RACISM SHOULD NOT BE A PANDEMIC!

While the world figures out how to conquer COVID 19, and we will do that, could we also learn to end racism, discrimination against the ill, the aging and the vulnerable, the unfettered neglect of our environment, gender inequality, poverty and the massive gap between the rich and the poor?

COVID 19 is the least of our worries.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men and women to do nothing."

Please stand and do something. Please look around you and jump at the opportunity to care of your neighbour both in your community and around the world, regardless of their culture or colour.

The world does not need to disintegrate into chaos. Move to the centre of the sidelines and courageously stand up for what is good and right and just.

God rest your soul, George Floyd. May many more of us rise to protest against inequality and injustice.

And please, stand down on Bill Gates.

Bill Gates does not want to use a mass vaccination campaign against COVID-19 to implant microchips in people that would be used to track them with a digital ID.

This man donated 95% of his wealth to create the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which contributed in a massive way to the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria which has saved millions and millions and millions of lives.

He has now donated hundreds of millions to help create a vaccine against COVID 19 and is anticipating the future by creating the infrastructure required to mass produce that vaccine so that everyone in the world has access to it. He does not profit from this in anyway!!

Great shame on the conspiracy theorist who have propagated mis-information about this incredible man and his foundation. You have other men in leadership who deserve your scorn. Bill Gates, does not!

For the last 2 decades, while most of the people on this planet were not watching, incredible leaders stood up to tackle the worlds greatest problems. Following the United Nations Millennium Development Goals and now their Sustainable Development Goals, many of us have been trying to change the world in incredibly positive ways.

The Sustainable Development Goals address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The 17 Goals are all interconnected, and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve them all by 2030. Bracelet of Hope is working towards one of the goals: to end AIDS in Lesotho by 2030.

More about the goals here: https://www.un.org/sustainab…/sustainable-development-goals/

The global efforts conceived out of these goals have taken 1 billion people out of extreme poverty. They have halved the under five child mortality rate. The maternal mortality rate was also cut in half and we halted and reversed the devastation of AIDS. This is real. This is where the power of our good will and good intentions leads us. This is how we will conquer COVID 19.

Conspiracy theories are conceived in fear. You can choose fear from any multitude of sources or you can choose not to give into any fear of any kind. Follow the science. It will lead you well out of COVID 19. Have no doubt about that.

Rant over.

Have a good night.

Anne-Marie

For relief efforts in Lesotho:

https://www.braceletofhope.ca/covid-in-lesotho/

An overwhelming day in a very good way

It was another amazing back door drop off day. Let me just highlight what this group has done and then I want to reinforce the collective power we have at our fingertips.

I spend the day providing health care over the phone to about 20 of my patients. I see another 4 or 5 in the office; a pretty steady and consistent pace over the last 4 weeks. The patients we see, knock on the back door. Today, I had trouble keeping up with the number of people who knocked on that back door not because they had appointments but because they have become part of the growing number of ordinary people who are responding to this pandemic. In my experience, it is not the people in power that create rapid change on a massive scale, it is you and me, the ordinary folks who respond with passion, heart and soul.

A patient who I know does not have much and has struggled through an extremely difficult life is purchasing $500 worth of grocery gift cards for me to distribute to the people I know that need help with food security.

Another patient sent me $750 to give to a woman who is caring for a very disabled son on her own who barely made ends meet before this pandemic.

One of you dropped off a bag of ear protectors to be used by the nurses and prescribers at the COVID 19 clinic. The loop mask they use irritates the back of their ears with prolonged use.

A high school teacher dropped off 10 face shields and offered to provide hundreds more.

A friend who has repurposed his company to make face shields knocked on the back door and dropped of 300 to be used by the medical teams working in several of the COVID related clinics in Guelph.

A shipment of N95 masks, surgical masks and cavi-wipes arrived at the back door. We ordered them weeks ago. Their arrival means the supply chain for PPE is finally opening up.

