Covid marked its 5th anniversary recently.

It’s a sad occasion, one we’d rather forget. But we shouldn’t forget. We should reflect and learn.

I’m afraid we won’t.

Five years and millions of lives later, vaccines are on the ropes, trust in government is virtually non-existent and overseas monitoring of future pandemics is said to be at risk thanks to government cuts.

But all that noise aside, there are many lessons we should be taking away from our Covid experience among them: working remotely for extended periods of time does harm to our social networks, downtown economies and company culture.

Also, closing schools for extended periods of time has a big impact on children’s social and educational development.

We should also learn that messaging around vaccines must be done carefully.

It turns out mRNA vaccines provide meaningful protection but don’t provide guarantees against infection.

One would also hope that medical supplies would be shored up and that we would have learned some lessons about supply chains and the importance of essential workers.

Are you confident that we have?

One takeaway I have is that “medical infrastructure “is a real thing and an essential piece of a resilient community.

We need top notch healthcare professionals, great emergency medical services and best in class hospitals.

Community leaders should be running SWOT (strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analyses on a regular basis to ensure that we are ready.

Some public health doctors fear that Covid has called into question whether “health is a collective endeavor, a public good at all,” according to Siddhartha Mukherjee, a physician.

“The deeper message is that we’re all on our own, fighting our private battles,” he wrote in the New York Times recently. “I fear we will come to regret it.”

We will.

Meanwhile, Florida is suffering from a shortage of nurses, and I can personally attest from my own experience as a Covid patient that nurses made all the difference in my recovery and I’m sure that of others. They are the unsung heroes of our medical system doing the dirty work in the trenches that save lives.

Sometimes I find it hard to believe that its been five years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. In some ways it feels like a lifetime ago. In other ways, Covid has never left us. It has never left me. I’m just not the same after my 39-day stint at Bethesda Hospital.

Few could have predicted its lasting economic and social transformation. Half a decade later, the world economy bears lasting scars. According to news sources, government debt has increased 12 percent globally and labor markets have been fundamentally altered.

Scientists are only now discovering the lasting impacts of the virus with “long COVID “ impacting cognitive function, cardiovascular systems, lung health and gut health.

I’m particularly concerned about recent cuts to the National Institutes of Health and USAID.

While there is no doubt that we need to cut spending (and increase growth) and weed out waste, fraud and abuse it’s pennywise and pound foolish to cut spending that may help prevent or mitigate the next global health threat.

Perhaps philanthropy will step up their already Herculean efforts in this space, but government has a role. These are investments not sunk costs.

“Move fast and break things” may work in Silicon Valley but it’s no way to run a railroad or a government. Strategic thinking and the use of a scalpel not a wrecking ball is a better way forward.

We have a choice: political and economic turmoil or innovation and progress.

It’s an either or proposition, you can’t have both.

Saying goodbye to a local news legend

Long time WPTV Channel 5 anchor Michael Williams retired recently.

I consider Michael a friend and I’m happy for him and his family.

Michael enjoyed an amazing career in local broadcasting and leaves with a stellar reputation and an amazing body of work.

When I reached out to congratulate him on his retirement and thank him for his fine career, I was pleased to learn that he will be launching a podcast soon.

That means he will be continuing to tell stories and keep us informed as nobody else can. Michael’s attention to detail,  his cool under pressure and deep experience will be missed on TV, but listeners will benefit from his voice soon.

Remembering Fred Stolle

I’ve been remiss in not commenting on the passing of tennis Hall of Famer Fred Stolle who passed recently.

The Australian great who was adept at both singles and doubles served as honorary tournament chair of the Delray Open for many years. I got to know him in that capacity and once spent a memorable evening watching the matches with him.

Fred was a tennis encyclopedia and a keen analyst of the sport. He not only explained to me what was happening but what was going to happen. His theory: whoever won game 7 in a set would ultimately take that set. I haven’t watched tennis the same ever since.

A kind and affable Aussie, Fred Stolle was a true legend. Just another amazing character who touched our community in an unforgettable way.

Coco launches A Shoe

Speaking of tennis, please check out the advertisement for the New Balance Coco Gauff Delray tennis shoe. It’s amazing and available on YouTube. Here’s a link. https://youtu.be/g8BpIuS3bjI?si=YIKi5QwS_aFJ-pro

Our friend Yvonne Odom and Delray itself features prominently in the ad. It’s a classic.

Remembering a special philanthropist

Last week, Lynn University announced the passing of Elaine J. Wold, a cherished member of the Lynn University family. As a philanthropist whose generosity touched many, Elaine’s legacy included the creation of the Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center—she also founded “Elaine’s Musical Treat,” a theater program connecting Lynn students and acclaimed actors.

Elaine’s commitment extended to healthcare, supporting Boca Raton Regional Hospital and numerous local organizations. In 2014, she received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Lynn. Elaine’s kindness, grace, and vision will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Our condolences to her family and friends.

Remembering Kitty Dukakis

For a few years in the 90s, Michael Dukakis and his wife Kitty spent their winters in Delray Beach.

The former Massachusetts governor and 1988 Democratic (and it’s Democratic not Democrat party) presidential nominee taught classes at FAU and could be seen jogging on George Bush Boulevard. He also spoke at several political and civic club events.

His wife Kitty volunteered her time at recovery facilities in Delray.

I had the privilege of getting to know Gov. Dukakis well. He was extremely interested in our community policing efforts and we went on a few ride-alongs together. I found him to be kind and very intelligent.

I met Mrs. Dukakis once or twice. She was also nice and devoted to helping people in recovery.

Mrs. Dukakis died last week in Brookline, Mass.

She was a dedicated volunteer and was extremely transparent about her struggles with diet pills and alcohol. Her positive example served as an inspiration for a generation of people who shared similar struggles.

She will be remembered fondly by those whose lives she touched.

Jesse Colin Young

Get Together

We suffered another loss with the death of music legend Jesse Colin Young recently.

Mr. Young enjoyed a long career and will be remembered for the classic song “Get Together” which was released by The Youngbloods.

A few years back, when we owned the Delray and Boca Newspaper, I had a chance to interview Mr. Young prior to his show at the Funky Biscuit in Boca.

He was a delight.

Here’s what he had to say about “Get Together.”

May he rest in peace.