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Editorial: First shots bring optimism

Earlier this week, a long-term care worker in Powell River received a shot in the arm, becoming the first in the area to be injected with a COVID-19 vaccination. On the same day, the first shot was taken in the new NHL season.
Powell River Peak editorial
Powell River General Hospital pharmacist Martin Emig shows Pfizer vaccines that arrived in Powell River earlier this week. Contributed photo

Earlier this week, a long-term care worker in Powell River received a shot in the arm, becoming the first in the area to be injected with a COVID-19 vaccination. On the same day, the first shot was taken in the new NHL season.

Both events are cause for excitement, optimism and caution.

However long it takes for enough people to be vaccinated to attain herd immunity, coronavirus will continue to wreak havoc on sporting events, and on life in general.

As the closest NHL team to Powell River learned this week, COVID-19 will not lay down without a fight. Two players were unavailable for Vancouver Canucks’ first game of the 2020/2021 season, including their leading scoring from last season. J.T. Miller and Jordie Benn may miss several games while in quarantine, a scenario which has played out in Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NFL since those leagues restarted play.

Rollout of two approved COVID-19 vaccines continues across the country and throughout the province, too slowly for some, but hopefully just in time for the majority of people.

In the grand scheme of things, the first vaccine shot is more important than the first shot in a hockey game, but each provides relief in a different way. One will save lives, the other entertains and enriches lives, especially in Canada.

Many more shots in the arm are required before restarts at the professional level trickle down to amateurs and youth.

Who will take the next shot? Powell River Kings? Powell River Villa? Are high school sports next? What about culture and community events? Ah, to dream of the post-pandemic normal.

Which shot are you most looking forward to?

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