None of us can relate to the Great Influenza of 1918 better know as the Spanish Flu, which was a misnomer since there is no proof that it started in Spain. This flu was the first of three flu pandemics caused by H1N1 influenza A virus; the most recent one was the 2009 swine flu pandemic which some of you might have experienced.

Our lives have all been affected by today’s pandemic known as Covid-19 with variants known by Greek letters. 

Did this virus start in Wuhan, China? If so, was it a lab leak? It took 14 years to find out where the 1918 pandemic originated, so although many think the Wuhan Virology Lab was the origination point, this has not been proven.

On January 20, 2022, there were 68,071 new confirmed cases and 1,536 deaths in the U.S. These numbers reflect how many people have been tested and confirmed. It does not include the many undetected people who are currently infected with Covid-19, whether asymptomatic or undiagnosed.

The total case count in the world since January, 2020, is 70,497,569 and the number of deaths is 865,968.  Worldwide, the case count is 337,644,307 and 5,565,259 have died.

I do believe, in my opinion, that the people who are vulnerable, either because of age or comorbidity, get the vaccines & booster. Yes, I agree that the rules regarding wearing masks, washing your hands (which should be done regardless), and staying away from crowds have been changing constantly.  Science is not perfect, so the virologists and epidemiologists are constantly working on better understanding how this virus works.

We will be living with the virus for the rest of our lives since it doesn’t seem likely that it will miraculously disappear. 

I’m going to compare Covid-19 to smoking, crazy right?  I don’t know anyone who smokes, or if they do, they don’t smoke in my presence.  Their smoke affects my health and the air I breathe. 

If you chose to not get vaccinated you take the chance of contracting the disease, but you won’t know if you get a sever case or a mild case until you have it.  You can also spread it to anyone you come in contact with if you are infectious.

It’s your choice to gamble with your heath and it’s my choice to do what I can to stay healthy.