Remaining Vigilant for 2021

Inauguration Day now has passed and we are settling into a new year and new administration with hopes that 2021 will bring needed relief from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The relief only will come with time, though the weariness may take much longer to mitigate than any virus.

In her column this month, Editor in Chief Catherine Y. Spong, MD, gives her view and reminds us not to let down our guard, just yet. “We are constantly needing to remind ourselves and others to distance in breakrooms, not eat together, and remain vigilant,” she writes. “We now have the vaccine, rolled out in different strategies in each state, yet the uptake is not as robust as hoped. Vaccine roll-out has been challenging, with facilities wanting to protect the most vulnerable and ensure it is performed with the requisite social distancing.”

During a press conference on January 14, 2021, the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) discussed the poor rollout of the vaccine, with one expert comparing it to trying to fill a lake with a water hose. As logistics remain a challenge, it is even more important to remind your patients to continue masking, handwashing, and social distancing.

While Americans wait, health care professionals are vetting questions from patients and others. Emily Adhikari, MD, addresses many of those questions in a COVID-19 FAQ we have included as a tear-out in this issue.

What questions are you hearing from patients or others? Let us know by contacting us at COGeditorial@mmhgroup.com.

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Mike Hennessy, Sr.

Chairman and Founder, MJH Life Sciences