Have no fear: A very successful weekend for COVID 19, not so great for us.....BUT WE WILL WIN

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I am kinda getting used to being in isolation on the weekends. It's just me, my husband, my bike and whatever needs to be harvested from the garden. I must admit, until COVID 19, I took for granted some pretty important things in life like the value of living in the moment, of being grateful for the smallest of miracles including a really, really big butternut squash. Like warm pyjamas every night and a safe place to sleep. Like the sound of crickets. I love the sound of crickets but this year, I have really appreciated their high pitched purring. It is really beautiful out there right now. Not much can stand against the magnificence of a maple tree in autumn. Don't lose sight of these beautiful things and do look for more. Our gratitude for the blessings that surround us can get us through some very tough times. No one wants to officially announce this but we are riding the beginning of a second wave. Except for the maritimes, most provinces are now experiencing a significant surge in new cases. The new cases are still occurring in people under 40, the majority of which remain relatively healthy during and after COVID 19 infection. But, there are some new signs of trouble ahead. These are the signs that worry the healthcare system the most. On September 19th there were 64 people with COVID 19 in hospital in Ontario. Today, there are 112. Since yesterday, there has been a 10 % increase in hospitalizations and a 2.2 % increase in people requiring life support ( up 16 ....since yesterday). The increase in new cases we have seen over the last couple of weeks is now causing our hospitals and ICU's to fill up. If we surge past our hospitals capacity, the ICU could be too full to save the life of your father, your brother, your wife who just had that heart attack. COVID testing centres no longer have the capacity to manage the huge increase in people requiring or wanting testing. There is a back log of tests, a shortage of lab technicians and a much to lengthy time for test results. But, lets step back for a second. We have the tools to turn this around. Whether the peak of this second wave is reached this week when things are still manageable or in three weeks when we might be overwhelmed is entirely up to us. Remember the basics. When an infected person coughs, they propel viral droplets into the are in front of and around them. These droplets fall useless to the ground within about 4 feet. Stay six feet away and the virus stays out of you. The more virus you are exposed to, the greater the chance that you will become significantly ill. An infected person wearing a mask is wearing a barrier that limits the amount of virus they can spread. Two barriers of protection: distance and masks. I remember the first month of this pandemic, singing the alphabet song in front of my exam room sink as I washed my hands. COVID 19 has a fatty outer layer. Dunk that fat in soap and poof, the virus can no longer infect. The third barrier of protection: Hand washing and sanitizing. It seems so simple. So why is there a second wave? Because we are social beings. Our brains are hard wired to seek out social connections. These close connections give us a surge of dopamine which makes us feel happy. Without them, we aren't. Millions of years of hard-wiring is very difficult, if not impossible to dismantle in a mere nine months. But, do you know what else we are hard wired for? Kindness, goodness, selflessness and altruism. These values are also hard wired into our brains and practising them makes us happy. Our brains thrive when we focus on a purpose that improves the lives of others, that makes the world a better place. For a short time, our ability to work together for a common goal and a common good needs to over-ride our desire and need for connection. So let's do this. Let's do this while very smart people hand us a test we can do at home ( it's coming), while freaky smart people come up with several vaccines and while our freaky, smart and exhausted leaders lead us out of this thing. Yes, I just referred to our politicians as freaky, but just a little. I am a little bit freaky too. We can do this. There is no question and when we do, we're all going to feel good about the role we played to end COVID 19. Please avoid large outdoor gatherings with no social distancing. If you are planning an event like this, please reconsider. If you are contemplating attending an event like this, please don't. Indoor gatherings with no distancing or masks is just as dangerous. More on this tomorrow, but every year at this time, I push the freakiest part of me to cycle 50 km as a fundraiser for Bracelet of Hope. It used to be 100 km but with age, I am a little wiser ( or less stupid). My goal is to raise $30,000 for our HIV/AIDS and COVID 19 education and relief efforts in Lesotho. I think that 17,000 followers could raise a lot more than that. To whom much is given, much is expected. Anne-Marie Please share. Click here to get this physically distanced, socially acceptable party started! https://www.facebook.com/donate/2707157766204565/1892121307596677/

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