Now we’re spitting on each other! How ever did we get to this point in fight against COVID-19?

The weather in Campbell Creek, B.C., was decent on Wednesday, especially for the last week in November. Campbell Creek? That’s where we live, about 20 km east of Kamloops on the north side of the South Thompson River.

I sometimes walk on Wittner Road, which is on the other side of the river within a few feet of the Trans-Canada Highway.

While I was strolling along on Wednesday afternoon I found myself wondering: How did we ever get to where we are today?

Sheesh, stop and think about it . . . how did we ever arrive here?

There are people who hardly have left their homes since March. There are senior citizens in long-term care homes who aren’t permitted to have in-person visits from family members. Our seniors should be treated as national treasures, not as disposable tissues.

I mean, people are dying — by the thousands south of the border and the dozens up here. But that doesn’t seem to matter to some people who absolutely refuse to wear masks . . . masks that only serve to protect family, friends and neighbours, not to mention anyone else with whom a wearer might come in contact.

Not only that, but those same unbelievably selfish people will enter a place of business, in the process walking right past signs indicating that the wearing of masks is mandatory, and spit at employees who attempt to get them to maskup. Goodness grief! How did we ever get here?

And what of those in the medical community — the doctors and nurses and caregivers and janitorial staff, the EMTs, police officers, teachers, everyone — who have spent hours working in the most precarious of situations? What about showing them a whole lot more respect by curtailing some of those non-essential activities?

Seriously . . . how did we ever get to this stage of uncaring and incivility?

I’m only referring to Canada here because I have no interest in getting into what is — or isn’t — going on south of the 49th parallel, other than to say the numbers down there two weeks after their Thanksgiving weekend are going to be like nothing we could have imagined.

Meanwhile, I have questions . . .

Why can’t politicians and/or health officials from the various provinces communicate on a regular basis and plan the response to COVID-19 together?

In Western Canada for example, why do we have one province handing down restrictions one day, another one doing it the next day and yet one more taking action a couple of days later? I realize that we are talking politics and ideology, etc., when it comes to getting provinces to work together, but — GEEZ! — people are dying here.

In Manitoba, the chief health officer is upset because shoppers apparently are travelling to places like Yorkton, Sask., and Kenora, Ont., in order to purchase items that aren’t available at this time in Manitoba, which is allowing the sales of essential items only. What if the provinces got together, came up with a common plan of attack and then they all unleashed it at the same time?

Why is there so much confusion whenever politicians/health officials announce a new round of restrictions? They seem to announce them one day and then spend at least two days explaining and clarifying them. Maybe when this is all over some of these people could attend a seminar on how not to deliver mixed messages.

At the same time, though, why are so many people looking for loopholes in the restrictions? As a society, are we not intelligent enough to understand what is best for us and for our friends and neighbours? Do we not understand what are the right things to do without raising a fuss and looking for excuses not to do them?

When did so many people lose sight of the fact that the scientists and medical people with the letters after their names know a whole lot more about this stuff than the ‘doctors’ and ‘scientists’ who hang out on social media? Please stop trying to tell me that wearing a mask cuts my oxygen intake by 20 per cent, or even one per cent. And don’t even mention Bill Gates, vaccines and computer chips. If you have a cel phone, Bill Gates already knows where you are every minute of every day of every week of every month of every year. OK?

Would it hurt for sporting organizations that have had to pause their seasons to have a spokesperson step forward and say that, yes, we’re disappointed but we respect our health officials and we are committed to do whatever is requested of us if it means keeping our community safe? Hey, we are really in need of some leaders setting good examples out there.

And, finally, when did we begin devaluing human life to the degree that is happening these days? Let’s not forget that the dead, among other things, don’t contribute to the economy.

And let’s not forget that, as Joe Biden says, “We are at war with the virus, not one another.”

Please!

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COVID-19 CHRONICLES . . .

Skylar Peters, CJOB Winnipeg: There are 349 new cases of COVID-19 in Manitoba today, and 8 more people have lost their lives. . . . Deaths: 256. . . . Hospitalizations: 303 (pandemic-high). . . . ICU: 50. . . . TP: 14% (down .2% from Tues.) . . . Active: 8,758. . . . Recovered: 5,893. . . . Total: 14,907.

Brandon Sun: From Nov. 16-22, Manitobans were delivered 79 warnings and 95 tickets worth a total of $126,082 for breaking public health orders.

Marc Smith, CTV Regina: Saskatchewan announces 164 new cases today, including 69 in Regina. The Queen City is up to 693 active cases. Hospitalizations reach a record high at 111, including 19 people in ICU.

