I’m sure most of you are like me. Multiple times each day, something triggers my memory and takes me back to 2020 and the pandemic.
The first weeks are especially etched in my mind. The fear, the uncertainty and even the anger stirred by COVID-19 were palpable. Trips were cancelled, jobs were lost and lives were changed — we know that story well by now.
But what we may never truly know is how COVID-19 started and how effective the protective measures that were put into place were.
The political theater in Washington last week only adds fuel to the fire. Sen. Rand Paul has targeted Dr. Anthony Fauci for years. It’s hard to fault Fauci for invoking the Fifth Amendment and refusing to answer a series of biased questions about the COVID-19 response. Yet it also leaves the door open for continued suspicion about the pandemic.
Objectively, there’s nothing wrong with being curious. The problem is that COVID, like so many other issues of our time, has been so hijacked by politics that it’s almost impossible to have a meaningful conversation about the pandemic.
People are married to their opinions on the topic and there’s little room for debate. We either believe the vaccinations worked, or we don’t. We believe the government was telling us the truth about the virus, or we don’t. We believe medical experts, or we don’t.
But life isn’t always one way or the other.
I’ve always felt a good journalist has a natural skepticism of authority. Our job is to question the powers that be. During the pandemic, some of us lost that edge. There’s nothing wrong with admitting it. Journalists should also be honest — our job is to tell the truth. We were reporting on a phenomenon none of us had ever experienced. We were also worried about our own health at the time.
That isn’t to suggest that the government was lying to us, or that Fauci was part of some deep, dark conspiracy. Government officials aren’t always right, but getting politicians to admit they’re wrong happens about as frequently as a pandemic. That’s why the media can’t take statements at face value.
I’m quite sure some of the decision-makers during the pandemic have regrets. As humans, we should be more accepting of imperfection.
It seemed that most officials were trying to do what they believed was best. They were attempting to protect people as thousands died from the illness. Did masks save lives? Did the vaccinations work as intended? Should funeral homes and churches have been closed? Were some businesses targeted unfairly? It depends on who you ask. Hindsight is 20/20.
Journalists should also want the truth, even if it differs from our original perceptions and reporting. People have a right to know what really happened during the pandemic, and their best option for garnering that knowledge is through journalism.
Though COVID has become an afterthought as an illness, the pandemic’s effect is still prevalent. It changed our work habits, our social skills and how we view medical advice. It also furthered the divide in this country.
Wednesday’s Senate committee hearing did nothing to quell that division. Maybe that should be our focus. Instead of obsessing over decisions made during an emergency, we should reflect on our intentions and actions.
Our country survived COVID, but it’s slowly dying from the self-inflicted disease of hate. We don’t trust each other. We cheer for the demise of those we don’t agree with. We are experts and are unwilling to consider opposing beliefs.
It’s much easier to verify where those illnesses began. Social media, prejudice and blind political loyalty have our country ailing. There’s also a vaccine, but it’s not a one-time jab. We must be tolerant, courageous and empathetic.
If we don’t change, the pandemic will look like a walk in the park compared to what could lie ahead.