I tend to be someone who gets pretty involved in a topic if it worries me. I was never very political before COVID-19, and I rarely ever kept up with the news, but nowadays, I tend to check the current situation of the pandemic once or twice every day. I’m sure a lot of people are the same. We’re all pretty sick and tired of this virus, and I think I can safely speak for everyone when I say we’re ready for it to be over.

Recently, I read an article in the news about how, despite vaccines rolling out pretty quickly and effectively across the United States, the pandemic could still be with us for a long while, and as a result,  could mean social distancing and mask-wearing could stick around for some time still. It’s kind of disheartening news, especially when  vaccines seemed to signal a finale to the events of the last year. Nevertheless, it was quoted from Dr. Anthony Fauci himself, and like a lot of other Americans, I see him as the final say in the pandemic. 

It’s frustrating, then, to speak to people around me who also claim to believe Dr. Fauci, and still decide that his words can’t quite be right because logically, once vaccines are out, the pandemic is over for me, right? I can go back to living my own life, and everyone else who hasn’t gotten the vaccine can shelter in place and hope they live to see their moment of truth.

Beyond that, the argument always comes with the idea that we can’t live like this forever, shuttered away from the rest of the world, because hey, we still need to party and meet new people. As soon as I get that vaccine, game over, and I’ll see you suckers at the finish line.

I want this to be over as much as the next guy, but I’m not the most educated person when it comes to deadly viruses, antibodies, or vaccines, and neither is most of the American population. The logic in my head says that the end of the pandemic comes with vaccination, too. Perhaps I’m just reading it wrong, but the fact of the matter is that I don’t know better, and I’m not going to pretend I do. I’m ready for this disease to die, but it’s too shallow to believe that it’s over when I say it’s over. Until I’m told otherwise, I’ll shut my mouth and grind through this, and so should you. You don’t know any better either.