Pam knocked on the back door and brought me a gourmet dinner. I just don't have time to cook. She nourished our bodies and souls tonight.

There is a constant and lovely flow of generous people at my office back door making their contributions to this war effort.

That is power. That changes the world. Never underestimate that power. Nothing else drives positive change. We counter this pandemic by creating our own positive pandemic of good will and hard work.

Many of the people I talked to today are too terrified to leave their homes. If you are under the age of 70 and self isolating at home, you are very safe to go out for walks a couple of times each day. Just keep your 2 m distance. I believe it is a safe for folks over 70 as long as they keep that precious distance. There is growing evidence that the virus is not transmitted at grocery stores or pharmacies. Follow the rules in these public spaces and you will be safe. You can also walk with a friend as long as you are 2 m apart. It seems strange but safe physical socializing is very good for the soul and the mood. Try to meet with a friend this way a couple of times a week.

Don't look at the number of new infections or the number of deaths except to pray for those who are suffering. We expected these numbers. Your hospitals, emergency rooms and ICU's are still functioning well under their capacity which means we are getting and keeping this thing under good control.

The next step, I believe, is to push for widespread testing and contact tracing. This will be necessary to get us all back to work and to a normal life. Advocate for this in anyway you can. Write letters to your government officials, send emails, make a noise. This must be done.

I'll say it again. We've got this.

Anne-Marie

Please share

Life is not supposed to be easy. Can I say that?

I am on call tonight. Two folks needed to be seen. I am gowned and gloved and masked. I see each patient carefully and separately. I usher each out that famous back door and hand them their prescriptions in their cars. I think that one of my staff people is still inside. But alas, they had departed. So, there I was, standing in the parking lot, locked out of my clinic wearing a mask, a gown, gloves and a shield. No cell phone, no purse, no keys. Who in their right mind is going to assist someone dressed like me in the middle of a pandemic? The streets are empty, it's 6:30 pm. I walked to a market that was still open, thankfully. One of the employees called my son who called my husband who drove 20 minutes into town to let me in. I did laps of the building to keep warm. Never, ever would I have imagined such a state.

It's a surreal, unreasonable, ridiculous, COVID 19 moment. I have been known to drop a few profanities. Thank God, no one was around to hear me.

Life is hard. What we are going through as individuals, as communities, a nation, a planet is really, really hard. Are we actually wired to manage this? Can we take it? Can we listen to one more piece of bad news?

Yes, we can. There is no question about that. My biggest problem today was not my frozen toes and upset state, it was trying to manage more donations being dropped off at that famous back door.

Our community is waking up to the needs of others. That makes us unstoppable. Can a virus defeat us? Not possible.

As I sit here, finishing up my on call shift, I am grateful. The paper work has stacked up, the work seems endless. I am tired and hungry but I am grateful. I know how well we will survive this. I can see how much better we will be as a people once this is over. I can feel it.

Strength beyond measure. Hope that surpasses all understanding and power that can conquer our greatest foe....as long as we stay connected and work together.

I am blessed by you and this work that takes me to such unexpected and often difficult places.

When I have more energy, I will fill you in on why the grocery store is safe and why it is so important to get out and walk within our 2m bubble. Sleep well. We are in a tremendous storm but it will soon be over. We are safe and their is no other possible outcome but success!

Anne-Marie

Good News!

Good news. New Guidelines from the Wellington Dufferin Guelph Public Health Unit- testing recommendations have expanded to include people with fever or worsening respiratory symptoms. Man, our leaders are doing the right thing. So proud! Thank you Nicola Mercer our Medical Officer of Health. You Rock!

LIfe in PPE

Yep. I was caught on camera jogging in my PPE's again.

Virtual medicine involves a lot of sitting and talking on the phone. I get up a few times a day and do some laps of the clinic. Strange to see an empty waiting room. I am starting to really miss my patients. Suck it up princess. It's is going to be awhile yet. But, look how far we have come:

Canada has not seen the predicted surge of COVID-19 cases in hospitals that many feared would overwhelm the health-care system and lead to a spike in deaths.

