Written by Dr. Aisha Harris
This time five years ago, our lives changed. Every single one of us found ourselves adapting to a “new normal,” wondering what this coronavirus was and uncertain about the impact it would have on our lives and our community. We were overusing the word unprecedented constantly, to a point where in 2025 that word easily triggers thoughts about the not-so-distant COVID times.
It does not feel like five years have passed since the first Michigan COVID cases. It doesn’t feel like time kept moving and it has been 5 years or about 1,825 days since COVID was found in Michigan. No matter someone’s feeling about the pandemic, we cannot ignore that it was a period in time where everything was shifting and changing.
We learned a lot about medicine and science during the pandemic. We learned more about vaccines. We learned more about evidenced-based research. We learned more about real-time data shifting recommendations constantly. We learned more about creative innovations developed and shared across society and the world in order to help try and save some of the most critical people.
But, we also learned about heartbreak and misfortune.
We learned about exposure risks and superspreader events. We learned about isolation and loneliness. We learned about loss and grief during the pandemic because life was still happening and not happening during the pandemic.
We were constantly learning. It was overwhelming. But it was life at the time.
The COVID pandemic hopefully was a once-in-a-lifetime event. Many people could not endure another pandemic and, honestly, our society is still vulnerable even after the gaps and challenges uncovered during the pandemic.
We look at the current measles outbreak in Texas and the difficulty controlling the infection. We look at the federal decisions on funding that would ripple into our health access. We continue to face challenges when it comes to providing quality care, strong prevention services and robust social determinants of health resources.
Ask yourself how you feel about vaccinations now? Compare that to how you felt before 2020 and after 2020. What changed and why?
We all have our opinions about modern medicine and scientific innovations. We have both heard of magical successes and triumphs, but also the tragic pitfalls of exploitation and complications in science and medicine.
Now ask yourself how you feel about modern medicine? And compare that to how you felt before 2020 and after 2020. Again, what changed and why?
Science is always evolving. There are discoveries that never make it out of someone’s crumpled up coffee stained brainstorming writing pad. There are ideas that get shut down before they even make it to human testing and treatment trials. There are a lot of good ideas, bad ideas and not right now ideas in science and medicine.
A big challenge is having the audacity to ask the right questions, test the important questions and pivot if it is not the right question or the right style.
The COVID pandemic five years ago prompted a lot of questions. Over the years, there have been answers, but also many more questions.
As exhausting as it is, talking about the COVID pandemic can help our mental and physical health. Reflect on your experiences. Remember to lean on your support system during challenging times or develop a support system.
Five years ago, our lives were forever changed. Living through a pandemic is not for the weak; it is multifaceted and interesting. We have to give grace to the COVID pandemic period, to not be forgetful, but give an opportunity for appreciation and the audacity to keep moving forward even with the world feels looking it is falling apart.
Dr. Aisha Harris, MD, is a Flint native and board-certified family medicine doctor at Harris Family Health in Flint, Michigan.
Harris Family Health is a membership-based clinic that provides personalized and full primary care to adults and children. Learn more about Harris Family Health by visiting www.harrisfamilyhealth.com.
Feel free to submit health questions to Dr. Harris via theflintcouriernews@gmai
