Hopeful and thankful for COVID-19 vaccines

Our nation's history contains many examples of overcoming challenges through hard work, sacrifice and unity.

In the 20th century alone, we helped defeat the Axis powers in World War II, we put a man on the moon, and we beat polio.

As we stand one-fith of the way through the 21st century, we hope we face no greater threat than we have faced with COVID-19. This "invisible enemy" has taken 300,000 of our fellow Americans, and that number will continue to grow for some time. Beyond the death toll, this coronavirus has taken something else from us, less tangible and less important than life but important nonetheless -- our way of life.

After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, we said we would not let the attacks change our way of life. Doing so would be to let the terrorists "win." Today, as we smile at each other from behind masks and accept new ways of attending church services, gathering with family and friends and wash our hands umpteeen times a day, we are adjusting to our new normal.

Will it always be thus?

We may have seen the beginning of an answer to that question this week.

And those noises you heard were cheers coming from freight terminals and loading docks around the country as workers celebrated the first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine heading toward health care workers. Then, Wednesday, the cheers were close to home as the first nurses and doctors in our region received their first doses of the vaccine.

These are the first steps toward vaccines ultimately being available to us all and, as some have said, the end of this pandemic that has altered our lives in ways large and small.

Many people deserve praise for shepherding this response. Let's name three.

The Trump administration engaged Operation Warp Speed with the sole purpose of developing a vaccine to stop COVID-19. We stand on the cusp of having four viable vaccines to fight the virus -- less than a year later. The administration eliminated regulatory hurdles while ensuring the safety and efficacy of the vaccines and devoted the necessary resources to the effort.

In recent years, "Big Pharma" has often been a target. The pharmaceutical companies have been lambasted for profiteering at the expense of affordable drugs for Americans. But in 2020, some of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies answered the world's call. Pfizer, Moderna, Johson & Johnson and AstraZenaca have led the way in developing COVID-19 vaccines. If 2021 becomes the year the world fought back against this virus, it will be because of the men and women at those companies and the fine work they performed in an incredibly short time.

But developing a vaccine and creating hundreds of millions of doses of it wouldn't mean much without the infrastructure to get the vaccine to the people. That's where others in the private sector -- UPS, FedEx, CVS, Walgreens and a host of other pharmacies and health care institutions -- have banded together to serve as a modern-day cavalry. These organizations have pledged to deliver the vaccines and are doing so as we speak. Godspeed.

We have some dark months ahead, no doubt. Many more of our family, friends and neighbors will succomb to this coronavirus. But ... as we end this most terrible year and turn the page to 2021, we are hopeful.

And thankful.