Merry Christmas to all our readers – here’s to a happy, safe and prosperous 2021!
It’s been an unforgettable year, but one most of us will be happy to see the back of. But 2020 has also brought us together in a spirit of solidarity that has underlined the importance of community and of protecting our families, loved ones and friends from an invisible virus that threatens, albeit temporarily, our freedoms and way of life that we can sometimes take for granted.
There are lots of reasons to be hopeful as we look forward to 2021: an inoculation programme is on the way and, despite some groups’ misgivings about the vaccine, this represents the only effective means of killing Covid-19 once an for all.
The darkest days often come before the dawn, however, so in the meantime we owe it to ourselves and to our families and communities to do everthing in our power to to keep the virus at bay, particularly as the highly infectious new strain spreads like wildfire in communities and households, and especially those that don’t heed the warnings.
The recent upsurge in cases has prompted the HSE, Kilkenny County Council and local gardai to again issue a joint statement urging everyone to do everything they can to prevent the spread of the virus in our communities. To keep practising the basics. In other words:
*Reduce your contacts with other people;
*Wear a mask;
*Keep your distance;
*Wash your hands.
This can, of course, be easier said than done at Christmas time, a time we traditionally celebrate by coming together, but the rising number of Covid cases has again underlined the importance of ensuring our older and vulnerable are kept safe until the vaccine is rolled out. It is vital we act now, as individuals, families and as communities to avoid any further spikes in infections that could place unbearable pressure on our hospitals and frontline workers.
From all the team at KilkennyNow.ie, we wish all of our readers a very happy and safe Christmas – and hopefully a new year which will finally see the back of this virus once and for all.
2020 may have been the ‘Year of the Virus’, but it was also a year which the indomitable spirit of our collective community shined through and we look forward to continuing to report on all the hugely positive local news stories that somehow outshined the bad in this most difficult and unusual of years.
As President Higgins said in his Christmas address: “As we stand at a defining moment in our nation’s history, let us choose together how we wish to write this next chapter; how we wish to shape a new Ireland waiting to be born.”
The Editor
KilkennyNow
