My Advice as Ontario Opens Up

So - Ontario is taking its first fledgling steps toward loosing restrictions on our movements and gradually and prudently opening up our economy. As we emerge from our self-isolation, I have three points that I would like you to ponder:

a) COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future – we have not defeated it yet – it is just as contagious – it is just as dangerous and potentially lethal as it was when we first self isolated:

b) That being said we are different people than we were eight weeks ago – we have developed new healthy habits – we have developed new strategies – to keep this hideous wolf from our doors; and

c) There is hope - while not as quickly as we would like – there are numerous potentially effective treatments and vaccines presently in medical trials – some of which will in due course be proven effective, and safe for public use – that will at first hamstring/restrain and then defeat this deadly virus.

A.) COVID-19 will be with Us for the Foreseeable Future

As restrictions to our freedom of movement are gradually lifted, it is important to bear in mind that the battle is still raging – that the war is not over. It is important to keep from wishful thinking or to become overly confident or excessively euphoric about this opening up process. If we are not vigilant, if we let our guards down, if we become over confident – the surge of COVID-19 – which is bound to come at some point – will be worse than the first surge and will set us back – not to mention cause needless untold suffering as well as cost countless precious lives. It is fine to feel relieved – to be encouraged - to be hopeful – to be positive – even optimistic – but don’t allow these feelings to become intoxicating or to cloud your better judgement. A battle has been won – at great cost – but the war is far from over.

We are not Powerless – We have Developed New Healthy Habits and Strategies to Help Us Cope and Ultimately Prevail

This time of self isolation has changed us for the better. We have developed and through practice have perfected:

A) hygienic practices to protect us from contamination;

B) the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect ourselves and others from spreading this virus; and

C) social distancing to lessen potential life threatening contact with those who are infected with this virus.

Think of it - thorough and frequent hand washing, routinely using hand sanitizers, keeping our hands away from our faces, regularly disinfecting our IPhones – our mail, our parcels, our groceries – taking our shoes off when we enter the house – washing our clothes immediately after having been out of our homes etc. – all of these practices have become automatic over time – virtually instinctual and the trick is - over the weeks and months ahead - to keep it that way – to stay the course undaunted

How many of us ever thought that we would be wearing personal protective masks and gloves when we go shopping or any activity taking us outside the home - and yet - we have adapted. We not only wear PPE but we know how to use them properly by meticulously following PPE protocols. Washing our cars and keeping our cars neat and tidy has been part of our routine but who would have thought that sanitizing the interior of our cars would become common place – and yet is has. We have developed a sense of self-awareness over time that helps us to avoid circumstances that will make us more vulnerable to the virus. It is a chess game and it is important to bear in mind that the game is still on and we have to keep planning two or three moves ahead to keep us out of harms way.

When I was training for operations in Afghanistan - I had an instructor who repeatedly said: “If you hope to come out of this alive – you will learn to keep your head on a swivel.” I am sharing this life saving advice with you too: “If we are going to survive this Pandemic we all need to keep our heads of a swivel.” Basically, what my instructor was telling me – and I am telling you – is that before COVID-19 we allowed ourselves to spend the lion’s portion of our day with our heads in the clouds – not really connected to the world around us. We meandered down the sidewalk with our eyes daydreaming, often on our IPhones and our ears plugged into music – blind and deaf to opportunists of every description – needlessly opening ourselves to being preyed upon. Criminals and killer virus’, like lion’s on the prowl, pick out the most vulnerable, the most ill prepared, and the least situationally aware. So, keeping your head on swivel lessens your vulnerability, prepares you for the unexpected, and increases your vigilance/situational awareness.

We used to take community gatherings for granted. Few of us were put off by social gatherings both great and small. That all changed eight weeks ago and now it is virtually automatic to keep at least six feet between yourself and anyone outside your home. Small, medium, and large social gatherings are but a distant memory. While we continue to crave social contact from family and friends, we have found healthy ways of reaching out either virtually, by telephone, or through the mail. Social distancing remains one of the most effective means of lessening the chance of being infected or spreading infection. As long as COVID-19 is with us we must religiously maintain healthy social distancing practices. Stop thinking about social distancing as a temporary measure for the foreseeable future – it will be part of our “new normal for the foreseeable future - it will be our new steady state.

Over the past eight weeks we have been preparing ourselves for the gradual relaxation of the restrictions that have been placed on our freedom of movement. We have everything we need to safely live in a world where COVID-19 shares our reality. Our challenge is not to forget what we have learned – namely those new habits that will keep us and others free of infection. If we do this – we and our loved ones will be safe and so will our community as a whole.

There is Hope that the Table can be Turned on COVID-19

I truly believe that there is abundant hope for both effective medical treatments (that will lessen the severity of COVID-19 for those infected and also lessen the recovery time) and for effective vaccinations that will either protect us for a year and hopefully multiple years. The issue here is that this will take time – more time than we would like. Effective medical treatments will probably be available to us in 8-12 months time and effective vaccination programs in the 12-18 month timeframe. Bear in mind that these are the best-case scenarios and that it could easily take much longer.

The key to defeating COVID-19 is for 85 to 95% of all Canadians to receive a safe and effective vaccine in order to achieve “herd immunity”. Then and only then can we return to some semblance of normal. Even then our “new normal” should include the new found health sustaining habits that we have learned and put into practice while self isolating.

I short we have done well to this point – but now is not the time to lay down our guard – let’s remain vigilant – let’s keep our heads on a swivel (have situational awareness) and stay the course.