As we close the books on 2021 and prepare to move forward into the new year it’s time to take stock of the past 365 days and plan for 2022. This past year was dominated again by a global pandemic that continues to expose vulnerabilities in populations, healthcare systems, and socio-cultural equity. Cumulatively there has been over ~281.8mn COVID-19 cases worldwide including ~5.4mn deaths, with a fourth wave currently underway lead by the new Omicron variant.
Despite new rapidly accelerating infection rates and inequalities in global vaccine distribution, significant progress has been made with a total of ~8.68bn vaccination dosses administered worldwide to date (WHO, Dec. 28th, 2021). This is tentatively resulting in seemingly flatter hospitalization and ICU rates including hopefully lower death rates. While COVID-19 has brought out some of the worst fears and insecurities in people, it has also brought out the best in social responsibility, human ingenuity, and resilience of human spirt which has enabled us to push through what is hopefully the worst. Time will tell.
During 2021 the world also gained renewed awareness over intolerable social inequities that were further brought into focus by the lock down. For similar reasons climate change engagement has also gained significant traction further spurred on by alarming rates in new droughts, fires, floods, and other natural disasters resulting in immense human causalities and economic loss. A new flagship study was published in The Lancet Planetary Health earlier mid-year that attributes over 5mn deaths annually as a result of global climate charge and abnormal temperatures both hot and cold (1).
Going into 2022 we know that things will not be the same. They never are according to Greek philosopher Heraclitus. But there is yet another undeniable constant and that is the unbreakable resilience and optimism of the human spirt. You have a contributing part to play in the next chapter and it is entirely up to you how it unfolds. A good place to begin is with proper goal setting and planning backed by a commitment to live each moment of your life to its fullest with passion, discipline, positivity and kindness!
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DEC
2021