TAKE THAT COVID!!!

As of today in the Wellington-Dufferin-Public Health Unit: 92% of residents in LTC and Retirement Homes have had one dose of a COVID 19 vaccine and 67% have had two doses, ensuring our most vulnerable have some protection from the virus. As of February 16, WDG Public Health has administered over 10,000 doses and has SURPASSED THE PROVINCIAL AND NATIONAL VACCINATION RATES. BHAM! Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health is inviting members of certain prioritized groups to pre-register for upcoming COVID-19 vaccination appointments. Demand for the COVID-19 vaccine is currently higher than available supply and a prioritization is necessary to determine eligibility. COVID-19 vaccine appointments are not yet available for the general public. But these groups can now register: Adults 80 years of age and older Indigenous adults Long-Term Care and/or Retirement Home Staff Essential Support Staff in Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes Essential Caregivers in Long-Term Care and High-Risk Retirement Homes Healthcare workers* in the following settings: Hospitals COVID-19 Response Roles (e.g., Assessment Centres, outbreak response, COVID-19 immunization clinics) Paramedics Community Healthcare workers serving specialized populations Community Healthcare workers serving the general population Healthcare worker in Congregate Settings Healthcare services for indigenous populations Laboratory services Non-acute and rehabilitation and therapy Public health *For the purposes of this vaccine prioritization, ‘health care worker’ is defined as: Anyone working or volunteering in a health care organization (includes regulated health professionals as well as staff not providing direct patient care such as cleaning, food or administration services) Any worker providing healthcare services or direct patient service in a setting outside of a health care organization (http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/coronavirus/docs/Guidance_for_Prioritizing_HCW_covid19_vaccination_2020-01-08.pdf) Here is the Pre-Registration Website link - https://register.wdgpublichealth.ca For individuals who do not have computer or internet capacity you will receive a phone call with information as to how to register. And, in this public health unit, we have built the capacity to immunize 11,800 people a day though the following sites: WDG Public Health - Chancellor's Way PH office ( Guelph ) - Alder St. Recreation Centre ( Orangeville) - Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex ( Fergus ) Mobile Clinics - Serving rural communities and vulnerable populations Partner-Led Mass Immunization Clinics -University of Guelph/Guelph Family Health Team ( Guelph) Team Lead, Dr. Joan Chan. Thank you Joan! -Linimar ( Skyjack), 201 Woodlawn Rd. Guelph. Thank you Linda Hasenfratz and team! The light at the end of the tunnel is now a halogen head lamp! We could all be immunized by the summer. Stay tuned. More information to follow. Do not be anxious, your turn will come. Sit back and enjoy as we watch so many more people in our communities get vaccinated. Our turn will come! We are a month ahead of schedule. Amazing, Outstanding, Unprecedented Community Effort. Take that again, COVID. Anne-Marie Please share! I will update you this weekend on more information about the vaccines, the variants and the right mask.

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:

https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

And if you'd like to help Bracelet of Hope work towards making sure that Lesotho has access to these vaccines, donate here:

https://www.braceletofhope.ca/ways-to-

YIKES

Yesterday was the calm before the storm. In more ways than one.

COVID variants are popping up in many locations and today we return to the provincial colour coded system.

Some in the health care system are bracing for a third wave. That terrifies me. We are all exhausted already. Some say the third wave could come on quickly and be the worst one yet. That's not fear mongering; these predictions are based on good science and what we now know about the transmissibility of these variants. They spread quickly and are likely more dangerous.

So, today, the basic rules do not change. You do not head out into a snowstorm without good clothing and equipment: Hat, gloves, heavy coat, solid boots, snow tires, a shovel, windshield wiper fluid.

Please, do not head out this week in your newly colour coded region with lifted restrictions without a very, very good three layer cloth mask or two- two layered masks that fit snug to the face covering the nose completely and stretching from ear to ear.

In that grocery store, retail store or restaurant stay six feet apart and leave the mask on in between bites at your table. Not enough is known about these variants to be certain they do not travel in the air from table to table.

AND most of all, do not gather inside without adhering to restrictions. Our health unit is in the red which means five can gather inside. That includes your bubble. My husband and I could potentially have all three of our kids for dinner next weekend. WE total five so no one else but them. But, we must stay six feet apart, wear masks and I am sorry kids but we are all eating in separate rooms.

