I was sitting at my desk today when someone knocked on the back door. Kim was there to pick up 8 masks for a Syrian family in the area. The masks we gave her were beautiful. The colours and patterns were so intricate with earth tones that seemed to emanate calm and comfort. Kim handed me a donation which she did not need to do but I was grateful. She looked at the ground in front of the door and said that a family had just been there and they left a gift: Two Tim Horton's coffees and a snack pack of Timbits. I do not know why I get so excited when someone brings me a coffee in the afternoon. Perhaps it is because I usually don't allow myself a second cup after lunch. That little family left another gift too. Their mom, Lisa, encourages her children to go a good deed every day. Today they chose to bring me coffee and leave some 'chalk love' on the pavement of my parking lot. I was feeling emotionally heavy this morning. COVID is taking it's toll on all of us. It was pretty tough to stay low when I was surrounded by such grace.
Children do what they do regardless of the circumstances. They play and love in the moment with no concern of yesterday or tomorrow. I am learning to live that way too and it is pretty sweet, when I can manage it.
Today, the first antibody test for COVID 19 was approved for use in Canada. This is great news and has the potential to be a game changer. I cannot believe how quickly this was developed. We are standing on the scientific shoulders of researchers who have been working for years on other viruses like hepatitis C, Ebola and HIV. Please note, this test is not for use in the general public, yet. It is not accurate enough to be used outside of the research setting. We will get there but not with this test. Instead, this test will be used to help us learn more about COVID 19 and how our immune system responds to it.
Can I whisper a bit about vaccines? Spoiler alert. Do not shoot the messenger. I am just tellin 'ya what's out there. There are 8 vaccine trials that are now entering the final stages of research which involves the use of the vaccine on humans. One is being developed in the UK. In this trial, they immunized ferrets. Ferrets are considered to be the most suitable for anti-viral studies because their reactions to viruses are similar to those of human beings.
Very early results of this study? So far the ferrets are healthy and immune to COVID 19. Still early stages folks but never in the history of human science have we worked this hard together and made this much progress in such a short period of time. Again, we are smashing it.
As for today's good news:
Doubling time for the virus in Canada is now 40 days. Where were we yesterday? 37.1
Active cases in Canada have declined for the first time since the outbreak.
More than 1.5 million have recovered world-wide.
Lesotho announced it's first COVID positive case today. I will spend the long weekend quietly praying that an outbreak will not occur there. It was the last country in Africa that was without a case until today. Resource poor countries do not stand a chance against this pandemic. There are only two ventilators in Lesotho.... two.
We have so much to be grateful for. Too whom much is given, much is expected and I have been given a lot.
Cheers to all of you. Please keep the vaccine comments to a minimum if you don't mind. Whether you believe in vaccines or not, a vaccine for COVID 19 is vitally important for the recovery from this global pandemic. I am a science nerd and I will stand by that opinion without hesitation.
Have a good night and please share!
Remember the contact information for those who are struggling emotionally.
CMHA WW Website: www.cmhaww.ca
Here 24/7 at 1-844-HERE-247 or www.here247.ca.
And for post-secondary students, Good2Talk
https://good2talk.ca/
https://good2talk.ca/
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