As the Allied Forces, including American troops, advanced into Germany near the end of the War in Europe during World War II, the US Troops realized, “Don’t get killed now!”.
Many soldiers, like those the 501st Division of the 101st Airborne of the US Army, had been in many battles from D Day on, for many years fighting against a fierce, well trained and well equipped Nazi Army. Those US soldiers made famous by the book, and HBO series, “Band of Brothers”, had seen too way many of their fellow soldiers killed and maimed in battle. As they began to realize that the end of their war may be months, to weeks away, they suddenly knew that they could actually survive that seemingly endless War. And that they didn’t want to die now. The end of the War was near. And resumption of a normal life at home was in sight.
Somehow that is how we feel now. That an end of this Pandemic is in sight. We just have to avoid getting sick now. Keep up our immunity regimen, washing our hands, avoid sick people, give ourselves some distance from others, and wear a mask in enclosed public places.
There are currently 2 vaccines approved and being given in the US. The 3rd vaccine, by AstraZeneca, has been used for months in Europe, and should be approved in the US very soon. A 4th, by Johnson & Johnson is close also. That is a one dose vaccine. Also Johnson & Johnson is a massive manufacturer of medical related products, and once approved, should be able to produce and distribute their vaccine in large quantities.
Of course there are frustrations. Before the new White House administration was even sworn in, 36 million doses of vaccine had been given from the Federal Government to the states, and only 17 million of those doses had been given to people by those states.
North Carolina was the lowest/slowest in giving out vaccines in the US. They are being distributed through the local county health departments and many local RNs in Buncombe County are unable to get vaccinated. There is some movement in NC to move to large inoculation sites which should speed up the process.
Georgia and Florida have been giving vaccines through pharmacies which are moving much faster. (Free Enterprises vs Government Red Tape?). The Governor of West Virginia got the vaccine out the fastest in the country by using the National Guard from day 1. Hopefully other states will follow that lead and move the vaccine out quicker.
Regardless. There are vaccines that work. People are creative and resilient. They will find ways to push through the opening inefficiency of the Federal and state governments to get the life saving vaccine to the people of America. As other countries have done.
As Andy Dufresne said in “The Shawshank Redemption”, “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies.”
Our Hope has brought us to the edge of crossing over the bridge past this Pandemic. Our courage and determination will bring us the rest of the way “Home.”
Hang in There!
At the Law Firm of Steven Andrew Jackson, Attorney and Counsellor at Law, we have helped hundreds of families protect themselves and their loved ones, avoid Estate Taxes and Probate Costs, and keep their Estate Plans current with the law through The Customized Protective Estate Planning Solution™.