As 2020 comes to an end...

Well, what a rollercoaster of a year 2020 has been! Who would have envisaged this time last year what was in front of us?

I want to begin by reassuring you all, from the four corners of the globe, that despite the challenges we have faced, we are weathering this pandemic together and have continued to be a vital service to our fellow opticians, organisations and patients alike. We have heard from various members of the Board what being an optician has looked like in their respective countries during this pandemic and I am grateful to them for sharing their experiences.

For us in the UK, our initial ‘lockdown’ began on 23rd March and we were bid to STAY HOME: SAVE LIVES and to protect our NHS (National Health Service). So we did and here we are in December with parts of the UK in various states of lockdown, still trying to do our best to prevent the spread of the virus and protect our most vulnerable citizens and key workers.

Like so many conferences and events around the world, our 2020 Biennial Summit in Bangkok had to be cancelled – it was a decision we had to take, not least due to international borders being closed, but to protect the health and wellbeing of our delegates. I am sure I am not alone in being bitterly disappointed at this, I had so looked forward to meeting everyone face -to-face and enjoying the shared learning and fun in our beautiful Far East destination.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and presents an unprecedented challenge to public health, food systems and the world of work. The economic and social disruption caused by the pandemic is devastating: tens of millions of people are at risk of falling into extreme poverty, while the number of undernourished people, currently estimated at nearly 690 million, could increase by up to 132 million by the end of the year.

I include this information from the World Health Organisation to show how grateful we are to our members, industry partners and sponsors for continuing to support us and allow us to carry on our work. Without your patronage we could not do what we do; we are indebted to you all for your backing.

So, a huge thank you to you all and we look forward to working with you in 2021.

2020 was supposed to be a significant year for us all in the optical sector –20/20 meaning normal visual acuity is well known. Sadly, 2020 will not be remembered for this but for the reasons we all know so well.

I had hoped to be passing the IOA Presidency to Vice President Donald Crichton at out Bangkok Summit, which of course was impossible. We will endeavour to do this at the earliest possible opportunity when it is safe for us to meet. This said, the work of the IOA goes on, the Board, whilst working in their respective ‘day jobs’ continue to hold the IOA at the centre of all that they do.

My thanks, as always, go to the secretariat – my colleagues in the UK from ABDO who work tirelessly for the IOA: Elaine, Antonia, Carol, Tony and Pavan – thank you for all you do for the IOA. Also, the IOA Board so again, my thanks to Donald, Robert, Edmund, Paul and MaryAnn for having the IOA at the heart of all you do. So, as we turn our back on 2020, here’s to 2021 – I hope it is prosperous, healthy and happy for us all.

Yours aye

Fiona