How Happy Will the New Year Be?

The month of December is nearing a close, and the year 2020 is nearing an end, but sadly the coronavirus pandemic is far from being over.

December has turned out to the deadliest month, here in San Diego County, in the state of California and nationwide, with more people losing their lives to the COVID-19 disease since the start of the pandemic and families losing loved ones, most older, but some younger.

The San Diego Union Tribune’s front page headline says it all: “Hospital Morgues Over-filling as Surge Increases.”

Most of us by now probably know someone who has become infected and many of us by now probably know someone who has died from the virus. So it’s no surprise that the regional stay-at-home orders are being extended into January, possible well into January, or even longer.

It will be good to finally welcome the start of a new year. It can’t some soon enough. But it could be less celebration and more anticipation of what’s ahead. With so many Americas travelling during the holidays these last couple of weeks, public health officials warn of another surge in cases and hospitalizations coming in January.

There is good news coming in the new year. With the vaccines having arrived, in the shortest time in history, more and more people will be vaccinated as each of the first few months of 2021 arrive. And at some point in the new year, the worst of the pandemic should be behind us. That’s the hope we all have as we prepare for what we all want to be a much happier new year!

(Photo Getty Images)