COVID-19 took an entire year from the whole world. Since March 2020, many people have been stuck inside their homes throughout spring, summer, fall, and winter.
But, as vaccines against the illness are approved and start rolling out, there is renewed hope that, soon, the pandemic will end. Once again, people will be permitted to visit and spend time with their loved ones, eat at restaurants, and travel without fear that they will be infected.
People will be able to go outside again. However, when will it happen?
Looking Back to Summer 2020
Summer 2020 was pretty gloomy. Despite the warm weather and clear skies, no one was outdoors. There were people who, of course, defied shelter-at-home and went to the beach or had pool parties. However, most remained indoors to protect themselves from the still-spreading virus.
That is why a lot of people made the decision to have a pool constructed in their backyards. The custom pool contractors were busy last year thanks to the increased demand spurred by the pandemic and the restrictions made to control it.
Across the United States and Europe, demand for hot tubs and swimming pools increased significantly, making suppliers very busy. Some businesses said that, to respond to the demand, they had to hire more employees, add shifts, and do a lot of overtime work.
They were so booked that some businesses have contracts lined up until the end of 2021.
Herd Immunity Through Vaccination Starts to Kick In
Summer of 2020 was robbed away by COVID-19. No one knows exactly what will happen in the coming months, but many experts are optimistic that the situation will begin to look up soon.
In January 2021, the U.S. already started vaccinating healthcare workers and the vulnerable sector. Although the majority of the population does not have immunity from the virus yet, the impact of vaccination already started being apparent by February.
The daily positive cases are now on a sharp decline. The cases peaked at around 314,000 confirmed cases on Jan. 08, 2021. By Feb. 9, 2021, the number of new infections went down below the 100,000 mark. There are still a lot of people getting sick across the nation, but the worst has seemingly passed.
By March 2021, some experts believe that the vaccine will reach young and healthy Americans.
What Will Summer 2021 Look Like?
If the current rate of vaccinations and decline in new cases continue, there might be some semblance of normality by summer. At this point, herd immunity is not achieved yet. Likely, experts will recommend that the public continue wearing masks and social distancing.
However, more widespread testing, especially the use of at-home test kits, will further decrease the community transmission of COVID-19.
The movie theaters may reopen, but with reduced capacity and with face coverings still mandatory. Maybe rapid tests will be conducted at the door to ensure that carriers will not spread the virus to other patrons.
By mid-summer, more people will have received the vaccine. Bigger gatherings will be permitted if it is held outdoors. Being outdoors is relatively low-risk, and with the vulnerable sector of society vaccinated, weddings and other events will be safer.
Can People Finally Travel Abroad for Leisure?
Travel across borders was generally prohibited in 2020. Aside from a few countries that still accepted American tourists, the majority of those who fly to another country are doing so for work or to see their families.
Those who are itching to jump onto a plane and journey to a tropical location will have to wait longer. People who had swimming pools and hot tubs installed in their backyards will continue to get good use out of their investment.
According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, air travel restrictions will be eased slowly in the next several months. Although you would not have to wait until 75% of the population has been vaccinated, the situation outside of the U.S. is harder to predict. Many poorer nations have not even begun vaccinating. Some places will not likely reopen to American tourists for a while until locals have been inoculated.
But, for the state-to-state movement, there will be more freedom as more people get their vaccine.
Expect life will continue to be out of the ordinary for several more months but the beginning of the vaccination campaign across the nation does offer a light at the end of the tunnel. Yes, there will still be restrictions through spring, summer, and likely up to fall and winter. However, as Americans sprint toward herd immunity through vaccination, the pandemic is assured to end at some point in the near future.