Corona Virus (Covo-19)
So here we are, March 13, 2020. All major sports are cancelled, all concerts, plays and classes cancelled. University classes to to online instruction. It is recommended that people not travel outside of Canada and there is talk of closing the US border as Washington State is a hot spot for the virus. People are hoarding toilet paper and hand sanitizer and the sad, sad situation of scalpers selling much-needed goods is becoming an issue. Line-ups at grocery stores are a reality and empty streets and public gathering places are a stark contrast to those line-ups. We are in a situation where gatherings of over 250 are banned and people are being encouraged to self-isolate, not only when sick but to avoid getting sick.
So here we are. 65+ and in an age group advised to be more vigilant than younger folks. So, vigilant we are. We are not anxious. We are not overly concerned. But we are also not taking any unnecessary chances and will follow all of the guidelines suggested.
We have permission to slow down our lives. We have permission to spend more time with our immediate family. We are encouraged to get outside and go for a walk and get some fresh air. Perhaps this is a gift for those whose lives are so busy they don't have any other chances to do exactly what is necessary to keep this virus from spreading. In Italy people who are in isolation are leaning out over their balconies and singing traditional folk songs together. This is the way to be 'together' in our isolation.
March 17
Things are escalating. No groups of more than 50 allowed. Canadian borders closed to all non-Canadians (and US citizens). Washington State is a hotbed for the virus so British Columbians are quite worried about the border being open to US citizens. Schools in all provinces are closed except B.C. at this time but there will be an announcement later today and we are all expecting the same thing here. The hospitals have cancelled all elective surgery and are preparing for the next couple of weeks where the spike is expected. People are still hoarding but there are many good news stories as well. All bars and restaurants are to be closed for St. Patrick's day but I am sure people will find a way to celebrate and am curious to see how creative they can get :). Our family group-skyped last night and it was hilarious. Bob (and I) are proud of how creative our kids are and how they seem to be needing to connect to each other at this time. I was glad to see UBC had finally shut down as well. Up until yesterday Carrie was going to work.
In general, I am not having any problems staying 'socially distant' but then it has only been a few days. As long as the weather is nice I will be riding my bike and doing some hikes with Bob. Our yard is needing some spring work and I have lots of books and crafts to keep me busy. Our food supply is good and the stores, in spite of peoples' posts on FB, seem to be fairly well stocked and we do have an egg stand next door, local meat sales and veggie stands as well. We are fortunate to be Canadians!
I am beginning to have difficulty watching the news, particularly those stations who seem to need to sensationalize every story. Dr. Bonnie Henry (Chief Medical Officer for B.C.) and Adrian Dix (Minister of Health) have done an excellent job of keeping us all up to date in a very calm, factual manner. Once they are done their reports I am not interested in hearing reporter's ridiculous questions, particularly the ones that start with, "In hindsight, would you . . . " I find the second-guessing insulting to our medical professionals and feel that much of what is on the news is repetitive and irritating so need to walk away and find something else to do when it gets to that point.
The sun has shone the last two days and that has made all the difference. Being able to get out on my bike for a couple of hours a day makes the day so much better. Bob has also started on yard work and in the next few days I will begin preparing garden beds.
Today's news included the province announcing a Health Emergency in the province. This give the Chief Medical Officer powers to make decisions she wasn't able to before. All bars and restaurants were closed in order to keep people away from St. Patrick's Day celebrations. Bars will remain closed until further notice and restaurants have turned mostly to take out and pick up with very few having inside seating. If they do have inside seating tables must be more than 6 feet apart and no more than 50 people allowed inside.
The bigger announcement was that all schools will be closed until further notice. This decision was predictable with BC being the only province in Canada that had not made this decision as public schools are currently on spring break.
I cannot begin to say how grateful I am for our life situation at the moment. So many people being laid off and businesses having to shut their doors. There will be many, many people unable to make ends meet. The government will step in to support people but I doubt it will be enough. Our pensions are good and my pay will continue through until the end of the school year. The kids will all be fine as well and we are in a situation to help if need be. We have enough food and supplies to last us quite a while. Stores seem to be fairly well stocked at the moment and there is no official concern although there seem to be many people hoarding. I am sure there is a lot of stress out there.
The predictions are that we are just on the doorstep of the escalation here in Canada. We will keep to ourselves and continue to make the best of the situation. The next couple of weeks will be an ever evolving situation for the government and for businesses and industries.