These new variants will whip through an indoor gathering where restrictions are not being adhered to. Fifty to seventy percent more transmissible. NO one in a room with an infected person stands a chance. Sadly, this is where we are.

But not for long. Prepare yourselves for the COVID-19 vaccines. They are coming. The CEO of Pfizer and Moderna are now ready to deliver the vaccines they promised in the first quarter of this year, with 1.5 million more doses more than we expected and by April, millions of vaccines. I will keep you well informed as we roll out the plan of who gets vaccinated and where. No worries about that. Six weeks. We are out of this dark, cold and lonely winter in under six weeks and the world will look very different when we see our friends and families getting that vaccine.

Cheers on the blustery, February day!

Anne-Marie

Please share.

Is it the right time to open up?

I think there are two answers to that question; yes and no.

Yes because small businesses need to survive. The economy is struggling. Yes because kids and teachers need to be back in school. Yes because the mental health of so many of us is being threatened by this long lock down.

No, because despite having under 1000 new cases in Ontario two days ago, the numbers seem to be climbing again. No, because this new increase, if it persists, may be driven by new variants whose ability to transmit we do not know enough about except that it is much more transmissible. No because to risk opening up now may cause a third wave that could be much more devastating than the second.

Take a look at this lovely graph. Click here: https://www.covid-19canada.com/ and scroll down to the big yellow rectangle that says, 'Click her for provincial graphs'. Click and then scroll down to Ontario and the graph called, 'New cases analysis by date'.

Look at that beautiful, steep decline in the seven day rolling average. Just look at that. Here it is in numbers.

Jan. 10 3945

Jan. 11 3555

Jan. 12 3523

Jan. 13 3480

Jan. 14 3452

Jan. 15 3273.

Jan. 18 3035

Jan. 22 2703

Jan. 23 2359

Jan. 26 2346

Feb. 3 1888

And today......1179

WE DID THAT! That's a drop of over 2,700 in just over a month. Would you look at that. Such power in these public health measures and our ability to stick to them. Such power in wearing masks in public, limiting our social contacts to the extreme and staying six feet apart. Remember, the worse prediction for this province had we not locked down took us to 10,000 new cases a day. We avoided that and then some. So proud of my fellow citizens. What a great team.

But here's the problem. The measures are extreme and not sustainable. Could we do it for 8 more weeks when vaccines will arrive by the millions? As a physician, I believe we can and that is what I'd like to see but I am not a politician. They need to take into account the millions of people who are losing or have lost their livelihoods. What a difficult balancing act they are striving for.

I believe there is an answer. And we already know that answer. This week when public health regions will be given the option to open up according to the provincial colour coded system, ( the Guelph-Wellington-Dufferin Unit has done so well that we may be put into orange or red level), there are two things we must still do with greater vigilance than ever before: Stay six feet apart and wear a good quality mask. If more people are allowed to gather in your home, imagine a very transmissible virus joining that group in your home. If it is there, everyone in that gathering will likely become ill unless you are staying six feet apart and wearing a mask. Sitting around a dinner table is very dangerous with these variants. We take the masks off to eat. Do that with your loved ones sitting far apart and minimize the time when masks need to be off.

We have decided to continue to lay low until the vaccines arrive. That's our choice and it's a difficult one. My husband and I are meticulous about managing our mental health. To bed early, exercising every day at least 30 min, eating very healthy foods ( I hate vegetables), and attending zoom calls on the weekends with friends and family to keep up our 'outside the home' social interactions. But we have it easy. We do not live in a small apartment with three school-aged children and a couple of in-laws. We have it easy.

This virus has ripped open the cracks of inequality and vulnerability in our society; our just and democratic society where so many vulnerable, racialized and marginalized populations are at much greater risk of becoming ill with COVID-19. Oh, that when this is over we focus on these inequalities and make them right. The dream I have held onto throughout my professional life.

Vaccines are the answer. By June, most of us will have been offered a vaccine and all of us by September. This is not a pipe dream. This is totally possible. I am not the kind of person to say, 'I told you so', but in July, I just might whisper that under my breath and rejoice at the same time.