The rate of infections went from doubling every 3 days to doubling every 10 days.

Hospitals and intensive care units have so far successfully managed the situation.

We've definitely flattened the curve and we're at a point where, presumably in the next week, we'll see those numbers starting to go down.

Canadian hospitals, medical teams, cities and governments took an "all hands on deck" approach to ensuring they that the health care system would be able to care for a surge in patients. It was and is a remarkable, collaborative and united feat; an absolutely stunning, nationwide example of team work. I simply cannot overstate how brilliant and miraculous this is.

And get this. Remember the worse case scenario that Premiere Ford warned us about 2 weeks ago? We achieved the best case scenario. A shout out to his team and to every provincial government. And thank you for having the faith to follow them.

I spoke to patient after patient today. These were mostly elderly folks that I am following for their chronic disease management. Today they were in great spirits. They are walking outside once a day. They are enjoying having their groceries delivered by one angel or another. Family and friends are checking up on them every day. They are alone but they know it could be so much worse. They are usually anxious to get off the phone. They think they are wasting my time. They are not. They are giving me their strength and wisdom, showing me how to endure, how to smile in the face of adversity.

And you, this 'team' of followers? I read a remark this evening that gave me a brand new perspective. People are reading your comments. Your comments are filled with such gratitude, good will and hope that people who are reading them feel more hopeful. They are reading about your thoughts and feelings. Your willingness to share your fears and vulnerabilities is giving them strength and encouragement.

I will say it again. Nothing is more powerful than this. Hope and action will knock the life out of this virus.

I am off for the next few days. Hoping to summarize a few things including where we are headed with respect to a vaccine. Stay tuned. Your comments are helping others to heal.

Stay strong. Please share.

Anne-Marie

Grocery Stores and public spaces!!

(My apologies for the out of context photo. I have run out of images of me looking like big bird in my PPE. This is the lovely MeMetsepo. My dear friend and colleague in Lesotho. So far, they are safe but God help us once the virus takes off in Africa)

We are dealing with an unprecedented amount of terrifying information. I guarantee, our brains cannot manage all of it and stay healthy, not while we are also dealing with isolation, job loss and absolutely no certainty about the future.

We will survive and there will be a bright future.

Can I just attempt to package up a couple of things that we do not need to be afraid of?

“So far, no transmission of the virus in supermarkets, restaurants or hairdressers has been proved.”

Read that again!

This is a quote from a world renowned scientist who specializes in viruses, Dr. Hendrik Streeck. Yep. He studies viruses for a living. He is a professor of virology and HIV research at the University Bonn. This is a public research university in Germany. As of August 2018, among its notable alumni, faculty and researchers are 10 Nobel Laureates, that's 10 Nobel Prizes. To put that into perspective, the University of Waterloo has produced two nobel laureates. In other words, the University of Bonn is a very reputable place where very smart people do work that changes our world.

During recent weeks, his team completed substantial research conducted through surveys and investigations in homes across the Heinsberg region - where more than 1,400 confirmed cases had been reported.

“There is no significant risk of catching the disease when you go shopping. Severe outbreaks of the infection were always a result of people being closer together over a longer period of time. He could not find any evidence of ‘living’ viruses on surfaces. “When we took samples from door handles, phones or toilets it has not been possible to cultivate the virus in the laboratory on the basis of these swabs….”

In other words, the virus might still be alive on a surface but it is too weak after a very short period of time on that surface to be transmitted to your respiratory system.

THIS IS IMPORTANT:

To actually 'get' the virus it would necessary for someone to cough into their hand, immediately touch a door knob or other public surface and then straight after that another person grasps the handle and goes on to touches their face. Therefore....

THIS IS ALSO IMPORTANT:

There is little chance or no chance of transmission through contact with so-called contaminated surfaces in public.

THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT!

If people in public spaces wear cloth masks, those that may have the virus and not know it, will cough into the mask and not onto a surface. If you do not touch your face after touching surfaces in a public space and you wash your hands when you leave the public space, you will not get the virus.

