Every big crisis brings with it changes to society. Covid-19 will be no exception. When kidding around three weeks ago that Starbucks may have to close, we had no idea of the reality of this watershed event. As many of us sit isolated in our homes, we face immense changes in our daily lives most of which have cut us off from friends, family, and our sense of day to day normalcy. The new normal is not normal at all. It has been described as odd and strange and scary. With our lives apparently on the line, we live as if we are in war times and are fighting a bug smaller than the eye can see that could potentially threaten our existence or, at minimum, make us very sick.
During this public health emergency, we have been gaslighted and warned of a hoax but finally the truth tellers have arrived. While the Administration seems to think that photo ops and uniforms will comfort the American people, those like Dr. Anthony Fauci have stepped up as the voice of science and the voice of truth and reason.
Dr. Fauci, if you don’t know of his work, was the leader in the AIDS research movement in the 1980’s. He was born in Brooklyn, NY where his parents owned a pharmacy and, as a child, he delivered prescriptions. With that solid start in life and a medical degree from Cornell, Dr. Fauci joined the NIH in 1968 and later went on to direct the NIAID, a position that he still holds. As Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, he became world renowned for his work in AIDS/HIV research and treatment as well as in biodefense drugs and vaccines. His lifelong work and dedication, like others in the field, may be why there is now some hope that medications used to treat malaria and HIV may be effective.
As we look for answers and direction, we look to the scientists who are clearly best equipped to answer the questions that Covid-19 poses. At a time when we may see many business closures and imposed isolation, we put our faith in those scientists who have dedicated their lives in helping others alleviate their pain. This work of protecting others has been and remains their life’s mission. For that, we applaud them and remain grateful for their contributions while looking to them for direction. All the while remembering that 401k’s and interest rates mean nothing if you are not alive and well to enjoy them.
