Tuesday, April 07, 2020

Why We Need To Keep Enforcing Social Distancing



Toronto police have been patrolling the city making sure that people are social distancing.

They have been handing out some pretty stiff fines to those who still don't get it. 

And I couldn't be more grateful.

For unless we can do more to flatten the curve, and quickly, a lot of Canadians are going to die who might have been saved.



Which is what happened in Italy.

And would be especially tragic in Canada right now because there are some signs we are flattening the curve, especially in B.C.



But Ontario and Quebec are not doing that well, and despite Team Canada's excellent efforts to obtain ventilators, masks, and other medical equipment, a sudden surge of sick people could still swamp some emergency rooms.

Forcing medical staff to make some heartbreaking decisions.

We were midway through one of the family update phone calls that have become our new reality in the visitor-free intensive-care unit when he paused. He had a question. Anything, I said. He spoke hesitantly. His wife had been on the ventilator for a few days now and he understood that these machines might be in short supply. He just wanted to make sure: Were we planning to take her ventilator away? 

You don’t know her, he went on. Yes, her cancer is advanced. But before this pneumonia she was taking conference calls from her hospital room. She’s smart as a whip. Funny too. We have plans together, he told me. Places we want to see. 


It was then that I realized what my patient’s husband was doing. He was trying to prove to me that his person was worth saving.


Forced to make decisions that could devastate families, as well as themselves. 



I fear these doctors and nurses and other first responders will burn out. I fear they will suffer from post-traumatic stress. And with the prospect of triage on the horizon, I fear they will soon be handed a devil’s kit of choices no healer should ever have to make. It’s a recipe for moral injury.

Moral injury is now a looming reality for our front-line medical professionals, should they be forced to ration ventilators or other lifesaving resources. 

For it's never as easy as this:

PATIENT FAMILY: You’re playing God. You can’t do that. 

CLINICIAN: I am sorry. I did not mean to give you that feeling. Across the city, every hospital is working together to try to use resources in a way that is fair for everyone. I realize that we don’t have enough. I wish we had more. Please understand that we are all working as hard as possible.

PATIENT FAMILY: How can you just take them off a ventilator when their life depends on it? 

CLINICIAN: I’m so sorry that her condition has gotten worse, even though we are doing everything. Because we are in an extraordinary time, we are following special guidelines that apply to everyone here. We cannot continue to provide critical care to patients who are not getting better. This means that we need to accept that she will die, and that we need to take her off the ventilator. I wish things were different.

But that's what will happen, just because some Canadians are too ignorant or too selfish to know what they're doing... 


It's not just young people, older Canadians who should know better are also guilty of acting like selfish jackasses, or Cons. And they all need to stop.

You know, in Spain where the death toll has been horrifying, 743 today alone, they are finally starting to flatten the curve.

And doing it the same way we will...  



"Don't feel like you're doing nothing. You're pulling at the curve in order to flatten it."

So just keep doing what you are doing. Help save the lives of health workers, loved ones, and maybe even your own.

Keep social distancing, no matter how hard it is, until the day of victory... 

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Simon, part of the problem is that the public's not getting a consistent message on what to do. The CDC is now recommending mask wearing, while Theresa Tam, our own chief public health officer, is more like Trump, saying it's optional and she'll wear one if she can't maintain social distance.

Once again, Scotland shows how it's done. Here's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon* delivering a forceful message telling the public what to do in no uncertain terms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZF82buIAdQ

*Yeah, I know it's a voiceover.

Jackie Blue said...

Ontario and Quebec are not doing that well, and despite Team Canada's excellent efforts to obtain ventilators, masks, and other medical equipment, a sudden surge of sick people could still swamp some emergency rooms.

Provincial disparities in data collection, reporting, and testing are why it's so difficult for the feds to release accurate models. It's also why the ignorant and impatient press-gallery hacks clamoring for Trudeau to release incomplete charts NOW DADDY NOW, just so they can have their morbid curiosity satiated and run with sensationalistic headlines, are committing journalistic malpractice bordering on the criminal. The children he spoke to in this weekend's CBC Kids segment asked better questions of him and Dr. Tam, and were more mature than the screeching brats he faces at every presser. But everyone is so awed by Ford's performative "rising to the occasion" that they're ignoring the fact Ontario is not testing as much as they should be, a key factor in flattening the curve. B.C.'s response has been exemplary, while Ontario's has only just about hovered over the bar. Even QC's chief doc compared the projection models to horoscopes, but was forced to apologize because the petulant press got indignant and felt their intelligence had been insulted. The jokes write themselves.

