2021 The Dark before the Dawn

This is the second week back after Christmas and the news of rates of infections is grim. The daily number of deaths are a sharp reminder of how infectious the new strain of Covid 19 is, and of how vulnerable we all are.

Add to that the sad fact that Christmas and New Year were not the celebratory get-togethers we had all hoped for back in the summer.  It’s also dark and cold for a lot of the day, the economy is on a life support machine with no clear way out, and Yes we got an EU trade deal but the complexities are only just beginning to show. I am sure you could add other things that to this dark and miserable picture.

But there are real things to be positive about. Foremost is the brilliance of the scientists and virologists who have collaborated 24/7 to find vaccines in record time. Then there is the courage of the volunteers who took part in the clinical trials to enable those vaccines to be used in the general population. And finally, when I am out for a walk, I can see that, despite all the turmoil and upheaval, the seasons continue and spring follows winter and dawn follows dark.

Take care all.

Sarah Thewlis