Two days ago I got my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. This was after almost 11 months of fighting Covid on the front lines.

Over these months, I have seen colleagues perish, patients become infected and leave us, families unable to be with their loved ones at the very end, battles over PPE, and so much more.

Along the way I’ve shared my thoughts and I’ve been a vocal critic of so much that we have all witnessed. Anti-maskers. Bungled federal government management of this pandemic. Science deniers.

And now, after all of it, all I can say is I am tired. My colleagues are tired. All of us in healthcare are exhausted. I wish that getting the vaccine was a sign of hope. Sadly, it is a reminder of how far we still have to go. Covid is spreading faster than ever. People are dying in greater numbers. Many are still refusing to follow the most basic protocols. And we didn’t even put together an effective plan to get these vaccines out. We are way behind where we need to be in getting shots in arms.

Over the holidays I even ended up getting hospitalized. (Non-covid related) During my time in hospital, I saw from the patient-side, the devastating impact this pandemic has had. Shortage of staff, no room to admit anyone, exhausted nurses and doctors.

So I write this today to urge everyone who might read it….we are not done. Not by a long shot. But we could be if everyone, and I mean everyone, would just follow the requested protocols, wear a mask, and respect one another. This could have all been over already. And those of us on the front lines are tired. We’re fed up. And we need more than signs and food deliveries. We need everyone to listen so that we too can be with our families and friends. And return to life as normal.

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