Now the latest chatter is about mask guidelines and Dr. Tam supposedly flip-flopping, another disinfo narrative the Con media is using to bash Trudeau and the feds while they ignore Kenney's slide into fascism and pat Ford on the head for being uncharacteristically nice and displaying average-level competence. All these irresponsible hacks are doing by sowing distrust is feeding the racist right-wing conspiracy narrative online that she's engaging in a cover-up for the CCP because she's Asian. Oh, FFS. Trudeau and Dr. Tam simply don't want people to get a false sense of complacency, thinking they can resume to normal activities and just wear masks while they congregate in crowds. But the PPG are more interested in snarky memes about Trudeau's odd choice of words at today's presser, than in actually doing their homework for how the effects of "speaking moistly" can be mitigated by avoiding close contact and staying the blazes home.

I have an idea: during this crisis and afterwards, maybe the media needs to be placed under indefinite quarantine so that people can be immunized from an infection of toxic bullshit. No bailout, none, nada, rien, and I don't trust that Nanos poll conducted for the National Post that said people really, really want to give tax dollars to the National Post. Fire all the opinionators and pundits as "non-essential employees," and replace them with schoolchildren and scientists instead. Problem solved.

Gyor said...

I'm behind social distancing as much as possible, but with the increasing understanding that if it goes on too long, that deaths caused by it might end up being greater then deaths caused by corona. There has been a major increase in suicides. In Tenesse this passed week more people committed suicide then died of Corona.

There is a time limit to get corona, because massive chunk of population starts to succumb to mental health issues and even physical health issues caused by the social distancing.

Anonymous said...

Recent Postmedia Editorial "Shortage of masks, ventilators must never happen again". But, don't dare raise taxes. In fact, lower them further. And, ignore the destruction of decades of scientific research by the Harper government. After all, who needs science? \sarc off

UU

Riley's sister said...

Your analysis is as usual dead on Jackie. Finding out this morning that Ontario is not testing all people who show symptoms unless they have been out of the country is ridiculous. If its still a lack of testing equipment heads should roll for the bad decisions in not rotating emergency supplies and keeping stocks current. It is not rocket science to make sure care workers are upgraded to full time and told that they can only work at one location. Where is the intelligent response needed. Electing a government of fools has consequences.

Jackie Blue said...

Unfortunately, the marriage-truther "ankle monitor" and "coward of the cottage" conspiracy-theorists' pressure campaign as legitimized by the M$M to get him out of the house seems to have worked, as PMJT announced this morning he would be attending a cabinet meeting in person. If he ends up like Boris because the loudmouth peanut gallery kept speaking moistly into their undeserved megaphones, as far as I'm concerned the blood would be on the hands of David fucking Walmsley, Paul fucking Godfrey, and everyone at Compost Media, CTV (Corona Transmission Virus), Goebbels News, and the Probe & Wail. Blanchet Bloc'ed all Cons on Twitter. Canada should block all Cons and their Trudeau derangement syndrome media sycophants out of their lives. #MediaPetition #NoBailout #NonEssentialEmployees #LearnToCode

Anonymous said...

"They have been handing out some pretty stiff fines to those who still don't get it."
I am grateful as well, Simon. Why not publish the names of these ingrates so anyone with the displeasure of knowing them can heap further admonishment upon them. It's unfortunate they'll never find a cure for stupidity or just plain selfishness but by knowing who these people are, we can at least try to avoid them. As for their families, my condolences on your loved ones being born dead from the neck up.
JD

Steve said...

John Prine passed with COVID
with Strombo and Lightfoot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5Rkm_dqm7A
I've been a bad boy again
Now I've been a bad boy again
And all the trouble that I'm in
Makes me a bad boy again
I've been a bad boy again
Now I've been a bad boy again
And all the trouble that I'm in
Makes me a bad boy again
I must have walked 'round
In a real fog
I was your best friend
Now I'm a real dog
I never thought that now
Would ever catch up with then
I've been a bad boy again.

lagatta à montréal said...

Among the main foyers of Covid-19 infection here in the Montréal area have been ultra-orthodox Hassidic communities that utterly refused to listen to science. Obviously no progressive person, and no sane person for that matter, wants to fuel anti-semitism, which alas is an other disease that like anti-Asian bigotry, is always a nasty underside among populations,waiting to spread its vermin. However, extremist religious groups (such as the much larger cohorts of Trumpian evangelicals in countries to our south) are by definition hard to reason with.

