2020 from a New England perspective: It was wicked awful!

Brighter days are ahead, but looking back helps us to appreciate the future so much more.

So how bad was 2020?

Yes, COVID-19 was, and continues to be, a devastating disease affecting individuals, first responders, healthcare providers, businesses, and communities. Once thought to be no more serious than the seasonal flu, it was quickly found to be a highly contagious and, sadly, potentially deadly virus. In response to the pandemic, air travel from abroad was shut down, and business closures followed.

New England states weren’t the first to see an increase in cases, and therefore most governors initially resisted implementing state-of-emergency or stay-at-home orders. In fact, New Hampshire was one of the last New England states to impose public health restrictions on businesses and gatherings. But by late March, everything in the Granite State effectively shut down except for essential businesses.

Corned beef and Guinness were among the first economic casualties as St. Patrick’s Day celebrations were canceled. The state’s nation-leading unemployment rate of 2.3% quickly evaporated, and as shuttered businesses furloughed employees, the rate skyrocketed to as high as 18%. The closing of state parks, beaches, trails, and even borders to neighboring states reflected the new serious reality of the virus.

As in most states, toilet paper, Lysol wipes, and hand sanitizer, as well as canned soup, chicken, and pasta, replaced gold and silver as the most valuable commodities.

Contentious political season didn’t help