Press Pause

The world is too much with us, some wise person once wrote. 

The Information Age has certainly bombarded us with Too Much Information, not all of it in any wise accurate.  For people who don't know how to recognize emotional trigger words or editorial bias it can become an minefield to wade through all the reports - it's bad, it's not that bad, it's a liberal conspiracy.

Well, germs don't care about your politics.  They don't care that you have plans.  They just want to infect another host - any host.

It is time to press Pause. 

Of course I am disappointed that events are being cancelled, but I certainly understand why.  I am not going to get angry at the event co-ordinators, the teachers, the serving staff etc., for doing as has been strongly recommended - stay home.  If you need to go out, maintain physical distance from others.

This morning it was announced that the 15,000 people who attended a dental conference in Vancouver less than two weeks ago need to self-isolate because that event has been recognized as having had the virus also attend.  In the intervening days since, how many of those 15K people became  ill and unknowingly passed the virus to others as they travelled home, then took up their 'regular' lives?

Some people are questioning why, if they are healthy (how do they know?) they need to isolate from others.  Thing is, some people don't show any symptoms, or their symptoms are so mild they don't really notice.  They may have super strong immune systems.  Unfortunately not everyone does. 

Like me.  So say you went to that dental conference, you touched something that had the virus on it, then touched your mouth, nose or eyes.  The virus entered your body and started to grow.  But, because you have a really strong immune system, you didn't develop any symptoms.  However, you were shedding the virus on things that you may have coughed on, or touched. 

Someone like me came along, all unknowing, touched that doorknob you touched and picked up the virus.  If I then touched my mouth, nose or eyes, the virus entered my body and encountered my weak immune system, I might become extremely ill and die.

If people don't understand how this works, I would hope that they would at least pay attention to medical professionals and do as is being requested:  Stay Home.  Wash your hands.  With soap. 

It is time to Press Pause on our plans until this virus burns through the population.  Until treatments can be developed (right now it is only symptom mitigation - there is nothing, no medication, that actually kills the virus), or a vaccine.  Medications and vaccines take time.  Researchers are working on it and hopefully there will be something soon.

But right now?  The best practice is to follow the guidelines.  Events will happen in the future.  Try to work to stick around to attend them.