COVID's Cotton Anniversary
Marking the second anniversary of the first reported case of COVID-19 today
Today. November 17, 2021. It’s been —
2 years
24 months
104 weeks
703 days
17,520 hours
1,051,200 minutes
63,072,000 seconds
since the first report of what we now know as COVID-19 was documented.
It feels like a lifetime ago. In November 2019, I had just received approval to take a year-long sabbatical (August 2020-August 2021). I was investigating options to travel and live abroad with my family. I coordinating a new clinical research program. I had dreams of writing another book, spending a year traveling the world, and my biggest worry was related to our car (which was having trouble starting sometimes when I put the key in the ignition).
I could not have imagined what would unfold in the weeks and months ahead.
I have said this before, but it is worth repeating. Through my training in public health (2 years at Emory, 4 years at the University of Maryland-Baltimore, 8 years in governmental public health, and a decade in academia), I knew the world was due for another pandemic. In my mind, I knew what to expect and what could potentially happen. I never imagined the challenges, politicization, and physical, emotional, and mental toll a pandemic would have on us all.
These last two years have been like no other. This picture that I shared on Instagram a year ago, captures how things were and continue to be going in our family during the pandemic —
The past two years have broken the global public health system (and our spirit) and COVID has resulted in some heartbreaking statistics. In the past two years —
~255,000,000 individuals worldwide have been diagnosed with COVID
~5.2 million people worldwide have died from COVID
More than 140,000 children in the United States have lost a primary or secondary caregiver (such as a mom, dad, or grandparent)
~115,000 healthcare workers have died from COVID
There has been a 20 percent increase in the number of cases of depression & an estimated 100,000 Americans died of a drug overdose in 2021 alone (record high)
More than 463 million children worldwide were unable to access remote learning (in 2020 alone) and experienced significant disruption to their education
~80 million children less than a year old (in 68 different countries) missed a vaccination appointment and may now be susceptible to vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, polio, and rotavirus (to name just a few)
Finally, it is estimated that 42 million Americans (that is 1 in 8 people), including 13 million children, are experiencing and will continue to experience food insecurity throughout the pandemic
These statistics are heartbreaking AND the pandemic is NOT over yet.
Less than two months after the first documented case of COVID-19 (which we commemorate today), on January 12, 2020, the (what we know call) SARS-CoV-2 virus was sequenced. With the virus sequenced, diagnostic tests for COVID-19 could be developed. And vaccine developers were able to begin vaccine clinical trials in April 2020. The first COVID vaccine was approved on December 11, 2020. And since then more than 442 million doses of vaccine have been administered.
On this 2nd anniversary of the first case of COVID, I think it is important to remember two things: (1) how much has been lost due to a virus that spreads easily, can be spread when an individual is asymptomatic (no symptoms), and when there is limit immunity (or none, as there was at the beginning of the pandemic); and (2) the work, innovations, policies, guidance, and strategies of the public health workforce can slow the spread of this disease. We need MAD RESPECT for public health.
Second anniversaries are often called the Cotton Anniversary, which symbolizes strength and comfort. As we mark this day as the second anniversary of the first report of a case of COVID-19, I ask you to do two things (in the spirit of the cotton anniversary) —
First, prioritize community health. You taking steps to decrease your exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus will improve the health of our community as a whole. Get vaccinated. Get your kids vaccinated. We are stronger together.
And second, grab your most-comfortable cotton mask and wear it to slow the spread of the virus in our community. Mask up!
good report, I see your reports every week and enjoy learning from them. Tell David I said hello from an old Master Gardener.