Important to obey COVID-19 directions
COVID-19 has killed almost 70,000 worldwide and this number is literally increasing exponentially. A month ago, Canada had 30 cases. Now we have over 13,000 and there isn’t a curve to flatten anymore, it’s a straight line up of increasing infections and death. There is no way of putting this genie back in the bottle, all that is left is protecting the lives of the vulnerable and the essential service workers and health care professionals working on the front lines.
For health care workers it’s like being in a war. Surrounded by the sights and sounds of pain, suffering and death, exhausted and afraid for their own lives, they try to save the lives of others. This enemy is no less real and no less deadly than an overt attack by a terrorist or a military invasion. The only difference is this enemy is totally invisible and its greatest weapons are ignorance and greed.
Around the world health care professionals have to determine which lives are more valuable — the most empathetic and kindest people, who are already working to the maximum of their capacity during this crisis, now have the extra emotional stress of deciding who lives and who dies.
Beyond the health care workers are the other essential workers, the people who have been told that they must work, and many of these people are at the mercy of the corporate entities that decide the level of protection they are allowed. The asymptomatic carrier, who feels fine, has no reason to suspect they have the virus and so chooses to ignore recommendations, puts these people at risk. Not only them, but their families, the other customers they interact with, and everyone else the customers interact with.
The expectations of general citizens to support the people risking their health and the health of their families by working our essential services is minimal by comparison. Cover your face if you go out, only go out if it is essential, if you must be in public maintain a six foot distance from people, and don’t touch things unless you are going to buy them. Avoid crowds — don’t have parties — just say no to face to face small talk — stay home an extra two weeks after your vacation abroad — no one is being asked to perpetually push a boulder up a mountain here.
We have to fight this deadly enemy with the advice of the professionals and those on the front lines. This is not the time for conspiracy theories, not the time for pseudoscience, and not the time for ego. This enemy has just started taking down our citizens by the thousands and whether this number increases to tens or hundreds of thousands with the corresponding deaths is up to each of us.
Just like those few who don’t understand they can’t park across your driveway, take a product or use a service you provide and not pay for it, or drive their car home because they’re “tipsy not drunk”, laws that have fines, community service or incarceration as deterrents exist because recommendations without consequences do not work.
When innocent and vulnerable people are being harmed by the selfish or ignorant actions of others we must hold those doing the harmful actions accountable.
Whether May 5, 2020 shows 20,000, 50,000 or 150,000 cases in Canada depends on how we deal with this now.
Colleen Morrison Lyons
North Cowichan
