It has been a long year. The year 2020 will go down in history as one of the darkest in America’s record. There have been riots, racial tensions, vicious politics, on top of all that, there is a deadly disease that is rampaging across the country. It seems like there would be no unifying light in this type of darkness, nothing that we could come together around, but that is wrong. There have been people who have worked tirelessly so that the rest of us can stay safe as possible. People who have put themselves in harm’s way, working in conditions most would balk at and never willingly do. I am, of course, talking about the brave folk in the medical fields that have put themselves into close contact with people infected with coronavirus so that others don’t have to. These doctors and nurses have had a difficult year, so I would like to take a moment to celebrate their hard work, their sacrifice, and their struggles.
There has been a lot of news out there, about the veracity of the facts about Covid-19, whether it is truly as deadly or as contagious as people say, and even if it is, how that will affect the population at large. Right here, and right now, whatever the belief is, doesn’t change these facts. Covid-19 has killed more American citizens than World War II did, and has infected millions worldwide. Even still, normal people have stepped up, stepped in, and made a difference, saved lives. For that, I want to thank them. They are the people wearing masks for twelve hours a day, so much that the masks imprint themselves on their faces, and give them bright red lines across their cheeks. These are the people who step into wards full of people who are sick with a deadly disease that up until recently, did not have a reliable way of being warded off. The vaccine has made things easier, but even without it, doctors, nurses and other members of the hospital staff have put themselves in harm’s way without hesitation. Some have paid for that, which is a horrible fact, but a true one.
What I want to say is that there are times in life where people have to stand up to all the horrible things that are happening. Some things that are worth standing up to are straightforward. An enemy, a natural disaster, a desperate political situation. These are things that you can see coming, you can prepare yourself for. There is no way to prepare yourself for getting sick, getting a disease that you know is deadly. You can watch the news, see the symptoms, and even see those who are sick yourself, but the actual feelings, the way it goes through your body, that is something that can only be experienced. To know this, and continue to go out there and help, is an incredibly brave and selfless act. The men and women of DocPPE and myself want to give my deep and heartfelt gratitude for these noble feats. These people, who sacrificed so much of themselves so that others could be safe and sound should be praised. So the next time you see a nurse or a doctor, remember to thank them for their actions and remember to always Mask Up!