Necessity, the ancient proverb observes, is the mother of invention.
Perhaps that has never been more true than during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020.
While the virus may be remembered foremost for the illnesses and deaths it caused â 4,245 of the former in the county and 126 of the latter â as well as for business closures and toilet paper shortages, it also has left a legacy of unprecedented work-arounds and new strategies. They were solutions that not only propped up crumbling normalcy, but also opened the doors to enhanced efficacy now and in the future.
Indeed, when a second surge of cases occurred in the final months of the year, officials say they were much better prepared to respond than in March, when severe restrictions aimed at flattening the curve of infection were first imposed.