It calls for a celebration that we as a nation can be unified in our response to the virus. Real festivities will await eventual triumph but a significant step has been taken to consolidate the message. A message supported by abundance of science. Its time to coalesce as a nation and aim to win.

At the risk of being redundant, its necessary to reinforce strong safety precautions under three conditions that enable the virus spread: closed spaces, crowds and close contacts the three Cs. Its especially important when loud speech, singing and longer contacts are involved.

Virus has a strike zone, and virus is avoidable.

The path forward is clear. Lets keep it simple. Safe distancing and hygiene will remain foundational. At the very least, these common sense measures will reduce the size of infective dose and mitigate chances of an adverse outcome while lending immunity against future infections. As the number of people recovering from infection increases, building herd immunity becomes a natural barrier against the spread of virus. Preventative measures help slow the dissemination of virus, sparing health care systems from being unduly stressed. COVID-19 related hospitalizations can crowd out non-COVID-19 health care, adding to preventable loss of life.

Pharmaceuticals are evolving rapidly, adding significantly to the toolbox against the virus. Pharmaceuticals can help reduce hospitalizations by safely managing the sick on an outpatient basis.

COVID-19 seems to have two phases. In the first phase, as virus multiplies, the immune system endeavors to battle the virus to submission. Thankfully, most battles end there.

If the battle enters the second phase, the immune system can go into hyperdrive and raise a cytokine storm, inflicting damage at a cellular level that may eventuate in respiratory and multiple system failure. A number of antiviral agents and anti-inflammatory agents are being used with varying degrees of success in both outpatient and in-hospital settings. Convalescent plasma, monoclonal antibodies and cytokine removal devices, akin to dialysis machines for kidney failure patients, are being used to help the critically sick. We have learned to use ventilators more effectively and discriminatingly.

The mortality rate has been falling significantly as doctors have learned to deal with this novel disease. Current evidence suggests that the infection related fatality rate is less than 1 percent. Mortality is mostly concentrated in the elderly and infirm. Fortunately, elderly have received the memo and are scrupulous in practicing preventative measures. This will likely lower the mortality rate further.

We still have unresolved mysteries of lingering sequelae of COVID-19 in many patients.

The real optimistic expectations are centered around successful development of effective vaccines that will offer durable immunity. Embracing existing knowledge and adopting state-of-the-art genetic engineering technologies, a number of viable vaccine candidates have emerged. Challenges to successful stage three trials abound, but hope looks realistic now. We may have more than one successful vaccine in the next six to eight months and put the virus in the rear view.

Its conceivable that based on current labors we may have a platform virus that can be successfully and expeditiously tweaked to defeat the next pandemic.

Its not a bridge too far now. We will hold hands on the other side. For now, lets join our efforts to keep virus at a distance.

Dr. Brij Bhambi specializes in cardiac and vascular intervention, nuclear cardiology, consultative and general cardiology and holds board certification in Interventional Cardiology, Cardiovascular Disease, and Internal Medicine. He is a chief medical officer at Bakersfield Heart Hospital.

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COMMUNITY VOICES: Beyond the masks - The Bakersfield Californian