A corner turned... but fight is not over

WE MIGHT just be on the cusp of seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of the coronovirus pandemic.

The approval of a vaccine to be rolled out across the UK is welcome news in what has been a very tough year for everyone.

Wales and the rest of the UK becomes the first in the world to approve a jab from Pfizer and BioNTech.

There are still a number of stages required before people begin to receive the jabs but this process is expected to happen over the next week, the Welsh Government said.

However, as with every step and challenge presented by Covid-19, we must proceed sensibly.

Naturally, those on the frontline in the NHS and the most vulnerable will get access first.

The biggest concern coming out of the announcement is that in practical terms care homes in Wales will not be able to get the vaccine during this initial roll out – despite being high on the priority list.

Scientists are working on a solution to deliver the vaccine to care homes but face the obstacle of how to keep it stored at the required -70C (-94F).

After the most vulnerable in society, the elderly and those younger age groups with chronic conditions and weakened immune systems will be next in line – ultimately followed by everyone else.

While of course it is good news that the struggle against Covid has turned a corner, we cannot take our hands off the reins just yet.

This is where, once again, we the population must continue to play our part.

With the roll out of vaccines expected to take several months, we can expect restrictions on our lives to remain in place.

What this will mean is that social distancing, handwashing and wearing masks in shops will all still be part of everyday life for the forseeable future.

And it’s that future we are all protecting by sticking to the rules and doing our best.

If we can hang on a little longer, as tough as this has all been, if we can just pull together then we will get through this.

Living through a global pandemic is something no-one thought we would have to endure this time last year.

Our lives have been turned upside down.

But think of yourself somewhere down the road, when you pull a face mask out of a forgotten coat pocket and think, “I did it, we did it, we all played our part.”