After 21 months of pandemic, we are in a different mindset. We should not be talking about normal because remembering what normal looked like is getting difficult. Instead we should be looking at how our lives can maintain socialization with friends and family, how we can do work and school feeling part of each community, how we can get out and about, and doing it all safely.

In the same way we all wear seatbelts in cars, not because we think we are going to be in a crash, but because it has become a way of life, the same has to be said about other areas of our lives. We have to weigh up what our priorities are and then work out the best way to do them. Last holiday season was for zoom, is this one for flying across the country? Or is it for driving for a couple of hours to stay with family? The answer will be different for everyone of course, but nobody will be making the decision lightly.

The fact that from earlier in November the US opened borders to non-citizens, there will be those visiting from overseas. Grandparents are arriving to see toddling new grandchildren, extended family will be coming to meet new significant others, and family ties being reunited will cause different attitudes and adjustments. However, I am of the opinion that what is right for one family may cause problems for others and this is just something we have to be prepared for.

Infectious diseases is a persistent risk. Covid is just the one risk we are currently paying attention to. Unknown risks will always present themselves and we need to be prepared, which means hospitals need to reverse their trend of minimizing empty beds (ie "surge capacity" aka non-revenue-generating overhead) in order to maximize profitability.

Every time a mass event occurs hospitals send around patients and set up temporary beds in hallways and parking lots. (And covid doesn't even count as unexpected any more.)

Healthcare facilities here are not prepared for the next major earthquake, for example. It's going to be awful.

The healthcare business needs more scrutiny -- it needs to be more focused on providing care and adequately compensating healthcare professionals, and less on providing returns.