While the vaccines are a great next step in fighting the pandemic, we can’t lower our guard. Not all countries have broad access to vaccination. In the U.S. people that have access to vaccines may not have been  vaccinated, and children may not be vaccinated until much later in the year. Variants of concern will inevitably continue to appear, and we are seeing areas of the world where infections are at their peak and continue to trend up. As we consider travel and move about the world again, how can we remain safe while traveling? The U.S. State Department  warned against travel to about 80% of the world only last month, as many countries continue to contend with surges of the virus. Setting up a testing protocol that is flexible and timely, and keep travelers safe, will be key. Some countries, airports and airlines are already implementing testing measures systematically with success. What does the future of travel look like? We will discuss in this segment.

In a segment presented by MassMutual, Jennifer Halloran, head of Marketing and Brand, will share insights on the evolution of workplace benefits, which increasingly seek to support employees’ financial health and well-being. The availability of educational tools on budgeting and investing, as well as automated payroll deposit programs to help workers build emergency funds, are likely to accelerate in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed our collective financial vulnerability. Many Americans were forced to dip into their 401(k) retirement plans or put new contributions on hold during the pandemic, which could have a lasting effect on their retirement security.  But efforts in Congress to help American workers save for their future may help.