TITLE: Are the government’s new restrictions too much or ‘too little to late’?
Last Tuesday I was at a gym and people were already talking about the new Covid restrictions. This is when I heard two men saying, `we are the silent majority` and `I don`t give a #/%$” what they say, I`ll do what I want anyways`.
Before I talk about what concerned me about these statements let me first tell you what I think about the Corona Pandemic:
-It is real and not a conspiracy.
-It was only a matter of time before a Pandemic occurred and we should have had a lot of this figure out already.
-The public should be given complete, real time information about Covid numbers. Lack of transparency continues to be a problem for this government so how can I trust this government is listening to science vs. playing politics?!
-I don`t see the big issue about wearing a mask in public. Is a mask the only answer, of course not, but inconvenience seems a small price to pay for a tool in the `Covid toolbox`. If the use of a mask saves even one life then why wouldn’t we use them?!
-We risk greater economic harm by not doing enough to curb Covid’s spread than we do by doing too much for a short period of time.
-The Corona virus doesn`t care who you are, where you live or what province you’re in. Taking ‘targeted measures’ when only mandatory province wide efforts are needed simply doesn’t work. A great example of this is the use of masks in public. A ‘targeted approach’ all but eliminates their usefulness.
-The virus has proven how vulnerable our seniors are and that we are failing to protect them.
-This virus has shown us how much we rely on our health system. The men and women that care for us deserve to be treated with more respect. But let`s not forget teachers, other front line staff, bus drivers, parents or the other countless hero`s that we count on in our daily lives.
-The public should get education about virus epidemiology.
What worried me about the guys at the gym is they might actually be the silent majority and that they will actual do whatever they want. If that is true all this sacrifice and effort is wasted.
Locally, I hope council doesn`t `play politics` by trying to appease everyone.
I`m like you, I was tired of the Covid Pandemic even before these new restrictions. I do NOT look forward to the coming months but is there a choice?
The fact is that the UCP government needed to do what they just did at least a month ago. They missed the chance prepare for the ‘2nd wave’ by hiring and training more contact tracers for example and now they’ve lost control. What might have worked a month ago likely won`t work now and we will be faced with a harder, more costly, shut down after Christmas. I hope I’m wrong!
This is not about who you voted for in the last election, this is about what’s happening now. I would have the same comments for any government in power making these decisions.
Dan Cunin