As 2021 comes to a close, the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast looks back at the impact of COVID-19 over the past year.

"I think the thing that I look back on is the amazing speed with which science moved," says Dr. Gregory Poland, head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "When this all began in 2020, COVID-19 was absolutely blank slate. Now we have three vaccines in the U.S., and antiviral and monoclonal antibody treatments. That's really incredible."

Despite the rapid scientific advancements, the U.S. still reached a grim milestone of 800,000 deaths from COVID-19 and more people died of the disease in 2021 than in 2020.

COVID-19 has affected all aspects of life including the way people live, work, and go to school.

"It has been a profound wake-up call. I think we've developed an awareness of how fragile life and human health is. I think good things will come out of this," reflects Dr. Poland.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Poland joins host Dr. Halena Gazelka, a Mayo Clinic anesthesiologist, for a COVID-19 pandemic year in review.

Watch: Dr. Poland discuss COVID-19 year in review.

Read the full transcript.

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For the safety of its patients, staff and visitors, Mayo Clinic has strict masking policies in place. Anyone shown without a mask was recorded prior to COVID-19 or recorded in an area not designated for patient care, where social distancing and other safety protocols were followed.

Information in this post was accurate at the time of its posting. Due to the fluid nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific understanding, along with guidelines and recommendations, may have changed since the original publication date. 

Research disclosures for Dr. Gregory Poland.

For more information and all your COVID-19 coverage, go to the Mayo Clinic News Network and mayoclinic.org.

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