I find, that if I wear a large cloth mask, like the one in the above picture, it reminds me not to touch my face. I feel comfortable.

We need to be in these public spaces. Being there should not add to the tremendous amount of fear our brains are already trying to process. Relax, follow the rules of distancing and hand washing and enjoy your brief time out of isolation. You deserve it.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! Especially Nobel Peace Prize knowledge!

Next post.....Do you need to sanitize your groceries when you get home? Quick answer? Absolutely not!

Breathe. We will get through this.....together.

Please share.

Grocery Store Advice

More advice that there is no need to panic in the grocery store.

Dr. Jeff Farber is a University of Guelph Food Microbiologist
QUOTE: "To date, there have been no reports of any illnesses linked to food or food packaging and the COVID-19 virus".

GUELPH — A trip to the grocery store during the COVID-19 pandemic need not cause panic.

A Guelph food microbiologist said a few simple precautions can keep people healthy while shopping for groceries and when the food comes home — and that does not include disinfecting every item bought.

"To date, there have been no reports of any illnesses linked to food or food packaging and the COVID-19 virus," said Prof. Jeff Farber, in the University of Guelph's food science department and director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety.

Farber said there are many misunderstandings about the role of food in the spread of COVID-19.

One big myth is that all fruits and vegetables should be washed with soap.

"This is definitely not recommended," Farber said.

Rather than helping, the soap could cause sickness including vomiting and diarrhea.

Washing fruits and vegetables under cold running water is the best approach at any time, including during the pandemic.

He said it's also unnecessary to sanitize each and every item brought home.

"You should be putting them on a surface that you can easily clean," Farber said.

Once all the groceries are put away, clean the surface and then wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Also be sure to wash your hands when first getting home from the store.

Regular hand washing is the best defence to avoid infection during the pandemic, along with not touching your face.

When going to the grocery store, clean your hands with sanitizing gel or wipes on the way both in and out or after touching a surface.

WE HAVE BEGUN

Was not going to post tonight. Tired today. I've run into this wall of exhaustion before. I know what it is. I know what it feels like and I accept it. I run into it every so often. It controls me. I don't control it. I used to try but gave up long ago. And so, for a day, I was stuck in slow motion. I slept I ate, I read and then repeated. Today I actually got some house work done but it was an effort.

I was called into the COVID 19 clinic in Guelph last night. A four pm call woke me up from a nap. The clinic had received a call from one of Guelph's organizations. They were sending all of their employees in for testing this weekend.....all 900 of them.

As I was driving in, if felt like the old days when I would rush in to deliver a baby. I am so much older now.

The clinic tested over 200 people yesterday and even more today. We are officially ramping up testing. Most of the folks I tested last night were asymptomatic. I was so excited about this. I may have been a little too enthusiastic. I don't think any of these patients wanted to be there on a Friday night but the world is a little up-side-down right now. I must say, I did a couple of happy dances after doing the test. Not during. That would be inappropriate; but just a wee jig when the swab was done.

Widespread testing allows us to find the asymptomatic carriers and quarantine them. It allows us to find the mild cases of COVID 19 and isolate them. It allows us to follow the tracks of the infected and do contact tracing which allows us to find even more folks who might be positive.

The more people we test the closer we get to understanding what percentage of the population is infected. We can gather the information we need to plan our safe re-integration into our work lives and our social lives. This is good stuff.

Widespread testing is that final piece that must be in place before our social and physical restrictions can be lifted. We have begun!

A tribute to the nurses, nurse practitioners, doctors,
administrative folks and security staff that get you in and out of that clinic in no time flat. Every single one of them is at risk but all I saw last night was hard work, professionalism, compassion and amazing team work. Some of the staff working the clinic are putting in 12 hours a day. We appreciate YOU!

To Guelph's COVID Team. Well done!

Anne-Marie

Please share!

More Groceries Store Advice!