We CRUSHED the first wave. We CRUSHED the second wave. Is there anything we can't do as a population committed to ending this thing? I don't think so.

I have asked my colleagues at Hinds in Hands in Rockwood to create a three layer mask with the middle polypropylene layer sewn in. I will model the template in a video next week. If you know of another source for these masks, purchase them and than purchase a few for the less fortunate. They are the answer until 70 % of us are vaccinated and immune.

Anne-Marie

Please share.

Guelph Community Foundation has published a series of Vital Briefs that focus on Secondary Pandemic Effects on our health.

The link to the report is: https://www.guelphcf.ca/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=-kDSQDcIjsA%3d&tabid=100.

Food Insecurity, Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Employment, Families and Children.....great info. Please read!

Click her to learn about 10 C's Connecting Circles for people over 50. So important to reach out and connect with others.

https://10carden.ca/connecting-circles/

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:

https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

And if you'd like to help Bracelet of Hope work towards making sure that Lesotho has access to these vaccines, donate here:

https://www.braceletofhope.ca/ways-to-

Well, how confused are you now?

Let's simplify. Most of the province stays in lock down with the present emergency orders now being extended to Feb. 16th. That means, for most of us, nothing changes.... for now. In the coming weeks, the province will progressively move more regions back into the colour-coded system, which includes the green, yellow, orange, red and grey "lockdown" stages. In these health units, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health Renfrew County and District Health Unit, the stay at home orders will be lifted on Feb 9th and they are moving right to green, the least restrictive category in the colour-coded provincial system. Good for them. That means there is hope for us. After the 16th, all areas except Toronto, Peel and York will go back to the colour-coded system with categories in each area determined by several metrics: The number of cases/100,000 The percent positivity The R value For example, if the numbers in the Guelph-Wellington-Dufferin public health unit continue to decline this week ( only 22 new cases today) we could move to the Orange ( Restrict ) category which requires: A Weekly incidence rate is 25 to 39.9 per 100,000 (we are presently at 45 cases/100,000) A % positivity is 1.3-2.4% ( we are presently at 3.6 % positivity) It is more likely that we will be moved into the Red category. This is the link to our public health unit's COVID-19 status report where you can follow these numbers if you'd like. https://www.wdgpublichealth.ca/your-health/covid-19-information-public/status-cases-wdg Click here for a nice overview of Ontario's colour coded COVID-19 framework: https://bit.ly/2OjvmVg In Toronto and Peel and York regions the present stay at home order is set to stay in effect until at least Feb. 22. Sorry about his guys. It is confusing. But the details will become more clear in the coming days. Whatever colour category your region ends up in either next week or the week after, we must be careful of these new COVID-19 variants which are much easier to spread. Please, please wear a good quality three layer mask that fits well, middle layer polypropylene, or a level 2 surgical mask. It is much better for the environment to wear a three layer cloth mask than a surgical mask and we should leave as many surgical masks for the healthcare system as possible. That's all for tonight. Tonnes of questions about vaccines, their roll out in this country and their effectiveness against the South African variant and the UK variant. There is no strong evidence yet that the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna will have trouble with these new variants. In Canada, the Johnson and Johnson and the AstraZeneca vaccines are not approved for use by Health Canada but we are expecting one of them to be approved in the coming days. We've got you covered with vaccines. Be prepared for a massive roll out starting in April. Guelph will be in a position to immunize up to 10,000 people a day. Be proud of that folks. I am amazed at the incredible organizations and groups that are stepping up to create mass vaccinations clinics. Your 'job' remains the same; stay at home for another week unless you are in the public health units that are moving to green. Wear a mask. Stay healthy and hopeful and stay tuned. Tomorrow night folks, our next webinar is set to start at 7 pm. Click here to register: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../reg.../WN_XuJ1MXtMSnaM1JV4FJ9hmw These webinars are hosted by Bracelet of Hope. Dr. Nicola Mercer, the medical officer of health for WDG will join us. We will answer as many questions as we can. Helen Fishburn will assist us with how to remain strong, how to build on resilience and where to reach out for help. See you tomorrow night. Anne-Marie Please share.

