THE ROAD HOME

Looking back – and looking ahead – at the deadly pandemic that changed our lives forever

COVID HEROIC OUTREACH VACCINE HARD TIMES UNCERTAINTY OPTIMISTIC

“Regardless of what is going on in the world

... we still come here every day to do what we can do to make a difference in people’s lives.” James Myers, interventional technologist in the Yale New Haven Health Heart and

Vascular Center — “We cannot continue to operate our health care systems with overflowing ICUs and burned-out health care providers. 2021 will bring tough choices.” Summer Johnson McGee, dean of the School of Health Sciences, University of

New Haven and the university’s COVID coordinator — “They’re just nervous because it’s a new vaccine, it’s new technology, or they’re young and healthy and [believe] they’re not going to get it.” Dr. Michael Parry, head of infectious diseases at Stamford Health — “We really have stepped up; we are quite a team and we just stick together. We’ve had hard times, we helped each other out, we do take it to heart.” Danielle Jeffery, a nurse in the Yale New Haven Hospital Heart and Vascular Center — “It was a very difficult time in 2020. As a small business, we really had to go back to the drawing board and adapt.” Jared Greenman, owner of Funky Monkey Toys & Books in Greenwich — “During this unprecedented time of uncertainty, parents and families have turned to toys for entertainment, distraction and joy. The pandemic clearly had a positive impact on toy sales in the second quarter and third quarter.” Juli Lennett, the toy industry adviser for the NPD Group — “We have had to take a very negative situation and try to see if we can make it positive. We’re hoping we definitely take another look at what school looks like. It doesn’t have to look the same way anymore. Everything else has evolved and maybe this is the time to say we have to evolve.” Ansonia Superintendent of Schools Joseph DiBacco — “It is not an overstatement to sum up this past year as one of extremes and unprecedented times — for all of us. Throughout Fairfield County, our state and our nation, we were all thrust into crisis mode and had to pivot to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and the urgent needs that surfaced.” Juanita James, Fairfield County’s Comand munity Foundation president CEO — “Usually, a train station like that funds itself and the parking at the train station makes a profit annually, and that profit supports the maintenance there. But this year is the first time under our management that the station has not turned a profit.” Doug Hausladen, executive director of the New Haven parking authe thority — “Now with vaccines coming out, we’re absolutely very optimistic that people will be coming back to downtown Bridgeport and life will continue on.” Steve Auerbach, Bridgeport’s director of parking and enforcement — “We service three to five sites open for breakfast and lunch, and certain students go to certain sites. I see that continuing in the future as well. It’s more collegial, less dense, more social.” – Kevin McGinn, senior director of special projects for Norwalk Public Schools’ dining services company — “There’s a huge distrust of the healthcare system overall. You have a vaccine that seems like it's created quickly and people are concerned. There’s a huge amount of hesitancy within the Black and brown community to take the COVID-19 vaccine.” Tiffany Donelson, president and CEO of Connecticut Health Foundation — “COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted communities of color here in Connecticut and across the country. Outreach to those communities to discuss the COVID vaccine … and encourage those community members to get the vaccine when they are eligible is a high priority for DPH.” Maura Fitzgerald, heads communications for the state — “I think the big question for these companies is, ... how do we improve our corporate culture to attract and retain the best [people] when we don’t get to put our eyes on them every day?” Jim Fagan, executive managing director in the Stamford office of commercial real estate brokerage firm Cushman & Wakefield — “We developed [it] in months. It’s time to use it for the better of humanity.” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla on the COVID-19 vaccine — “The pandemic is an opportunity. A number of teams have been trying to do this for years. In baseball, one of the things that has been hindering their growth in this space is that the average fan for

Major League Baseball is the mid-50s. Some people aren’t as technologically savvy as others ... But I think this gives them the opportunity to try and do this.” University of New Haven sports management professor Gil Fried, talking about changes coming to stadiums — “Just being able to look at a kid and talk and joke with them. As great as technology has been, it’s just nothing like the real thing.” Brookfield athletic director Steve Baldwin