Without exception, we all led disrupted lives in 2020. Many of our plans—big or small—were thrown out the window. The pandemic’s impact may have caused a job loss, a forced retirement, a skipped year at school, a postponed wedding, or a canceled overseas holiday.

For the many who lost loved ones to COVID-19, the impact is more unendurable. Globally, over two million people have died from this dreadful disease. While the numbers in the ASEAN region are still relatively low, there is concern that more infectious virus variants will cause new waves of transmission. A glimmer of hope is on the horizon. Countries are now starting to roll out approved vaccines and inoculate their most vulnerable populations, less than a year after the virus reached all corners of the globe—an unprecedented and herculean feat.

The questions most of us ask now: What is the plan?