Caribbean sunset image by Arthur T. LaBar on Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0, adapted with free Canva graphic elements. Like the rest of the globe, this year saw Caribbean nations focused on dealing with the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic, against a backdrop of rising infection rates, a steady stream of variants, and strong vaccine hesitancy—but while it was a primary concern, it was far from the only story that affected the region in 2021. COVID-19COVID-19 illustration by Prachatai on Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. While 2020 will forever be known as the year COVID-19 made its global presence known, 2021 …