Among the first to develop treatments for the Coronavirus are Greek-Americans.

They include Dr. George Yancopoulos and Dr. Christos Kyratsous, of the Regeneron pharmaceutical company, which, on Saturday, secured emergency use authorization for their antibody cocktail from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

This drug was also taken by President Trump and was probably what expedited his recovery process and made him well. I use the word ‘probably’, because along with Regeneron’s drug, his doctors also administered other drugs to him, so it is not possible to say for certain which made the difference.

Also, as we all now know, the vaccine developed by Pfizer is awaiting approval by the FDA. The pharmaceutical company’s CEO is Greek expatriate Dr. Albert Bourlas.

How can the historically significant success of Greek scientists be explained?

Is it a coincidence? Is it luck?

They help. Without some degree of luck, we can’t accomplish anything.

But by themselves, luck and coincidence don’t explain such a phenomenon.

Another explanation is that we are witnessing the simultaneous maturation of many elements, the consequences of the trials, triumphs, and tragedies of our nation which contributed to the development of great spiritual and intellectual forces – which, under the right conditions, flourish and lead to excellence even in the competitive international environment.

It should be noted that two of them – Bourlas and Kyratsous – began in Greece, but their training and the development of their talents became possible abroad, and specifically in America.

Why am I writing these things?  Not out of selfish pride or national chauvinism. I write them because they are true. Because they are important. And because we still usually spend ourselves in criticism, justified and not.

But we also need positive examples of Greeks who excel.

Like Bourla, Yancopoulos, and Kyratsos.