In our lifetime, we have never experienced anything like COVID-19, and we frankly lacked the leadership in the Whitehouse to fight a pandemic. Since March of last year, we have tried to adhere to CDC guidelines. We have sheltered in place, worn masks, and practiced good hygiene, including frequent handwashing and quarantine when necessary. Despite all our best efforts, the pandemic has raged on unabated here in the U.S.

The numbers since the second wave hit in October are staggering and frightening and quite frankly begs the question, “how and when does it end?”

The idea of our “adapted” way of living now being the accepted way to live is untenable. Human beings are social by nature. We thrive on personal interactions, and we react to tactile sensations. Newborn babies are comforted by touch and sensory input. Early man sought the comfort and safety brought by companionship and thrived in communal settings. We are not designed to live in isolation, devoid of personal and social interactions. While technology has allowed us to connect virtually, it cannot and was not meant to replace the bonds that are built and nurtured through personal interaction.

Fighting and successfully stopping a pandemic requires using every single tool available to us, including vaccines. If we are to return to any semblance of normalcy, availing ourselves of the vaccine is an essential step toward making that happen. I know there is skepticism and even fear from some communities about the vaccine, but we must take this in context. Never have we faced an enemy of such epic proportions. Never has our nation been forced to shut down totally. Never have children had to stay home from school for an extended time. Never have we said goodbye to so many because of one virus. It may not have touched your home or someone you know, but if unchecked, it will only be a matter of time.

Our best hope for addressing and halting the virus is by taking the vaccine. We must rebuild our economy; too many people have lost jobs and are fighting to survive. We must relieve the burden on our healthcare workers and the healthcare system. Most of them have been working around the clock without a break since the pandemic began. We must rebuild relationships, our lives, regain a sense of normalcy, re-open the country and the world and the vaccine represents our best hope of making that happen.

The relatively short time spent creating a vaccine should not be an indictment of its effectiveness but rather a testament to how proficient medical researchers and personnel have become. Even if a virus is new, developing a vaccine doesn’t mean they start at zero to fight back. Years of research on other virulent diseases must act as the foundation which automatically provides a base or jumping-off point. We must exercise common sense and separate fact from sensationalism and fiction. I implore you to do your research and give this careful consideration.

I will be in line to receive the vaccine once our healthcare workers and other essential personnel, and our seniors have received theirs. I will take the vaccine because I believe in its integrity, and I am convinced that it's our best chance to get back to a normal way of life. I encourage you to do the same so that we can resume the normal way of doing business and once more reach out and hug our family and friends.