Since the end of 2019, this novel coronavirus pandemic has encircled the globe. This COVID-19 has been so bad, it has made people sick around the world now into the year 2021. People are still getting sick, even more so during this cold weather. And it’s getting worse for people around the world. And some doctors and scientists have said it’s going to get even worse before it gets better.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are authorized in the U.S., could work against this disease and the new mutations of this virus. It sure would be using good mental fortitude that we would not put ourselves in harm’s way and give ourselves an unnecessary hardship for catching this awful coronavirus. So it is important that we all continue to wear our masks at all times and continue to wash our hands and social distance during this bad time. We all know this, too, shall pass.
And I look forward to visiting the Asheville area again after the pandemic is over. And I am hurt by all the numbers of people who have died and were sickened by this contagious disease in Western North Carolina. But if we all continue to stay careful, we could stay out of harm’s way from this terrible world pandemic and plague.
— Steven Hawkins
Greenville, S.C.
Editor’s note: Hawkins notes that previous letters to the editor he’s written have been collected in the book Letters from South Carolina.
Stay well and we look forward to seeing you in Asheville someday soon!
Thank you so much for taking time to write this Steven! We welcome you to Asheville and are also saddened by the number of people that have lost their lives to COVID. Stay well and keep being the amazing human that you are! <3