Almost two years and it seems like things are back to a year ago regarding the virus. A new variant that spreads very quickly but hopefully does not have the same dire effects ... hopefully.

We continue to argue and yell at each other, defy the science and medical fact and whine about inconvenience and the economy continues to jump and then sputter and then jump again, reacting to an uncertain world.

Those who choose not to vaccinate and those who refuse to mask seem to be having an effect now on our health care system as hospitals and emergency rooms fill up, like last year, and most of these patients are those who were not vaccinated.

The strain on our health care workers is serious, as they are burned out, fatigued from long hours and fed up with patients who will not mask in facilities of care.

They put themselves at risk daily and no one seems to care. Many are leaving the professions. It is happening in Boston, Minnesota, Kansas and everywhere.

This week, National Guard and other military are beginning to staff medical facilities to ease the pressure on the pressure cooker, like the one our mothers had to cook with. Short-term staffing is OK but not a good standard of care long-term.

Regardless of your view on things, got vaccinated or anti-vax, mask or not, there is a new medical term we are soon going to see on our records: Delay of care.

This refers to a person who finally gets in to get examined and evaluated but cannot be treated because of the huge influx of virus-related patients. It means they may get treatment later, time unknown.

Ponder that for a second: chest pain that keeps coming back, serious pain from a knee or hip that needs replacement, the list of “voluntary” medical treatment that will be pushed back is pretty long.

And depending on patient levels, you may be taken by ambulance with that heart attack that had you lying on the floor, to a hospital not near where you live or near family as it is the only one with a bed available, perhaps an hour away.

Happened a lot last year, going to happen again.

Those of us who read this paper are all in the same boat: in the latter phases of our lives and are either now or soon going to need serious medical care, provided by a rested and alert and well trained care staff.

How we visualize that happening and the reality of having a medical system very, very close to breakdown presents two very different pictures. One of those pictures is not what we want or expect or look forward to.

Think about it, stay safe and stay well!