Well. There ya have it. It took more than an hour but grocery shopping is done for another couple of weeks. It's a very weird place in there: no nonsense, line em up, keep it moving, stay back, pack them up and out you go. I watched very closely, from your point of view and mine. From my point of view, there is just no way that COVID 19 is being transmitted in there. I felt lonely in the aisles and everyone was so respectful except the gentleman who pushed himself to the front of the line up outside. Adversity either brings out the best or the worst in people.

I packed up the car and was quite pleased with myself. I had much less anxiety than on my last trip to the grocery store. Feeling quite smug, I was. A few more items to load into the car and.....of course, in that wind, off goes the cart with most of my groceries. No problem. I will just chase after it. Unfortunately, with these big material masks on, moving your head up or down can cause the mask to cover your eyes. I ran blindly after the cart, stretching my neck back repeatedly in my vain attempts to get the mask off my eyes. BUT, I did not touch that mask. No one has ever called me elegant and no one ever will!

Here is what we learned this week:

For the first time in months, the lead story on Global National was not about COVID 19. Being shut in our homes because of a virus is nothing compared to what happened in Nova Scotia this weekend. To our first responders and to the one who gave her life today, God Bless You, God Bless You.

Testing has been ramped up with our COVID 19 clinic testing over 900 people this weekend, most of them asymptomatic. Physicians and nurse practitioners were given the go ahead to test according to our clinical judgement.

The number of infected is now doubling every 11 days instead of every two days.

We have seen a slow swell, not a big surge. We flattened that curve.

Not a single Emergency Room or ICU in this country has been overwhelmed beyond their capacity. NOT A SINGLE ONE. That was due to brilliant local planning.

To the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister, to the premiers and medical officers of health in every province and to the Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Theresa Tam I just have to say, thank you. What you did, together, was miraculous.

And now, the moment we are all waiting for; it is time to start planning a pandemic exit. The fact that we are even talking about that is a big deal. We can trust these leaders through this next process. Have no doubt about that.

If we can make the groceries stores safe to serve you now, we can make other businesses safe to serve in the near future.

That will be the plan. Start with a few small businesses, watch for a resurgence of the virus, if none occurs, open more. Ever so careful baby steps

Despite all of this good news, this remains a very deadly virus.
There are over 500 people in intensive care units across this country and 1500 have lost their lives. Our position remains the same: stay inside, wear a cloth mask in public. Avoid travel except for necessities. Stay six feet away from other people while in public. Do not steer away from this course until our leaders give us the go ahead. Stay strong, focused and committed and have faith that you will be OK.

It is Sunday so I will give you a little faith tidbit that I learned today. I will paraphrase in the context of COVID 19.

" In order to survive this pandemic, strive to look out, not in. Focus on the beauty that is ever present around you and apply that beauty to bring joy to others "

We are learning to serve our fellow man.

Love it.

Anne-Marie.

Pease share.

Personal Protective Equipme

Well? What do you think about my new gown? I have only one new disposable gown left. It is taking weeks to receive any PPE. Once that last gown is used, I won't be able see patients in my office anymore. I have been safely re-using two disposable gowns but one was destroyed during my "locked out of the office running around the building" episode last week.

Christine, my amazing nurse practitioner came to our rescue last week. She found someone who could quickly make us a couple of gowns. The seamstress used some very interesting material. I think the colour is quite flattering; matches my blonde, soon to be grey 'because hair styling is not considered an essential service' hair.

What I won't do to keep seeing patients who need face to face care in my office.

Lots to review tonight:

The COVID 19 clinic managed to test over 1100 people from Friday to Monday this past week. These swabs all go to the lab at the Guelph General Hospital. Hats off to the medical laboratory technologists who worked their backsides off to get these done. You are just a few of the unsung heroes in this pandemic.

The COVID clinic sent a "swat" team of nurses and nurse practitioners to St. Joe's Health Centre to test every employee on duty and every patient, a massive undertaking. There is not a COVID 19 out break at St. Joes. Their leaders decided to be progressive by staying ahead of the virus and are testing everyone. There are very few communities in the province who are equipped to do this. We are lucky.

