Pandemic, Week 45 (Welcoming #46)

Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. became the 46th President of the United States this week. It was a different kind of inauguration – with a lot more National Guard due to the recent insurrection, and a lot fewer people due to the same (plus COVID). The outgoing president declined to attend and instead left the city at 8:00 in the morning, as DC collectively sighed in relief. Attendees were more spaced which made it easier to make individuals out (and resulted in a flurry of memes involving Bernie Sanders). The traditional crowd of observers were replaced with American flags and beacons of light. The speeches were shorter, which made them seem all the weightier. In his 20 minute speech, Biden spoke about unity and civility, but he also reprimanded those that would not defend truth. He called for tolerance and humility, and he reminded the masses that,

here's the thing about life: There's no accounting for what fate will deal you. There are some days when we need a hand. There are other days when we're called on to lend one. That's how it has to be. That's what we do for one another. And if we are this way, our country will be stronger, more prosperous, more ready for the future.

There was the swearing in of the first female Vice President, Kamala Harris by Justice Sonia Sotomayor. There was a moment of silence for the 400,000 Americans that had died of COVID.  There was the performance of the stirring poem, The Hill We Climb, written by Youth Poet Laureate, Amanda Gorman, after the mob stormed the Capitol just two weeks before. And there was much rejoicing (and a crazy amount of fireworks).

On his first day, President Biden signed Executive Orders to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, rejoin the World Health Organization (with Dr. Anthony Fauci as the representative), cancel the Keystone Pipeline, include non-citizens in the Census, end the Muslim ban, and extend a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures as well as pause student loan payments and interest. The next day he issued one to ensure protections against discrimination for gay and transgendered people in schools, healthcare, and the workplace.

Meanwhile, during the week of the anniversary of the first reported COVID case in the U.S., the world reached 99.3 million COVID cases and 2.1 million deaths this week. The total number of U.S. cases hit 25.6 million with 428,000 death. The new Biden Administration discovered they inherited from their predecessor a non-existent COVID vaccine distribution plan. Despite this, the U.S. has finally started doling out 1.1 million doses of the vaccine per day.

We spent the week at the beach with the Telfair-Chas, after deciding we all needed a psychic break and a little distance from everything that was happening at home. The first part of the week was spent exploring Jockey's Ridge and Pea Island with some hot-tubbing and polar bear plunges (as well as cocktails for good measure) thrown in. There was baking, long walks on the beach and general merriment. On Wednesday, we watched and celebrated the peaceful transfer of power (in a not entirely "peaceful" manner).  By Thursday we were back to work and school, with a renewed sense of purpose (and a lot to do). Then on Saturday we drove back to DC as they removed most of the fences and barricades that the week had required.

And while we're not completely back to normal here, it feels like something like normal is finally possible. And just maybe, something even better.

(To see all of this week's pictures, click here.)