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Are you in touch with family or friends in other parts of the country, or other parts of the world? If so, talk about how the pandemic has been affecting them.

We are in touch with family and friends throughout the country. Our grandson who moved to Seattle limits himself to his small pod of friends rather than exploring this new area. Our grandson in Denver is able to enjoy hiking or skiing, but he limits his exposure to others. Happily he has made some friends from work. Our friend in Texas has just received the vaccine. As a person who lives alone, she has learned during pandemic self-isolation that she wants to move from her home to a senior community for more opportunity for social interaction. She has been unable to explore options due to COVID restrictions. Our friends in Georgia feel excited by a drive-thru trip to Starbucks. Our grandchildren in Virginia have not been in school since March; they've added a pandemic puppy to their lives. Our friends with a second home on Block Island have been limiting their visits due to COVID restrictions and frightening infection rates. The list can go on, but the theme remains the same. Friends and family have stepped back from all that was 'normal' in order to protect themselves and others. Life has been put on hold. We're somewhat like the movie Groundhog Day - each day is the same as the one before and will continue to be the same tomorrow. Acute became chronic, and chronic is not fun. Vaccines offer hope, and hope is what we need.