And today, the good guys won!

So many things to be grateful for today. First, I want to say thank you again, to the incredible team who set up our COVID 19 clinic in Guelph and to the amazing people who work there. I received a message from a nurse I have the privilege of working with, Kaitlyn Cocker. She has been diverted from her duties with the Guelph Family Health Team to work at the COVID 19 clinic. She loved the surgical caps that one of you made. So much so that she asked for one. No hesitation there. What is mine is yours, I told her. When she arrived to pick hers up, my nurse practitioner, Christine Sanford offered to give her enough for the whole team that was working the COVID clinic today. They loved them. We love you. Thank you for manning the front lines day after day. That is heroism.

I did a quick grocery run before work today, wearing my maple leaf cloth mask. A woman called out to me. I thought she was going to ask about the mask but instead she said, "Thanks for your posts". As I was leaving the store, I walked by a huge pile of boxes and bags of groceries. They are donations to the food bank. Today, more than $500 in donations came through the back door along with many more masks. I think we have surpassed 1,000 masks, all homemade. One woman is a single mom who donated $100 and two of her home made masks. She does not have much but what she had, she gave. One bag of masks came from a dear friend, Joan Munn. Her brother died last year. Andy McDougall was the in country director for Bracelet of Hope in Lesotho. He dedicated his life to the people of that country, serving diligently for 7 years. He was instrumental in raising the first million for BOH. The masks are a tribute to him. Andy, you were one of the good guys and today, the good guys won!.

The GSWA Community Support program, funded by the United Way, has been delivering frozen meals and vegetables to entire apartment complexes of vulnerable people and today, they added a cloth mask to their gift.

The list of good will and generosity is endless. The light of that generosity is all around you. It is pervasive, penetrating and so real. It has magnificent power. There is nothing that this kind of human generosity of spirit and sacrifice cannot overcome. Nothing.

COVID 19....pales in comparison.

Look at this image. You brought joy to these seasoned frontline warriors. I thank you for that.

Some great local news: the number of newly infected in Guelph remains low. Our emergency room and ICU are functioning well and no where near overwhelmed.

There is a concern that people are avoiding reaching out for health care and presenting with serious, advanced, non-COVID related illnesses. Do no avoid the emergency room. It is well prepared to protect you from COVID 19. Your doctor's office and the COVID 19 clinic are there to serve you as well. Safe and secure. More people will die needlessly of other illnesses than those that succumb to COVID 19 if we continue to avoid treatment.

Active cases in Ontario have declined for the sixth straight day. The province reported the lowest % growth ( 2.1%) since the beginning of the outbreak.

Our chief public health officer, Dr Theresa Tam shared statistics showing the percentage of tests coming back positive is going down, even as the number of tests goes up, which signifies that the epidemic in Canada is slowing down.

People are returning to work.

Please do not stop following the leaders. It is not time to stop social distancing or staying at home for most of us. To do so now, would undo all we have accomplished and set us back by months. This is extremely difficult work. Everything around you tells you to panic. Do not fear. We are winning and we will be OK.

The good guys are winning.

Anne-Marie

And thank you. Your support is the strength I lean on.
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