Although J.M Keynes was an economist, his words are also appropriate to our COVID-19 pandemic: “When my information changes, I alter my conclusions.”
What we know about this virus has advanced since it first entered our lives nine months ago. As Dr. Robert Strang alluded to in a recent update, as information changes, so do the approaches to combating COVID-19.
On March 15 the pandemic-necessitated shutdown hit Nova Scotia with a vengeance causing our lives and health care circumstances to become more worrisome since that infamous day. In March many Canadians were lackadaisical about this viral foe’s effects, and sadly, today there are still those who are being complacent regarding its deadly nature. As Keynes was willing to alter his conclusions, we too must change beliefs to our present realities – and our future needs – to survive this world-wide health crisis.
The John Hopkins University and Medicine Web site shows that the COVID-19 virus is not an isolated predator but a world-wide hunter that is imposing its deadly toll in all nations. COVID-19 does not give a care about our nationalities, genders, political beliefs, social standings or spirituals practices; it simply wants our lungs to serve as its hosts. Unless we get our precautionary acts together, there will be continuous viral spreading and more massive hardships that will make our 2020 look like a walk in a park.
Years ago, I had the privilege of meeting the WWII veteran who was with my uncle on the day that uncle Jack was killed in battle. When I inquired how they dealt with those years of conflict, he stated that they went “one day at a time.” Recently, as I passed a cenotaph honouring our Canadian war dead, I thought of Uncle Jack and of all who served and of the times and lives lost due to that deadly conflict.
Nova Scotians are being asked to wear masks when necessary, to maintain social distancing, to frequently wash their hands, and when possible, to stay home to help reduce the virus’s spread.
Some are complaining that those are infringements on their rights so I ask that they envision living during WW ll and being required to deal with the massive, and for many, deadly changes to lifestyles and comforts. To them I say: Give thanks that neither you nor your family are being required to do what was needed to be done to survive the deadly challenges of those war years.
We too can go one day at a time to take the recommended easily-manageable measures as we fight to win the COVID-19 war and do so from the comforts of our homes and communities.
With the second COVID-19 wave currently hitting all nations and our festive period mere weeks away, I believe this winter and all of 2021 are going to be very challenging times. When I investigate instances of viral spread that exist and then fast forward to its anticipated increases from Christmas and New Year’s activities, my prognosis is not good; we are in for a continuing rocky ride through this deadly battle.
If we adapt while entering into our new normals to curtail the virus’s stealth spread and not just wait for the hoped-for vaccines to be developed, produced, approved and distributed to millions, we can curtail and hopefully beat this viral foe.
Ray Bates
Guysborough