March 22 Update
Well, the borders are closed to all but essential traffic. All Canadian citizens were ordered home and those that are able are moving quickly to get back into Canada. All restaurants and bars are closed to clients coming inside. Many of the restaurants are doing their best to stay in business by providing take-out food. This is working well here in Agassiz, particularly with Lori's Catering and The Broken Whisk. Playgrounds all have yellow caution tape around them and Harrison Hot Springs and Cultus Lake have barricaded off the entrances to their communities to keep tourists out. White Rock pier is considering the same actions. So many people have been outside enjoying the sunshine and warmth of the last few days but are completely ignoring the warnings to keep 6 feet apart from each other. The road to Lindeman Lake in Chilliwack had cars lined up along the road for miles and this is a trail that has many parts where only one hiker can pass at a time - the same is true at The Chief in Squamish where everyone going up must use the same ladder. I passed by Super Valu today and people were lined up along the sidewalk leaving plenty of space between them. Apparently they are only letting in 10 people at a time.
On a more positive note, our family has learned to use a group link so we can all talk as a group. The kiddies are loving this one and even connected for a dance party yesterday. The kids all seem to be doing very well and are enjoying this time at home with arts, crafts, puzzles, games and lots of walks in the great outdoors. There is a bit of a movement here where children are posting messages and hearts in their windows and drawing art work on the sidewalks for people to enjoy. It is heart-warming to see this taking off.
The weather has been very good the last few days and this has allowed us to get out for walks and bike rides. Bob has done a lot of yard work including mowing the lawn for the first time this year. The rain is coming but we are stocked up with books and I have enough art supplies to keep me going for quite a while.
The numbers of people having the virus in BC has continued to climb steadily. We have had 10 deaths due to the virus, all coming from a seniors' home in Vancouver. My mom and dad are confined to their building - no going in and out. They get all of their meals in the facility they are in so have no reason, other than just to get out, to go anywhere. Still, if it was me, the not being allowed would be very hard. They are strange times.
Today is April 6 - three weeks into this pandemic. As you can see from the numbers , we are lucky to be living in British Columbia. Experts believe that our later spring break has helped us tremendously. Many families, including ours, did not travel prior to the outbreak as families in Ontario and Quebec had. Their spring break came before the pandemic hit Canada and it is believed many travellers returned from holidays carrying the pandemic with them.
| Province, territory or other | Number of confirmed cases | Number of probable cases | Number of deaths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 15,496 | 16 | 280 |
| British Columbia | 1,203 | 0 | 38 |
| Quebec | 7,944 | 0 | 94 |
| Ontario | 4,038 | 0 | 119 |
This is the norm for us now. We do not have direct contact with any of our family. We have had a couple of walks with Jason and Lizzie while keeping the recommended 2 meters apart. We cannot walk with Kelly and her family as the kids are not able to understand that we cannot pick them up, especially Riley and Layla. We have seen them through the window and the door as we drop things off at their house. Christine, Marc, Kai, Nico, Derran, Carrie and Austen, we have all had chat times face to face on the computer. We do not know how long this will go on - likely through the next couple of months.
We buy groceries once a week unless something is necessary. The weather has not been good so we have not been outside much. Bob goes for a walk or a bike ride most days but I am having trouble getting outside when it is so cold and windy. Yesterday, April 5 we had snow for much of the day - heavy at times and always windy. It did not stick but still hard to watch through the window as we hunkered down for another day.
All non-essential businesses are closed. Restaurants have gone to take out only and our local restaurants have been very good about sharing meals with people who are struggling financially at this time. Many, many people have lost their jobs as businesses close. The government has, in my opinion done a terrific job of getting financial support to people as quickly as they can. Again, I cannot stress how fortunate our family is to be working in jobs that are paying them through this situation. Derran and Brady continue to go into work while Marc works from home. Carrie is at UBC who is continuing to pay them and the rest of us are teachers, working from home.
The education situation is very confusing at the moment. Teachers are working extremely hard to find ways to get lessons/activities to their students. Many are using online platforms to deliver actual lessons while others, especially elementary schools, are using the platforms more to connect with their students and families. Administrators are working from the schools and seem to be on call 24/7 at this time. We will see how this works. Many families are finding the education piece just one more stress at a time when they are financially strapped and, for the most part, housebound.
No comments:
Post a Comment