COVID-19 has forced a growing list of events across the globe to either cancel or postpone. The Canadian government is urging that people avoid all non-essential travel, British Columbian health authorities have prohibited gatherings of over 250 people, and universities will carry out the remainder of the term online to limit the spread of the virus.
We asked Pentictonites what they are doing differently in their personal lives to help contain COVID-19. Here are their responses.
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(Jesse Doucette)
“I’ve been washing my hands like 25 times a day. I have hand sanitizer in my car. I work in retail and have been using gloves to take cash, but that’s about as far as I’m going to go, I think.
“I feel like my immune system would hopefully be enough. I’m in the least affected age group so my chance of death is something like 0.1 per cent. It’s hard for me, as a young person, to know how to prevent the spread to other people. That’s what I’m afraid of, if I catch it I don’t really care, but if I spread it to my mom… now we’re talking problems.
“I think that stock-piling toilet paper is silly, you only need like maybe a maximum of 50 rolls.”
(Denise Bowering)
“I feel like reducing actions with others will help. Whether it’s less touching, handshaking, or hugging, it will help.
“I haven’t stocked up on anything but I’ve got a twin a sister who was running around town looking for toilet paper, so I just said she could come over and take some of mine.
“I’m just trying to respect other people’s wishes and not feed into the frenzy but I definitely don’t want to get sick. I have kidney dysfunction so if I do get sick I will wind up very sick.”
(Cher Rampton with son Greye Rampton)
“I’m just doing normal stuff. Washing my hands more maybe. I use essential oils so I dosed up on that. But I think you still need to live your life.
“It’s Spring break so it’s a perfect time, if anything. We’re just going to take regular safety precautions but in life, I think, things happen, right?
“You can only be so cautious and prepare as much as possible. We always have food in the house so we’re not going to starve and we even have toilet paper left. Life’s not ending. You still have to live your life and you still have to be with people, just maybe in smaller crowds of people and if you’re stick, stay home.”
(Dave Whyte)
“I’ve been washing my hands a lot more and being cautious of door handles but I feel like you have to go on with your life.
“In Penticton nothing seems to have changed at all. I think a self quarantine would be a pretty good idea. I was thinking about going out for a beer but I didn’t because I figured that’s probably where you’re going to get it (coronavirus).”
(Tammy Solberg)
“I try not to panic because that causes unmanageable stress for me.
“I’m just trying to be conscious of what’s around me. I’ve been using my sleeves to touch everything, trying really hard to not touch things with my hands. I noticed people aren’t as friendly.”
READ MORE: Not COVID-19: Here’s a look at what else happened this week in B.C.
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