You have a marvellous local community COVID team.

Our paramedics are being trained to test. They are preparing to be available to repeat this kind of mass community testing.
( I have a secret love affair with all paramedics and fire fighters. They have my utmost respect and admiration).

And provincially, Ontario health officials say the community spread of COVID-19 in Ontario "appears to have peaked" earlier than originally expected. A month earlier to be exact.

A MONTH EARLIER!!!

We are way ahead of the best case scenario that was projected last month. We expected 80,000 cases in the province by this week. There are only 11,000.

Since those projections were released last month we have lived with many more businesses being closed, many more job losses, tighter physical distancing restrictions in public and stay at home orders that will extend into May.

We have suffered and we will continue to suffer. People will continue to die and many of them in our long term care facilities where the virus continues to surge. My deepest sympathy to those who have lost loved ones in these homes.

But our efforts save thousands and thousands of lives.

It may have been relatively straight forward to close the system down but it will be much more complicated and difficult to turn it back on. Restrictions need to be lifted slowly and carefully according to the science and the advice of our scientists and epidemiologists.

Let's please stay home and let them continue to create a brilliant 'return to normal' plan that allows for the maintenance of our health care system with the fewest lives lost.

Meanwhile at the back door of my office: $6,000 in donations for the COVID 19 clinic and for people who cannot make ends meet at this time, flowers and coffee for my staff, 100 more face shields for our front line workers and...of course, these beautiful gowns. That's a beautiful community under adversity taking action.

Be creative, intelligent and innovative as you continue to learn to survive in isolation. Be kind and generous. There is nothing more powerful than people who are in need themselves giving to others in greater need. That is resilience, strength and grace.

Be very proud tonight. There is reason for such great hope. As one of the followers of these posts stated this week, " We are crushing it".

In unity and strength,

Anne-Marie

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All things are possible...

Late post tonight. I started a charitable organization called Bracelet of Hope 14 years ago that has the audacious goal of ending the AIDS pandemic in Lesotho, Africa. It is a beautiful country that I fell in love with so many years ago. My first visit there was in 2006. With a remarkable team, we started by opening a provincially funded HIV clinic in Guelph to help address the needs of the HIV positive patients in south western Ontario. Once this clinic was opened, we saw the devastation that the AIDS pandemic was causing in sub Saharan Africa. We created Bracelet of Hope. Here is what this community did: In the first 2 and 1/2 years, Guelph and it's surrounding areas raised $1 million for the first HIV/AIDS clinic in Lesotho. Together, we kept 11,000 people alive on treatment throughout 2009. AIDS has killed 70 million people, most of them in Africa, most of them female and many of them children. We are still in the middle of that fight. Tonight we held our monthly board meeting.

I miss seeing these amazing board members in person. I miss hugging them. It is not the same over video.

There is a point as to why I am telling you this. COVID is the second pandemic that I have thrown myself into, like jumping off a cliff. Two pandemics in one career. I have enough experience from the first pandemic to understand what will happen with the present pandemic.

It is the same. Four people knocked on my back door today. One dropped off a bag of disposable gowns. I cried. Another person dropped off 6 cloth surgical gowns, washed and sterilized. I cried again. That person drove all the way form Kitchener. I am crying now. Thank you.

Another beautiful person asked me to give $100 to the single mom with the disabled son.

One woman dropped off a bag of beautiful homemade surgical caps, and another dropped off a box of N95 masks. I will share these with other health care providers so that they too can continue to see patients and be safe.

This kind of community action and generosity under the wings of Bracelet of Hope saved thousands of lives and preserved hundreds of families affected by HIV and continues to do so. There is also a magnificent global response that led to the development of treatments for HIV that allow for a normal life expectancy.

Generous, courageous, and fearless responses from the community level to the global level will end AIDS. We responded to the AIDS pandemic. We are responding to the COVID 19 pandemic in the same way.

