There is light at the end of the tunnel. A study of 1 million people conducted in Israel that was published by the New England Journal of Medicine confirms the Pfizer BioNTech’s vaccine is 94-95% effective in preventing COVID-19 with symptoms. The study is the largest to date and was greats news for all of us. As of February, Israel has vaccinated more than half of its population and is on track to achieve herd immunity in the next few months. An article and a link to the study appears here. Scientists estimate that 70% of the population would need to be vaccinated in order to achieve that herd immunity and keep the virus under control. Skepticism about vaccines in the U.S. has surged in recent years. I don’t subscribe to those opinions, but I don’t totally dismiss them either. The healthcare industry and big pharma are incredibly powerful forces in American politics, and people have good reason to question a system that is driven by profit as much as it is by science. On the other hand, vaccines are one of the top three discoveries of the 20th century, eradicating diseases like polio and the measles, and saving millions of lives worldwide. If enough people in our country reject vaccines altogether, the result could be catastrophic – especially for our children. Latinos, for some reason, appear to be among the most fearful of the coronavirus vaccine. This worries me, and is why research like the Israel study is so important. If you have concerns about the vaccine, read the study. I am hopeful that the anti-vaxxer movement in the U.S. doesn’t keep the rest of us from returning to a normal life in 2021. Get vaccinated, please.
Almost everyone, including Democrats, were expecting last Tuesday’s midterm election results to heavily favor Republicans. Many predicted a “red wave” where they would pick up 50-60 seats in the House and 3-4 in the Senate. Joe Rogan said the red wave that is coming will be like the elevator doors opening in the horror film The Shining.
When we invited Gary Vaynerchuk to NAHREP at L’ATTITUDE in 2021, I was mostly relying on input from others. Several members loved his content, but the little I saw online left me underwhelmed. However, I thoroughly enjoyed his presentation at our event, particularly his comments about toxic employees, which he says to dump with impunity.
Selling during a downturn required a more strategic approach, but the opportunities for growth and expansion are available to the savviest of companies. Here are some of the best ideas I’ve read about.
A farmer and his son had a beloved stallion who helped the family earn a living. One day, the horse ran away and their neighbors said “Your horse ran away, what terrible luck!”. The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.” A few days later the horse returned home, leading a few wild mares back to the farm as well. The neighbors shouted out “Your horse has returned and brought several horses home with him. What great luck!” and the farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”