Pulse - February 2021 - 52

FROM THE SCVMA OFFICE

PETER WEINSTEIN,

DVM, MBA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

PWEINSTEIN@SCVMA.ORG

THE UGLY, THE BAD AND THE GOOD

really wanted to start this message off on a high note and talk about how great 2021 was going to
be and how I looked forward to a sunnier year. And then Wednesday, January 6, happened.

It is difficult NOT to get upset by the events that
occurred when the U.S. Capitol building was attacked.
Thinking back to 911, those are two of the most distressing visuals that any American can have. I am not going
to get into politics. This isn't the place for it. I am going
to express my dismay with people who besmirch, tarnish,
defame the image of America.
You may or may not agree with me politically, but
hopefully you understand my shock to see Americans
climbing all over the image of American democracy. I am
all for freedom of speech and expression and the constitutional right to exercise those freedoms. But can't we
keep it civil? I participated with my parents at protests
against the Vietnam war in the early 1970s. I have stuffed
envelopes and signed petitions on various issues while in
high school and in the decades since. But the peaceful
protests that have morphed into death and destruction
are just plain and simply UGLY.
The past month has seen the number of COVID cases
escalate in the Southern California area at astronomical rates. Whether it was Thanksgiving or holiday travel
or mask fatigue or social distancing fatigue or just plain
fatigue, more and more people are testing positive and
more and more people are dying.
The number of cases in veterinary clinics has concomitantly grown as well. It only takes one unsuspecting
individual to shut down an entire practice. I was optimistic during the summer and early fall that maybe LA/
OC would be able to keep the pandemic under control.
Now I am concerned about when we can start to return
to any semblance of normalcy. Closed salons, restaurants,
stores, virtually empty hotels and streets are more reminiscent of life during war time.
Veterinary practices are fortunate to be busy throughout all this. In fact, from what I gather, some practices are
so busy they are out of control. Combine busy-ness with
a pandemic and pets and pet owners in need and you
are asking for trouble. This could get worse before it gets
better and that is BAD, very BAD.
As I write this, we just got word that the veterinary
profession has been elevated in the list to be vaccinated.
The veterinary teams who have been laboring curbside
in PPE will be able to be vaccinated and thus be better protected while they are working. The efforts of the
CVMA and the communications from the members of
the SCVMA expressing concerns about your safety and
the safety of pets and people was heard. The vaccination is another tool to help us get through the damaging
impact of the coronavirus and help us get closer to the
Next Normal.

By the time you read this, I am hoping that many if
not all of you will have the option of being vaccinated.
I am also hoping that the vast majority of you will take
this opportunity to protect yourselves, your families,
your teammates and the community from this deadly
virus. This doesn't mean that we are completely out of
the woods. We all have scientific backgrounds and will
understand that there are too many variables to think
that a vaccination alone is going to put an immediate
end to this pandemic. We still have some work to do.
However, for a change, the future is looking GOOD,
very GOOD.
Cue Ennio Morricone's theme music to " The Good,
The Bad and The Ugly. " It was in the back of my head
as I wrote this. Classic spaghetti western music. It's hard
not to imagine Clint Eastwood - eyes squinting in the
sun, lit cigar hanging out of his mouth, hat pulled down
to the top of his eyebrows, and in the classic corner of
his mouth, the quote, " Every gun makes its own tune. "
Watch the movie.
The Ugly, The Bad and The Good - not a bad way
to describe the last 12 months. I am looking forward to
more and more Good as I create these thoughts. We will
continue to keep you abreast of changes, updates and
information that will help you and your team in 2021.
Here's to making the next year 2021-derful!!

FEBRUARY 2021

PULSE

Pulse - February 2021

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