This is *** vlog editorial. Five years ago this week, Governor Reynolds issued her first COVID-19 proclamation. Up to this point, many of us here in Iowa watched the pandemic's impact in other parts of the country and world, but now it was here in our communities, and soon life changed for all of us. Streets, shops, and schools emptied. Collectively we felt fear, confusion, and uncertainty, but we also felt unity in those first weeks we faced isolation. And lost loved ones at times grief was overwhelming. Yet we collectively showed unparalleled resilience. Messages of love through windows and virtual support connected us like never before. I'm sure you have your own memories of the early days of COVID-19. On my phone, I have *** photo of *** group of doctors sitting right here together in this studio on March 11, 2020 answering viewers' calls about the threat. *** week later we separated essential team members and had non-essential team members work from home. It would be 18 months until we had people sitting as close together in the studio as those doctors had that day in March 2020. The pandemic accelerated technology and medical breakthroughs. It also revealed inequities and created new divisions, but it reminded us of what matters human connection. Today, as we gather in classrooms, workplaces, and homes, we balance the gifts of technology with the irreplaceable value of face to face interaction. COVID-19 tested us, but humanity endured. Let's carry forward the lessons of courage, connection, and hope, though the pandemic marked history. It also reminded us of the enduring strength of the human spirit. Let's never forget. vlog welcomes responsible replies to this editorial.
Editorial: Let's not forget the lessons we learned from pandemic
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Updated: 5:25 PM CDT Mar 21, 2025
Five years ago this week, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued her first COVID-19 proclamation. Up to that point, many of us here watched the pandemic’s impact in other parts of the country and world. But now it was here in our communities, and soon, life changed for all of us. Streets, shops and schools emptied. Collectively we felt fear, confusion and uncertainty. But we also felt unity. In those first weeks, we faced isolation and lost loved ones. At times grief was overwhelming, yet we collectively showed unparalleled resilience. Messages of love through windows and virtual support connected us like never before. I’m sure you have your own memories of the early days of COVID-19. On my phone I have a photo of a group of doctors sitting together in our studio on March 11, 2020, answering viewers’ calls about the threat. A week later, we separated essential team members and had non-essential team members work from home. It would be 18 months until we had people sitting as close together in our studio as those doctors had that day in March 2020.The pandemic accelerated technology and medical breakthroughs. It also revealed inequities and created new divisions. But it reminded us of what matters — human connection. Today, as we gather in classrooms, workplaces, and homes, we balance the gifts of technology with the irreplaceable value of personal interaction.COVID-19 tested us, but humanity endured. Let’s carry forward the lessons of courage, connection and hope. Though the pandemic marked history, it also reminded us of the enduring strength of the human spirit. Let’s never forget.
Five years ago this week, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued her first COVID-19 proclamation. Up to that point, many of us here watched the pandemic’s impact in other parts of the country and world. But now it was here in our communities, and soon, life changed for all of us. Streets, shops and schools emptied. Collectively we felt fear, confusion and uncertainty. But we also felt unity. In those first weeks, we faced isolation and lost loved ones. At times grief was overwhelming, yet we collectively showed unparalleled resilience. Messages of love through windows and virtual support connected us like never before.
I’m sure you have your own memories of the early days of COVID-19. On my phone I have a photo of a group of doctors sitting together in our studio on March 11, 2020, answering viewers’ calls about the threat. A week later, we separated essential team members and had non-essential team members work from home. It would be 18 months until we had people sitting as close together in our studio as those doctors had that day in March 2020.
The pandemic accelerated technology and medical breakthroughs. It also revealed inequities and created new divisions. But it reminded us of what matters — human connection. Today, as we gather in classrooms, workplaces, and homes, we balance the gifts of technology with the irreplaceable value of personal interaction.
COVID-19 tested us, but humanity endured. Let’s carry forward the lessons of courage, connection and hope. Though the pandemic marked history, it also reminded us of the enduring strength of the human spirit. Let’s never forget.