CBC News: Saskatchewan’s new COVID-19 restrictions suspend sports, extend mandatory masking to schools. Changes also include new limits for restaurants, weddings, funerals and recreational venues like casinos.

Toronto Star: Alberta Chief Medical officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw says the province has reached a grim milestone of 500 deaths, with another 1,265 COVID-19 cases diagnosed overnight.

CBC News: Calgary announces local state of emergency due to pandemic. Mayor Naheed Nenshi says the move allows the city to move quickly in order to respond to COVID-19.

CBC News: B.C. reports 738 new COVID-19 cases and 13 additional deaths, marking the highest one-day total for deaths in the province since the pandemic began. Hospitalizations hit another record high at 294 patients, with 61 in critical care.

CBC News: Ontario reports 36,100 more tests were completed. Data shows 523 people with COVID-19 are hospitalized in the province, 159 are in the ICU and 106 are on a ventilator.

CBC News: Quebec is reporting 45 additional deaths and 1,100 new COVID-19 cases. That’s the lowest daily case total in 8 days; Quebec’s previous 7-day average was 1,182.

CBC News: Nova Scotia is reporting 16 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the number of active cases in the province to 102. New restrictions for restaurants, gyms, long-term care facilities begin Thursday.CTV News: New Brunswick is reporting three new cases of COVID-19, bringing the province’s active total to 94.

CBC News: Nunavut has 11 new cases of COVID-19, raising the total to 155; 153 are active. 8 of the new cases are in Arviat, a fly-in community on Hudson Bay’s west coast. There are 115 cases in Arviat, for a test positivity rate of 23%. 3 others are in Whale Cove, 150 km north of Arviat.

CBC News: U.S. hospitalizations for COVID-19 surpassed 87,000 on Tuesday, an all-time high. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has recommended against Americans travelling for Thanksgiving in order to curb the spread of the virus.

The New York Times: America’s frontline medical workers caring for Covid-19 patients are reaching a breaking point, suffering from deepening stress, fatigue and anxiety.

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Hockey Canada’s national junior team selection camp in Red Deer has all but shut down after three positive tests. A staff member tested positive on Saturday and two players came up positive on Tuesday. As a result, all players and coaches have been ruled to be close contacts and put into quarantine for 14 days. That means, among other things, that two exhibition games against the U of Alberta Golden Bears scheduled for this weekend have been cancelled. . . .

The Saskatchewan government and health officials have put restrictions in place that have resulted in the SJHL shutting down until after Christmas. The league has five games on Friday’s schedule after which it will shut down. . . . The Flin Flon Bombers already had announced they were done after being unable to get clearance to move their base of operations to Creighton, Sask., and play all their games on the road. . . . The Melfort Mustangs, meanwhile, have been dealing with a positive test. . . .

The AJHL announced Wednesday night that it is “on pause until existing limitations are lifted and we are permitted to safely return.” . . . The AJHL’s board of governors is to meet on Dec. 19 to discuss the situation. . . . The AJHL has four teams — the Canmore Eagles, Calgary Canucks, Drumheller Dragons and Okotoks Oilers — dealing with positive tests. . . .

Atlantic University Sport announced Wednesday that it won’t be playing any sports in the 2021 winter season. That impacts hockey, basketball, swimming, volleyball and curling. . . . AUS covers 11 universities in Atlantic Canada. . . .

The NFL won’t have a Thursday night game this week. The Baltimore Ravens were to have played at the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, that game has been moved to Sunday afternoon because the Ravens have had a few positive tests. . . . The Cleveland Browns shut down their facility on Wednesday after a second positive test in as many days. . . . The Indianapolis Colts put DT DeForest Buckner on the reserve/COVID-19 list. He won’t play Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. . . . The Jacksonville Jaguars will be without three assistants coaches when they play the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Nick Saban, the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, has tested positive and won’t be on the sideline Saturday when his club faces Auburn in the annual Iron Bowl. Saban is said to be in quarantine with mild symptoms. . . . There were reports a couple of months ago that he had tested positive, but that turned out to be a false positive.

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Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre

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kidneydonornurse@vch.ca

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So . . . we were really looking forward to watching the Baltimore Ravens play the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Thursday night. Weren’t we? But now that’s gone. . . . Here’s Bob Molinaro of the of the Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot to describe the Thanksgiving Day football tradition:

“Grandma’s sweet potato casserole and collard greens haven’t given Thanksgiving Day revelers as much gas over the years as the Detroit Lions. Why must the NFL subject football-loving Americans to a Lions game — this year against the anemic Texans — each and every turkey day? Tradition? The only tradition worth recognizing here is the one that outlaws cruel and unusual punishment.”

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