I’m really not a big fan of “Gonzo Journalist” Hunter Thompson, but I do like this quote attributed to him:
“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming 'Wow! What a Ride!' ''
This quote is simultaneously a bit morbid (is any quote about death NOT morbid) and a bit inspirational – we should all live our lives to our fullest.
Many editors and writers, in their end-of-year summations, like to look back at the year that just passed and review all that happened – the good, the bad, the ugly.
I’ll spare you from most of this – but yep – 2021 was quite the ride.
A year ago, we were deep in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic and were looking forward to 2021 to be better.
Vaccines were out and available, if you could get one, but hope was high that the beginning of the end was in sight – or perhaps was it just the end of the beginning?
And then 2020 rolled into 2021 – and the backlash started – against the vaccines, against wearing masks; local school board meetings devolved into shouting matches.
The first COVID-19 variant turned into the Delta variant, and as I’m writing this, Omicron is headline news.
So, yeah, 2021 has been a wild ride.
But, as I’m sure you are aware, the pharmaceutical industry has met the challenges of the pandemic.
From the highly effective vaccines, to the newly emerging treatments (in oral form – no need for shots!) your industry has done everything in its power to save lives and get the world back to some semblance of normality.
I do understand COVID fatigue. I feel it. I’ve been vaccinated, and I wear a mask when needed. But I’m going to stores now (masked) and trying to do more things than I did a year ago. All that “living life to its fullest” stuff .
Anyway – I hope everyone has a happy and healthy holiday season. And here’s hoping 2022 won’t be quite the “wild ride” 2021 was.
Mike Auerbach
Editor-In-Chief
[email protected]
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