Baran-Unland: COVID is still here. Be mindful this Labor Day weekend.

Last week, a 46-year-old U.S. Army veteran in Texas died from complications of gallstone pancreatitis because doctors struggled to find a facility with an available bed.

The story is horrifying on the face of it – and more so to our family, as my daughter waits on medication for another two weeks to have a very needed gall bladder surgery. But when COVID can turn on a dime, two weeks is a long ways away.

The subtle and not-so-subtle effects of this pandemic are everywhere.

For intance, Costco recently announced purchase limits for some of its stores and just about everyone has heard about the shortage of building materials.

But I know people who work in the production end of some very common products and shortages are there, too. The effects of those shortages just hasn’t reached us – yet.

Those who work creating these products are struggling with the lack of raw materials to make products. And that’s not even getting into the issues with shipping and receiving.

I’ve heard concerns that medication shortages will be next. Well, that’s not news either.

An article on the US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, website said that “medication shortages in 2020 have reached 87% that of the shortages reported in 2019 in half of the time.” This affects even people who don’t have COVID-19, like people who have autoimmune diseases, cancer and heart disease, because some of the medications that treat some of these diseases are also being used in the treatment of patients with COVID.

That’s before we even mention the shortage of oxygen in some states. It’s not just a shortage for COVID patients. The shortage may affect water supplies in certain areas and it’s impacting spaceflight launch schedules.

I have loved ones working in health care and the staffing shortages are real. So is the weariness among existing staff. I talked to one friend who predicted the next few months would be bad.

Bad in terms of cases? Bad in terms of morale?

No, this friend said. Bad in terms of being able to look at oneself in the mirror at the end of the day.

I know you’re tired of COVID. I’m tired of COVID, and I’m an introvert that likes to stay home.

But as you make fun plans for the upcoming long weekend, perhaps choose some outdoor activities, practice social distance and pack hand sanitizer and a couple of face masks.

While we can still buy them.

Denise M. Baran-Unland is the features editor at The Herald-News. Contact her at 815-280-4122 or dunland@shawmedia.com.