I would like to hear more about how to deal with these issues (from an anti-racist and anti-bigotry standpoint, obviously).

lagatta à montréal said...

I am wondering what they will do with people fined who simply don't have $1000. Will they be thrown in jail?

Steve said...

Kill them all and let God sort it out. I exaggerate but when people of faith do their protected by the constitution dance, I have no sympathy.

Simon said...

Hi anon....Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it even if it was a fake Nicola. But as for the mask story, I'm afraid the confusion is what happens when we are dealing with a new virus. It took a while for scientists to figure out that the illness could be spread by those exhibiting no symptoms. But the important thing to understand is that the cloth masks available to non-medical people won't protect the wearer, so social distancing and staying at home is the only way to go. Alas...

Simon said...

Hi Jackie...You're absolutely right, the media coverage has been appalling, and the low number of testing in Ontario is an absolute scandal. But despite the Con media's shabby performance, polls show that Trudeau and the Liberals are enjoying record levels of support. And they deserve it, for they have been doing an incredible job. Not only are they leading the charge to flatten the curve, without even trying they are flattening the Cons.Now as for your idea to quarantine the Con media, I know a small wind swept island off the west coast of Scotland that would fit the bill. They would never get off alive, but nobody would miss them, and we would all be better off....

Simon said...

Hi Gyor.... You make a good point, if our social isolation goes on too long there would be other things to fear apart from the virus. We need to expand mental health services, and offer people hope that this nightmare will not go on forever. I think that we can start loosening up restrictions in a few weeks, but only if we step up testing so we know what we are dealing with. For if we don't get it right we could make a bad situation worse....

Simon said...

Hi UU....I have made a deliberate decision to avoid most Postmedia material, especially their crappy Con editorials. Life is stressful enough without that. I would expect that at a time when a brutal virus is ravaging our country, and so many Canadians are frightened, one might hope that our Con media could put their biases aside for the duration, but no such luck....

Simon said...

Hi JD.... I completely agree. If those selfish louts can't do the social distancing maybe what they need is some social shaming. Their selfishness could kill some of my friends so I'm in no mood to show them any mercy. If they could spend ten minutes in an ICU I guarantee that they wouldn't act like jackasses, and would suit their pants at the thought it could happen to them. I understand that we live in Canada where Spring is something we dream of for about five months,mso it's not easy. But we are in a war, so people need to follow orders, or we will end up in a hell of our own making...

Simon said...

Hi Steve....I was saddened by John Prine's death. He was an incredibly great musical poet, but I always felt he didn't get the recognition he deserved. But he did get the respect of his peers and that's worth more than a sack of awards. And I certainly plan to to pay tribute to him this weekend....

Simon said...

Hi lagatta yes unfortunately the Hassidic like other religious communities are a problem. And you're right the last thing we need is to fuel anti-semitism. Anti-Chinese/Asian bigotry is already a big enough problem. I read a story recently about how the police in Israel were trying to break up Hassidic prayer meetings, and it wasn't easy. But I've also read that if you treat them with respect, and convince their leaders it's in their own interest, they can be persuaded to do the right thing....

Simon said...

Hi Steve....No that's NOT the way to go. I'm an atheist, but in a pandemic time when so many are both ignorant and frightened, gentle persuasion works better. It's not always easy. I saw a woman from an evangelical church tell a TV reporter that she had no qualms about attending a church service because she was "protected by the blood of Jesus" and I almost lost it. But I could die tomorrow so I'm trying to be a good boy...😉

Simon said...

Hi lagatta .... I don't know what will happen to those who don't have the money to pay the fines. But few days in jail wouldn't be too harsh n my opinion, and it would certainly get the message across... ☠

lagatta à montréal said...

True, but it is yet more proof about the great gap between haves and have-nots faced with this situation. I viewed a (great) interview with Louise Arbour about protecting civil liberties in such times of crisis, but it was obvious that where she is sheltering seems pleasant indeed (a large, all wooden room in what looks like a fancy chalet in the Laurentians). Lots of people are sheltering in tiny flats or rented rooms, or homeless "shelters".

You can see the interview at Radio-Canada; think it was on RDI.

By the way, you need this: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/apr/10/coronavirus-stars-bbc-sports-commentator-andrew-cotters-dogs-olive-and-mabel-go-viral