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:

https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

OK. BRING IT ON! VACCINES-

1/ The mRNA vaccines that are being distributed in this country and the viral vector vaccines from AstraZeneca and Johnson and Johnson which have yet to be approved for use in Canada do not have any aborted human fetal tissue in them.

In order to mass produce a vaccine against a virus, the virus needs to be replicated. A virus cannot replicate unless it enters into a host's cells. In order to understand how a virus replicates so that you can create technologies for a vaccine, vaccine makers need living cells in which to grow the virus. Using living humans is obviously not an option ( you would have to infect them with the virus) and using other living animals has it concerns and set backs too. So, vaccine makers often use historical fetal cells that have been grown and maintained in labs from two aborted fetuses from the 1960's and 1970's; abortions that were performed electively and by choice of the mother and not for the purpose of vaccine development.

These two cell lines have been grown and maintained for decades in the lab and have been used to develop vaccines that many of us have already received: Hepatitis A, rubella ( in the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine or MMR) and rabies.

Early development of the mRNA technology which started decades ago used fetal cells from cells lines grown in the lab that started from fetal cells discussed above. Pfizer and Moderna used the technology, not the cells. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna do not require the use of any fetal cell lines or fetal tissue of any kind in order to manufacture their vaccines.

FULL STOP

Cell lines grown in the lab from decades old fetal tissue used to create technology that now makes vaccines is a far cry from the direct use of fetal tissue from recent abortions in these vaccines.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were found to be ethically uncontroversial by the pro-life organization the Charlotte Lozier Institute. Further, Brian Kane, senior director of ethics for the Catholic Health Association of the United States, said this, “In terms of the moral principles of being concerned about the use of any pharmaceuticals that were developed from aborted fetuses, that is certainly an issue that we all want to be cognizant of and try to avoid their use. With that in mind, the Pfizer and

Moderna COVID vaccines that are coming out are not even tainted with that moral problem".

So, you are entitled to have a moral concern about taking a vaccine that used technology that used cells grown in a lab that started with two aborted fetuses that were aborted by choice 50 years ago. But to be morally concerned that the mRNA vaccines contains fetal tissue from new abortions is not based in fact at all.

And please, let's not make this a pro-life, pro-choice discussion. I am talking science, not religion or faith or human rights or gender rights or right-winged opinions vs left-winged opinions. Just the science. You can decide for yourself whether there is a moral issue here but base your decision on the science not false information.

2/ The mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna have polyethylene glycol as one of their ingredients or PEG for short. PEG does not cause cancer. Ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane is a known human carcinogen ( can cause cancer in humans). Easy to mix up, right? Easy to use to spread mis-information even if unintentionally.

PEG- polyethylene glycol. This is it's chemical structure:

C2H6O2

It is made up of 2 carbon atoms, 6 hydrogen atoms and 2 oxygen atoms in a really cool configuration held together by things called bonds.

Ethylene Oxide- This is it's chemical structure:

C2H4O

It is made up of 2 carbon atoms, 4 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom. That may not sound like much of a difference and it may not look like much of a difference but from an organic chemistry point of view, a world of difference. Totally, totally different.

PEG does not cause cancer. Ethylene Oxide can.

PEG is an ingredient in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. ETHYLENE OXIDE is not!!

FULL STOP

I think I am ready to take on all of the false information about these vaccines in these posts. If you are hearing information about these vaccines that is causing fear or mistrust, ask your questions in the comments section of these posts or private message me. If I can't reassure you, I will find someone who can.

Anne-Marie

Please share.

Guelph Community Foundation has published a series of Vital Briefs that focus on Secondary Pandemic Effects on our health.

The link to the report is: https://www.guelphcf.ca/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=-kDSQDcIjsA%3d&tabid=100.

Food Insecurity, Alcohol and Substance Abuse, Employment, Families and Children.....great info. Please read!

