2021 is finally here and while it has been an absolute relief to rid of the disaster that was the year 2020, the new year does not necessarily bring with it solely sunshine and rainbows.

Unfortunately COVID-19 did not pull a Cinderella and fade into nothingness at the strike of midnight as countries and their economies are still crumbling under the effects of the pandemic with cases reaching all-time highs in various countries around the world. It is not the time to relax and ignore measures issued by the Health Authorities as the fate of the world rests in our hands, literally. Here are the facts.

Vaccines

Governing bodies around the world have approved, authorised and begun distribution of some form of coronavirus vaccine. The European Union had started vaccinations in late December and has only authorised the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine but plans to approve a vaccine ‘in the coming hours’, as reported by European Council chief Charles Michel. In the UK, more than 1.3million citizens have been vaccinated so far with Israel leading in vaccination roll-outs. Israel has been vaccinating at such a quick rate that they are actually running out of vaccines, as reported by The Washington Post. Malta seem to be performing rather well as they place rather high in a table of vaccinations per 100 people.

Today the first Europeans are getting vaccinated against #COVID19. I'm touched to see people taking the vaccine everywhere across the EU. From Madrid to Paris, Athens to Riga.

First we protect the more vulnerable. Soon we’ll have enough doses for all of us. #EUvaccinationdays pic.twitter.com/51qUo9yKzI

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) December 27, 2020

Lockdowns

However, that didn’t stop them from heading into lockdown as Prime Minister Netanyahu announces a state of emergency as the country enters their third national lockdown. Several countries are following suit in the early days of 2021 with COVID-19 cases in the United States and the United Kingdom reaching record-high numbers. Elsewhere, countries like Germany have extended their lockdown and tightened restrictions, with Germany itself imposing measures such as travel bans, private meeting limits and subjecting travellers from high-risk areas to double-testing with a mandatory five-day quarantine period.

Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives. pic.twitter.com/PUN79POzAw

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) January 4, 2021

Events and Cancellations

Events worldwide are once again being postponed due to an international surge in cases with governing bodies monitoring the COVID-19 situation going forward. The UK House of Commons is currently carrying out an inquiry into the viability of summer events as large-scale festivals like Glastonbury hang by a thread, following confusion and controversy regarding the cancellation of its 2021 event. Here in Malta, multiple events were cancelled or postponed with authorities anticipating an alleged ‘return to normality’ by May of this year.

Why are we saying this?

Negative as it may seem, all of this information points to one thing: WE CANNOT LET OUR GUARD DOWN. Not only is the pandemic alive but it is booming and we must do everything in our power to control the spread. That means following any measures issued by the health authorities, maintaining our distance, sanitising frequently and sticking to the protocol.

2021 could still be the year, it’s up to us.