The news today is a very sobering reality of just how intense this situation is. I have been watching the live news reports on CP24 from 1 pm-3 pm and my chest is tight with anxiety. It is hard to believe the world we are living in, it’s not a movie or simulation, this is real life. It’s heartbreaking. Ontario alone could see 15K deaths and over 1M cases have been recorded around the world. Today I sent a couple of invoices for the last round of work I did and to be honest, I’m not sure what’s next?
This Day in History: Covid-19
The Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic was declared on March 11, 2020. I am putting this information here as a reminder to look back on one day when this is all over (it has been floating around on Facebook). Premier Ford said we are looking at 2 years for this to fully be over and once the first round of the virus starts to ease up, we could see a second and third wave.
- There are now 11,283 Confirmed Cases in Canada on this day with 173 deaths.
- Gas prices are at a record low 68 cents.
- School cancelled since March 13th until May 1st (kids aren’t likely going back until September)
- Self-distancing measures on the rise.
- Tape on the floors at grocery stores and other stores to help distance shoppers 2m from each other.
- Limited number of people inside stores, with 1 per family, therefore lineups are outside the store doors.
- Hand washing stations in the Store Entrances and Pexi-glass barriers installed around the Cashiers/Check-out
- Non-essential stores and businesses mandated closed.
- Parks, trails, entire cities locked up.
- Entire sports seasons cancelled.
- Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events – cancelled.
- Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings – cancelled.
- No masses, churches are closed.
- No gatherings of 50 or more, then 20 or more, now 5 or more.
- Don’t socialize with anyone outside of your home.
- Children’s outdoor play parks are closed.
- We are to distance from each other.
In Canada:
- Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
- Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.
- Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towels, no hand sanitizer.
- Shelves are bare at times and most are being re-stocked nightly.
- Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitizer and PPE.
- Government closes the border to all non-essential travel, calls Canadians home and makes it mandatory to self isolate for 14 days.
- Stiff Fines and Jail time for price gouging on essential items.
- Fines are established for breaking the rules.
- Stadiums and recreation facilities open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.
- Press conferences daily from Prime Minister Trudeau.
- In Ontario: Premier Ford gives daily updates on new cases, recoveries of Covid 19 and any new Bylaws/Rules
- Government incentives to stay home.
- Barely anyone in the street or on the roads.
- People wearing masks and gloves outside.
- Essential service workers are terrified to go to work.
- Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.
- 1,600,000 applications for Employment Insurance as people go without.
- Government has made a CERB (Canada Emergency Response Benefit) available for families that don’t qualify for EI with $500 a week for up to 16 weeks.
That’s all for today. I need a break from the internet.