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:

https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

And if you'd like to help Bracelet of Hope work towards making sure that Lesotho has access to these vaccines, donate here:

https://www.braceletofhope.ca/ways-to-

COVID Negative

 

Well, there ya have it. Worked from home for the last few days with cold and flu symptoms. Had a COVID test done yesterday at the amazing COVID Assessment Centre in Guelph. Results back in less than 24 hours. I was in the clinic for less than 15 min. You guys are amazing. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Back to work tomorrow. Thank goodness. Medicine involves seeing and examining patients. I am grateful to have continued working from home during this, thankfully, minor illness but I look forward to getting back into the fray tomorrow. Under 3,000 new cases in Canada today. From a peak of almost 9,000 on January 8th, that is simply amazing. And, Ontario, you folks are outstanding. 745 new cases today Toronto numbers not included. ( My prediction was under 1,000 by Sunday but if we want to do better than that, I am all in. Just look at these 7 day rolling averages: Jan. 10 3945 Jan. 11 3555 Jan. 12 3523 Jan. 13 3480 Jan. 14 3452 Jan. 15 3273. Jan. 18 3035 Jan. 22 2703 Jan. 23 2359 Jan. 26 2346 And today.....1888 Look at the first graph on this page. https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/coronavirustracker/ The most recent stay at home order started on Jan. 8th and look how far we have fallen....in a very good way. Staying home, essential trips only, social distancing and mask wearing works. No question about it. Not easy by any means but certainly effective. So many lives saved. Even better, new cases are down by 19 %, active cases are down by 17 %, deaths are down by 20 % ( close to tears now), hospitalizations down by 14% and ICU admissions down by 7 %. We are on a roll. Don't stop now. I attended an online meeting last night hosted by a very prominent and prestigious provincial medical group and attended by 1300 physicians and the medical leaders of your COVID 19 health care response. Here is what we learned: The fact that effective and safe vaccines were developed in less than a year when vaccine development usually takes up to 5 years is a modern day miracle. ( Remember, the process was not rushed. Every approved COVID- 19 vaccine has followed the rigorous standards of vaccine development. The world threw it's financial and resource might behind these vaccines. That is why they were developed so quickly. There were no short cuts.) Now we need the miracle of a massive, rapid, vaccine roll out. Despite the gloom and doom in the press, THERE WILL BE a major ramp up of vaccine delivery and distribution by April in seven settings. The 19 existing provincial sites Public Health Units Mass vaccination clinics Primary Care Community Health Clinics Pharmacies and Mobile Outreach This province will receive 5 million dose of vaccines per month starting in April and an complex, integrated roll out plan is being rapidly developed. The entire health care system is being mobilized to deliver 8.4 million vaccines in Ontario from April to September. A marathon of vaccinations is about to happen. Ah yes. The naysayers say it can't be done and the anti-vaxers would like to put a stop to all of these vaccine shenanigans but fear not. I have worked in this profession for 31 years. Your medical professionals (nurses, doctors, nurse practitioners and administrators) are a smart, serious, dedicated bunch. We will get this done. We are trained to put our lives, our well-being on the line for you. Say a little prayer for this team. We are exhausted and we just received marching orders to do what would appear to be next to impossible. The strength of an army is what we need. Good news about the variant strains. The present vaccines are 95 % effective against the B1.1.7. strain ( UK variant). But, even though the vaccines are effective, widespread vaccinations are 2 months away which leaves too much time for these new variants to do significant damage and reverse all the good work we have done. Hang on for 2 months. Wear masks and stay six feet apart even when the present emergency orders are loosened. We are almost there. Anne-Marie Please Share!! February is a very tough month at the best of times. Please reach out if you are feeling depressed or unable to cope. For mental health support here: https://familyserviceguelph.on.ca/ For local assistance with anxiety and depression: www.here4help.ca 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/ For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here: https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/ And if you'd like to help Bracelet of Hope work towards making sure that Lesotho has access to these vaccines, donate here: https://www.braceletofhope.ca/ways-to-

January Carrots!

I just read a nasty rant from one of my followers. I would really prefer that people who disagree with me would have the courage to speak to me personally. Private message me please, troll or not, defamation is wrong and some day, there will be checks and balances in place on social media that protect us against such defamation. I have asked this person to reach out to me privately. I guarantee she won't.

To make it clear, I am not speaking out against the government, as this person suggests I do. She suggested it would be cowardly if I did not. I think it's cowardly to defame someone online where you can remain safe and anonymous.

