VIews for Asian Americans in Chicago & Midwest
By: Joe Mauricio
With 2020’s exceptional challenges brought about by a deadly pandemic, economic calamity, bitter political divisions, and a fuller societal awakening to the systemic racism in our country, the long dark year of 2020 has ended, mercifully. 2021 has taken its place with an outlook for a full spectre of optimism and challenges that we are ready to face with its challenges and set to address.
The Covid-19 pandemic has destroyed everything in its path, but light is at the end of the tunnel, with the distribution of the hurry-up vaccine, thank to President Trump’s efforts and sheer will. However, the virus exposed snags in the fabric of our society, yet the single flashpoint that the protect over police brutality was sparked by something not tied to coronavirus, the death of George Floyd at the hands of the Minneapolis police.
Across America and the whole planet earth, the desire to ignore pandemic restrictions, such as just to stay home and not to get out of the house is proving harder for many people to suppress, and for whatever reasons, the inclination seems especially strong in our nation’s big cities.
Good example, the New Year’s Eve 2020 was at hand so soon after people may have gathered in large groups for traditional Christmas celebration before that, and given the long incubation period of coronavirus infections; such restlessness was causing anxiety for health care workers, as it should be. Even with the arrival of vaccines, the whole world is nowhere near out of the woods.
Locally, many hospitals have been forced to delay surgeries as intensive care units fill up with Covid-19 cases.
The public health emergency will endure for months to come. Though the coronavirus had arrived and introduced to us in 2019, hence the name Covid-19, it remained and stabilized with us for the whole year of 2020. Yes, we have to admit that Year 2020 brought many of us terrible frustrations, some of them lethal. So please, for 2021, be responsible and pop champagne to mark the end of that unforgotten, terrible year.
But the year 2021 is now here with us. Let us allow a sliver of optimism to carry us through the year that deserves its own chance. Because whatever challenges it has in store, this moment in history can still be embraced as a best time to be alive. Life is good, so enjoy!
