. . . By Hugh O’Brian
The year 2020 has been among the most dramatic year in most people’s lives. It certainly has been for me, with the global coronavirus spread and resulting Covid deaths and illnesses dominating both the year and the world like no other phenomenon ever before. I am enormously thankful that my immediate family and I have not been directly impacted in any major negative way. We have been lucky so far, and we have been careful. But you never know when Covid may strike and how hard.
For many people, the story has been much different. As of early January 2021 there have been more than 1.8 million deaths, so far, globally. And 84 million Covid cases. By far the elderly and poor have suffered worst, due to their frailty and difficulty accessing proper medical care.
The tens of thousands of brave and hardworking healthcare workers who have worked tirelessly certainly deserve enormous praise for what they have done. Next time you meet one, take a moment to thank them.
At the same time, besides death and hospitalizations, dozens of industries and business sectors have been devastated. Travel in all forms, hotels, restaurants, entertainment, and many other businesses have been hard hit.
Tissue has more or less escaped
While Covid and its side effects have resulted in disaster for many people and industries, the impact on the tissue business has not been overly noticeable. What continues to be noticeable, as the second wave of Covid raised its ugly head in the past few months, is that tissue paper products are an indispensable part of everybody’s lives for maintaining high levels of human hygiene. For that we can be thankful.
Let’s hope that as 2021 begins and the various vaccines are being rolled out around the world, that we are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. I am an optimist and therefore want to believe that the beginning of the end for Covid is just around the corner. Let’s hope I am right!
Best wishes for a healthy, happy and positive 2021!
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