Nothing can beat this kind of human collaboration and generosity. Adversity brings out the best in all of us. It hones our intelligence, our creativity and our ability to innovate. It stirs us to give from our souls. You are proving it once again. Nothing is impossible.

We will be on the other side of COVID 19 in no time flat. We will admire the acts of heroism and generosity and be in awe of all the goodness that exists in each of us.

Broken record...but we have so got this.

Let's keep going fellow warriors. This kind of stuff is what we were made for. Look up and see the wonder in who we are.

Anne-Marie

Please share.

My Rocky Balboa moment and slow and steady wins the race

Today was almost too frantic. I ran a liquid nitrogen clinic at my office. Those pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions need to be treated, pandemic or not. Today is the first day since the start of all this that I wore a gown and cap all day ( both donated by you). There was no point in taking it off. I so enjoyed actually seeing each of my patients today but it was a marathon. The coordination needs to be bang on. Patient at the back door, hands sterilized and mask on. Patient then follows the doctor who is completely covered in protective equipment. Both patient and doctor keep their hands clasped in front. Much like my mother used to make me do when I was a kid in Stedmans years ago. Remember Stedmans? Then into an exam room that has been washed down and sterilized. Procedure done. Patient is ushered out the back door, hands sterilized again, mask stays on.

Doctor than cleans down every surface in the exam room, changes mask, shield and gloves with repeated hand washing and ushers the next patient in. It is so much more complex and time consuming than pre-COVID 19.

At one point today, I looked at my fitbit, raced to the reception area, hands in the air, yelping like Rocky. I never get to 5,000 steps at the office. There is always a positive side.

There were too many back door drop offs for me to count today. I can't keep up. You are marvellous. I have asked my daughter, Elise Zajdlik to help with the donations. We spoke today about how best to manage this post. We agreed that it is important to respond to your comments and questions. I can't get to all of them. You may see her responding to some of your questions about donating and needing protective equipment and funds. She will also keep track of questions about COVID 19 that I will try to answer in these posts.

By way of update:

A tearful moment today when one of my patients who has recovered from COVID 19 sent a card of thanks to our staff. She sounds great and is well enough to head back to work.

Two more of my positive patients are recovering well at home. I speak to them each day.

One of my patients talked about how she believes she was made for a time like this. She doesn't have much money but what she has, she is using to support her neighbours and friends in need. Now that's the ticket!

Yes, the number of infected in this country continues to rise but not at the rate expected and yes we are losing people. That will continue for some time. Several provinces are now discussing their plans to open up some of our restrictions with a view to getting people back outside and back to work. This has to be done so slowly and carefully. Slow and steady.

Take a look at this website to see how well we are doing.

https://bit.ly/2VRJ69H

Click on, " Are we flattening the curve". Then look at the graphs under Total Cases in Canada, Total Cases by Province and, this one is my favourite, The Daily Percent Increase in Cases. There is no doubt about it. All the curves are flattening and the drop in new daily cases is just remarkable.

We were all made for a time like this. This is our success. The world will be different when COVID 19 is good and gone but we will be more than OK.

Stay the course folks!

Anne-Marie

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Rushing towards the flames:

I had a different post planned for today but it has been a tragic day.

Guelph's beautiful COVID 19 clinic is closed tonight. This morning, a patient came in for testing, went into distress and then cardiac arrest and shortly after, passed away.

He or she had family and friends and a life that was something so different 6 weeks ago. I send a prayer for those who must be in shock tonight. I observe your grief with respect and compassion.

My heart aches. I know the people who work at the COVID 19 clinic. I know who was on duty this morning. I was supposed to be working but handed my shift to someone else yesterday. I wish I could have been there with all of you to support you and give you strength. Someone else will tell the story but here is what I know: The staff of the Guelph Family Health team (nurses, doctors, nurse practitioners and administrators) the staff of the Guelph General Hospital and our emergency first responders ( EMS), "did not hesitate to provide care despite the risk of COVID 19".

