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.
For non-Facebook users, you can find this post here:
And if you'd like to help Bracelet of Hope work towards making sure that Lesotho has access to these vaccines, donate here:
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