COVID 19 - What can we do?
Some people are comparing this crisis to the World Wars of last century. Regardless of what country or "side" one was on, large parts of that "side" came together for the common good of that "side".
As a GLOBAL community, we have an opportunity to come together GLOBALLY to fight on ONE side for ONE common good. All of us have an opportunity to contribute. My wife and I have chosen to stay at home to do our part to limit the spread. At this time, we have no symptoms, but we chose to "self quarantine" so we cannot contribute to the problem. We take limited excursions in public, we order groceries on line, we limit contact with family, and participate in worship on-line.
Some people are not as fortunate. Workers in health care, retail, transportation, infrastructure, emergency services, and so many more, must continue to serve in their roles. They ensure our safety and continued health by keeping vital products and services coming to our homes, grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. We applaud and support you in that role and appreciate the risks you and your exposed loved ones are taking to support us.
Hoarding
Many people have asked, "why are people hoarding?". When faced with a crisis, we all want to do something concrete. More than just staying at home and social distancing. For many people, the idea of "stocking up" helps them feel they have a degree of control. Most authorities are stating that at this time, there is no need to hoard. Our supply chains and infrastructure are intact for critical items. If people would stop hoarding, we would not see empty shelves in grocery stores.
We believe that people are comparing this crisis to a natural disaster like an earthquake, tornado or hurricane where infrastructure and supply chains have been drastically affected, hence the need to store food and water. We see pictures and newscasts of these disasters showing 1,000s of people without food, water and shelter and we believe we are facing the same situation. WE ARE NOT!!! This crisis has not affected the supply chain like a natural disaster does and there is no need to hoard. But some do so, because they feel they are acting appropriately and protecting themselves and their families.
What Can We Do?
At times like this, we often feel helpless - but there are things we CAN do. To begin with, follow the basic instructions given below. I won't repeat all the details, those are provided in numerous sources below:
Social Media...
...and media in general - consume with caution. Read the "panic stories" with caution. USE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. In one of the "credible" newscasts (mainstream media) a reporter was summarizing topics from a briefing that we all just watched less than 5 minutes earlier. The reporter stated things that the speaker (in this case Premier Kenney) flatly did not say.
Another case of this was in the "Your Alberta" daily briefings. Dr. Mark Joffe was speaking of the great job that AHS workers are doing, working long hours, etc. The first question that came out was from a reporter about "doctor burnout". The first thing that Dr. Joffe clarified, and quite forcefully, was that he did not used the term "doctor burnout", and then answered the question. Had he not done that, you can be assured that reporter would have run a story with headlines that "Alberta's front line COVID doctors are burning out" and the public would have been worrying about not having health care workers... Even mainstream "credible" media sensationalizes the message they want to send. Social media is even worse.
There is much positivity on social media - focus on that. Stories of how people are coming together to support one another. Do some of that yourself. We connected with our neighbors (via notes, not face to face). We knew their names, but didn't have phone numbers. We gave them our numbers and said if they need anything, to call. We offered to collect their numbers and provide to the others who provided their numbers so we have wider resources available. There are things we can do to feel in control in an unprecedented situation.
Resources
The links below are not exhaustive, but they are a good starting place. Like grocery shopping - take what you need for right now, leave the rest on the shelf for next time.
We recommend that people do NOT source social media for this critical information. Even credible news sources, seem to confuse the many messages coming from so many sources. Different countries say different things about treatment, containment, etc. Go to the main sources of credible information below as your PRIMARY source of information. Then compare that against the information offered in the other resources that follow.
CREDIBLE COVID 19 RESOURCES
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
https://www.alberta.ca/covid-19-information.aspx
The following link has links to other provinces in Canada. Different jurisdictions are responding in different ways. One may be frustrated that, for example, Ontario closed public schools before Alberta did. Recognize that while you may not agree with your jurisdictions actions, we need to support our provincial and local governments as they react in ways they feel are best for ALL.
Other resources
Alberta Construction Association - excellent resources here
Alberta Construction Safety Association - see the links at the right side of the screen
http://www.beaumontchamber.ca/covid-19-resources
Travel Advisory
https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories?utm_source=ONTRAPORT-email-broadcast&utm_medium=ONTRAPORT-email-broadcast&utm_term=%21OP+Test%3A+Added+yesterday&utm_content=Chambers+Plan%2C+Your+Business+%26+COVID-19+Update&utm_campaign=20032020
How to Work Effectively from home
https://readdle.com/blog/remote-work-apps-services
https://readdle.com/blog/remote-work-tips
At the end of this PDF are links to provincial COVID sites
http://www.chamber.ca/resources/pandemic-preparedness/BusinessPrepGuidePanPrep2020
As a GLOBAL community, we have an opportunity to come together GLOBALLY to fight on ONE side for ONE common good. All of us have an opportunity to contribute. My wife and I have chosen to stay at home to do our part to limit the spread. At this time, we have no symptoms, but we chose to "self quarantine" so we cannot contribute to the problem. We take limited excursions in public, we order groceries on line, we limit contact with family, and participate in worship on-line.