I know the kind of care that is required when someone collapses and goes into cardiac arrest. It is care that comes from the deep, deep roots of our training. It is visceral, engrained and immediate. There is no thought of your own safety. A team of medical professionals would move like a single unit with one focus.

Bless you. I have been practising in this community for almost thirty years. I think I can speak for all of my colleagues when I say that we never expected to be called on in this way. We never anticipated that our collective skills would be needed in our city for a global pandemic nor did we expect to stand in such a precarious position to protect our community. We did not anticipate the fire. But never in a minute was there any doubt that we would rush towards the flames.

It is our privilege to do so.

There is always something to learn so please consider this: There is a palpable fear out there that is unwarranted and dangerous. It is the fear of accessing timely medical care, the fear of reaching out to your family physician or attending very necessary specialists appointments or taking emergent concerns to the emergency department. All of these points of care are safe. I will say it again; they are safe. If your medical team is willing to run into flames for you, please trust that we are prepared. In almost no time flat our offices were re-configured and reorganized to not only make sure our staff is safe but also that you are safe. You are safe.

The emergency room is a vitally important place that should never be avoided when a person is experiencing serious or worsening symptoms. It has been organized to protect you from this virus.

If you or someone you know is experiencing worsening symptoms, please reach out. This virus can present as sudden onset, extreme fatigue, headache and chest pain with minimal cough. There is not necessarily a fever. If symptoms are worsening, get medical care.

I won't spend too much time here but disinfectant put into the body causes death. God help us when that kind of advice is disseminated from incapacitated leaders.

Be well tonight my friends. I firmly believe that a shift out of phase one of this pandemic is about to occur and we will continue to need all hands on deck for this next phase but....... we are ready, we are following the science and we have you top of mind.

Anne-Marie

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Blended Bubbles

And so begins the era of the mask....And Blended Bubbles.

Yeah, my husband is a funny guy. He thinks his mask is the coolest.

Are you sensing the changing wind? We made it through the most terrifying phase of this pandemic. Under great leadership we sacrificed our freedoms and many of us our livelihoods to take on COVID 19. We stayed home, flattened the curve and avoided the surge that hit or is now hitting so many other countries with incredible devastation. I will stick my neck out and stay that we are past the surge, it was so much less than we anticipated and we weathered it very well.

It was brilliant and cooperative leadership between the provincial, territorial and federal governments, following the lead of our medical officers of health, scientists and health experts that allowed us to succeed through that storm.

And now, just as our beautiful spring blankets the country, a new era, a new normal will soon settle in. This is such great news. I am so proud of the careful strategic plan for recovery from COVID 19 that is now being introduced.

The federal and provincial governments will work together once again to begin reopening the economy allowing the premiers to take the lead in their provinces. This collaboration is essential for our recovery. Thank you for putting your political agendas aside to work together for what is best for Canadians. Gotta love that people. Love it.

New Brunswick has launched it's plan. It has four phases. I believe that similar plans will roll out across the country. We cannot begin this fragile phase until we have seen 2 weeks of decline in the number of new infections. We also need ample PPE for our health care workers and for people returning to work. We need the resources to be able to provide widespread testing and contact tracing. It is coming.

I cannot wait until we can 'Blend our bubbles'. Yep. Part of the plan will be to allow your bubble to be blended with someone else's bubble which means, families can re-unite and share hugs. BUT NOT YET.

All of this has to be done so slowly and carefully all the while, watching for any new outbreaks of the virus. For now we must continue staying home and practicing physical distancing. This has worked beautifully. It has been our main defence. We need that defence to stay in place until we are given the all clear to slowly lift restrictions.

We must all become content with this new normal. Physical distancing will not end soon. I think that material masks should be worn by everyone in public even when you keep that six foot distance. Countries that have done well have made this mandatory. There is significant evidence that it reduces the risk of transmitting this virus. Let's get creative and make beautiful masks.

I look forward with such great hope as I travel this new path with all of you. We can so do this.

Cheers on a lovely Saturday night.

Anne-Marie

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