She believes there are internment camps that infected people are being forced to stay in and she believes that the government's new policy to have returning travellers stay in a government chosen hotel until they know their COVID status is evidence of more nefarious activities by our government. I agree with this new government policy. Did you know that Melbourne Australia had their COVID 19 pandemic under control until people who were staying in similar government supervised hotels infected employees of the hotel who then took the virus home to their families? This caused a huge outbreak which lead to the the entire region being locked down for the rest of the summer.

And this was before the new variant, which is much more transmissible and dangerous, was detected.

I need to remain professional, even on line, and keep my anger in check but his kind of misinformation that attacks science and intelligent, science-based government decisions fills me with rage.

Thanks for letting me rant.

On a lighter note and with a spring-like perspective:

The 7 day rolling average is now below 2000!

Hospitalized: 1273 down by 18

ICU: 353 down by 7

Ventilator: 216 down by 55

R value: 0.86 - still below 1.0

We have done it. Despite the mis-information and the mis-steps over Christmas, we are succeeding in controlling this second wave. So, what's the next step?

This is a very interesting graph:

https://covid19.healthdata.org/canada?view=total-deaths...

As of today, we have surpassed 20,000 deaths from COVID-19 in this country. The first graph projects how many deaths will occur by May 21 in three different scenarios: The worse case scenario, 34,000 deaths, rapid variant spread, 31,000 deaths and universal mask wearing, 29,000 deaths.

Still far too many deaths but I think we all agree that a prolonged lockdown like the one we are suffering through right now is not sustainable. People need to get back to work. Schools need to re-open. I am not part of any provincial or national decision making but I highly respect and support all of our leaders and decision makers. Preventing more cases of the new variant from entering our country with supervised quarantine upon arrival just makes sense. Ten more days of the present emergency order will drive the numbers down further and re-build the capacity in our ICU systems. We have avoided the horrific projection of 40,000 new cases a day. Well done.

I believe that any re-opening should come with a universal mask order. Yep, out on a limb again. It is much easier to wear a mask at all times outside of your bubble than it is to stay locked in that bubble. Let's wait and see. For now, wear two 2- layer cloth masks, a level 2 surgical mask or a good quality three layer cloth mask with a middle layer of polypropylene. That's how we defeat any new variant.

Dispelling some myths:

There will be rare cases of people testing positive for COVID-19 after being vaccinated. It takes two doses and a full 2 to 4 weeks after the last dose of the vaccine before you are immune. That's lots of time to be exposed to and infected with COVID. Continue wearing masks and social distancing even after you have been vaccinated. We are not safe until 70 % of us are immune.

There are six doses in each vial of Pfizer vaccine. No conspiracy here. To get all six doses requires a person experienced in giving vaccines who is using a 1 cc syringe. You will never receive an incomplete dose.

There are international delays is vaccine deliveries, everywhere. We have never tried to vaccinate 8 billion people before. There will be many glitches moving forward. What the makers of these vaccines and the scientific community is trying to do is next to impossible but, guess what? It was next to impossible to create a vaccine and we have many, many vaccines that will be available in short order. Be patient and confident. We will end COVID 19.

Newer vaccines, like the Astra Zeneca and the Johnson and Johnson vaccine are made with different technology than the messenger RNA vaccines. This technology makes them less effective up front but they work and they require only one dose. They prevent 100 % of deaths and serious illness form COVID 19 and that is what counts. Canada is about to approve one of these new vaccines......a new tool in our fight. That is great news.

This picture was taken yesterday when I was actually happy and not furious. Yes, this is one of my summer carrots, picked on January 30th, under a foot of snow and a thick layer of leaves, still green on top. A carrot that has been under ground for 7 months!!!! Hope springs eternal. Thank you to the folks at the Guelph seed bank who gave me these carrot seeds during my summer carrot fiasco. Beautiful carrots.

There is nothing, absolutely nothing we cannot accomplish when we work together for the good of all.....and even better with a little prayer sprinkled in the mix.

Stay strong and keep good sense in the forefront.

Anne-Marie

Please share.

For local assistance with anxiety and depression:

www.here4help.ca

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/

For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:

https://braceletofhope.blogspot.com/

And if you'd like to help Bracelet of Hope work towards making sure that Lesotho has access to these vaccines, donate here:

https://www.braceletofhope.ca/ways-to-