Some people are not as fortunate. Workers in health care, retail, transportation, infrastructure, emergency services, and so many more, must continue to serve in their roles. They ensure our safety and continued health by keeping vital products and services coming to our homes, grocery stores, pharmacies, etc. We applaud and support you in that role and appreciate the risks you and your exposed loved ones are taking to support us.
Hoarding
Many people have asked, "why are people hoarding?". When faced with a crisis, we all want to do something concrete. More than just staying at home and social distancing. For many people, the idea of "stocking up" helps them feel they have a degree of control. Most authorities are stating that at this time, there is no need to hoard. Our supply chains and infrastructure are intact for critical items. If people would stop hoarding, we would not see empty shelves in grocery stores.
We believe that people are comparing this crisis to a natural disaster like an earthquake, tornado or hurricane where infrastructure and supply chains have been drastically affected, hence the need to store food and water. We see pictures and newscasts of these disasters showing 1,000s of people without food, water and shelter and we believe we are facing the same situation. WE ARE NOT!!! This crisis has not affected the supply chain like a natural disaster does and there is no need to hoard. But some do so, because they feel they are acting appropriately and protecting themselves and their families.
What Can We Do?
At times like this, we often feel helpless - but there are things we CAN do. To begin with, follow the basic instructions given below. I won't repeat all the details, those are provided in numerous sources below:
- Personal hygiene (hand washing, coughing and sneezing into elbows, etc.)
- Social distancing (2 meters from others in public)
- If symptoms appear, self quarantine 14 days.
- If you don't have to go out, DON'T. Think about what you HAVE to do vs what you WANT to do.
- Stay healthy (eat properly, proper rest, exercise (at home), fresh air while maintaining social distance)
- Be kind, think of others, how can you help?
- Choose hope over negativity and fear
- Watch your consumption of social media - more on this below.
Social Media...
...and media in general - consume with caution. Read the "panic stories" with caution. USE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS. In one of the "credible" newscasts (mainstream media) a reporter was summarizing topics from a briefing that we all just watched less than 5 minutes earlier. The reporter stated things that the speaker (in this case Premier Kenney) flatly did not say.
Another case of this was in the "Your Alberta" daily briefings. Dr. Mark Joffe was speaking of the great job that AHS workers are doing, working long hours, etc. The first question that came out was from a reporter about "doctor burnout". The first thing that Dr. Joffe clarified, and quite forcefully, was that he did not used the term "doctor burnout", and then answered the question. Had he not done that, you can be assured that reporter would have run a story with headlines that "Alberta's front line COVID doctors are burning out" and the public would have been worrying about not having health care workers... Even mainstream "credible" media sensationalizes the message they want to send. Social media is even worse.
There is much positivity on social media - focus on that. Stories of how people are coming together to support one another. Do some of that yourself. We connected with our neighbors (via notes, not face to face). We knew their names, but didn't have phone numbers. We gave them our numbers and said if they need anything, to call. We offered to collect their numbers and provide to the others who provided their numbers so we have wider resources available. There are things we can do to feel in control in an unprecedented situation.
Resources
The links below are not exhaustive, but they are a good starting place. Like grocery shopping - take what you need for right now, leave the rest on the shelf for next time.
We recommend that people do NOT source social media for this critical information. Even credible news sources, seem to confuse the many messages coming from so many sources. Different countries say different things about treatment, containment, etc. Go to the main sources of credible information below as your PRIMARY source of information. Then compare that against the information offered in the other resources that follow.
CREDIBLE COVID 19 RESOURCES
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
https://www.alberta.ca/covid-19-information.aspx
The following link has links to other provinces in Canada. Different jurisdictions are responding in different ways. One may be frustrated that, for example, Ontario closed public schools before Alberta did. Recognize that while you may not agree with your jurisdictions actions, we need to support our provincial and local governments as they react in ways they feel are best for ALL.
Other resources
Alberta Construction Association - excellent resources here
Alberta Construction Safety Association - see the links at the right side of the screen
http://www.beaumontchamber.ca/covid-19-resources
Travel Advisory
https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories?utm_source=ONTRAPORT-email-broadcast&utm_medium=ONTRAPORT-email-broadcast&utm_term=%21OP+Test%3A+Added+yesterday&utm_content=Chambers+Plan%2C+Your+Business+%26+COVID-19+Update&utm_campaign=20032020
How to Work Effectively from home
https://readdle.com/blog/remote-work-apps-services
https://readdle.com/blog/remote-work-tips
At the end of this PDF are links to provincial COVID sites
http://www.chamber.ca/resources/pandemic-preparedness/BusinessPrepGuidePanPrep2020