Where we live, most people follow masking protocols.

The stores I usually frequent -and there aren’t that many- have big signs which tell people to mask up if they’re going to be in the stores.

At least through today, I’ve not seen anyone flout this.

Today was different.

We went to Target to pick up a couple of things and the store was pretty busy given it is Super Bowl Sunday. I imagine people are stocking up on drinks and chips and whatever other necessities they need and everyone was keeping their distances and everyone was masked.

Except for this couple and their very young (no more than 6 years old or so) child.

The three of them were walking down the aisle of the store completely maskless.

I stared directly at the husband, a huge frown on my face.

I guy saw me and I’m sure he had to see the anger in my face but he just looked away and they continued on down the aisle opposite me.

I gave them plenty of space to pass.

Sadly, I’ve seen some videos from the Tampa area where the Super Bowl is being held and it looks like a pretty large number of people have congregated there. While many of them are wearing masks, I saw all too many partiers going around maskless.

I wonder how many people are having Super Bowl parties at their homes with large groups of people?

I wonder if we’ll see another spike in infections in the next couple of weeks?

Regarding that later question, I suspect there will be another bump.

Too bad.

But not all news is bad.

Over on CNN.com, Harry Enten offers the following:

The Covid-19 news is bad, but there’s room for optimism

At the risk of spoiling the article, Mr. Enten offers the following:

The number of people getting the coronavirus is falling, and the number of people getting vaccinated is rising and will only continue to rise as more and more vaccines are made available.

This is a numbers game and these numbers are indeed positive. The number of people getting infected is dropping, though perhaps not enough, and the fact is that each day that passes more and more people will get vaccinated.

Already there is talk about when regular folks will be able to get a vaccine and, the article notes, there has been an uptick of people who say they are willing to get the vaccine.

Perhaps the fog of misinformation is lifting, if only a bit, and in time more and more of these vaccines -whether from Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, or any other companies- will hit the markets and be available for people to use.

I feel like we’re at the edge of a breakthrough and I hope -dearly!- that we’ll see the end results in the next two to three months.

Dare I dream we may return to a form of normalcy -or at least less of a risk- by the end of this very year?

We’ll see.