Life After the COVID-19 Pandemic
While we are all weary of this pandemic and the associated restrictions on our day-to-day lives, we can’t relax quite yet. There are only limited quantities of the vaccine available at present, and until it becomes widely available we have to maintain current precautions. Leadership at Ellsworth Air Force Base have not loosened restrictions, including the wear of masks in local businesses and prohibiting gatherings of more than 14 people.
The good news is the first rounds of the COVID-19 vaccine are being distributed around the world, and South Dakota has already begun vaccinating front-line health workers. Our Civil Air Patrol, the US Air Force’s auxiliary service, has been aiding the Department of Health in distributing the vaccine to more rural areas of the state.
All of this means we can start to look to the future with optimism and hope. There’s a lot to reflect on from this past year, but we can focus on the positive changes we’ve gone through. Many of us have had to drastically change our lifestyles, but some of it may be for the better. Not being able to visit restaurants has forced many of us to learn more cooking skills, which can lead to a healthier lifestyle overall. Same goes for finding new hobbies such as hiking or biking when our usual indoor pursuits were shut down. Finding the silver lining in everything that has happened this past year can make its impact less negative, and help springboard you into 2021.
There is something to be said for the lasting, lingering effects of this whole ordeal. It will take us a while to get back to normal, and it won’t happen overnight. If your mental health has been negatively affected by the restrictions, or you just need someone to talk to, help is available. Here are a couple base resources if you’re in need:
Military Family Life Counselors
There’s hope that the vaccine will be widely available in the spring, which means we might be able to have a more normal summer. Until then, we hope everyone stays healthy and safe, and we look forward to sharing all the Black Hills community has to offer with our family at Ellsworth.