On the fifth day of Christmas… (warning – I mention COVID)

I am happy to announce that it’s so far so good for us here, under semi-lockdown with (most) stores closed in the area and all restaurants closed except for take-away.  I am surprised and pleased to have received an update from the women’s soccer coach at my alma mater, Macalester College, again giving physical proof to my family that I once played soccer on a college team. Ha! I am very happy to see blue sky, something that has been rather rare in Freienwil Switzerland of late.

But I am mostly thankful for positive changes, large and small on the global (geo-political) scene, as of late.  

And I have been doing some math, although the last real math class I took was in 1980:  maybe wearing a face mask is 70% effective if all people are wearing one (in the US it is recommended for anyone older than 2 years old, for children under 12 in Switzerland it is not considered necessary)- that’s a 30% risk, and everyone says staying home and staying away from people, especially in enclosed spaces is really what helps.  But we can’t social distance forever.  NOW enter the vaccine(s), and I see there is over a 90% success rate… and few reactions.  I, who have allergies, but also have diabetes 2 and am (almost) 60 will take the vaccine offered me, and gladly. ASAP  – Why?

Like wearing masks- it’s simple- for myself and self-protection, and for others and their protections (thus I can’t spread covid to them, hopefully).  It’s why I stay home, mostly - for others more than myself - as I feel rather safe where I go and how I comport myself (my hands are chapped and clean).  Yet, the vaccine has to be a measure you believe in for it to really work, in the sense, it needs a lot of people to get it, BUT so far, it’s not required to fly anywhere, AND it may be, soon...  

The other why for a vaccine for me comes from flying to see people I love: I have a sister who is over 65 and ill and a brother with diabetes, like me, and is over 65… and a sister-in-law and niece with cancer… and I want to visit them.  Immunization may be the only safe way for me to see family, who are all in the “covid danger zone”.  I cannot travel to them and see them without a vaccine - and I want to sleep well at night.

What about you?  Who do you need to protect? Yourself? Others who are sick or elderly?

This is not my usual cheery happy new year, happy 2021 blog.  But maybe if we all are doing our part, 2021 will be happy and- HEALTHY.

May you have a happy and very healthy 2021!

Patricia Jehle               patricia@jehle-coaching.com