We're gonna get the news today -- but it would seem we're gonna be in a full lock down starting on Christmas Eve. Yesterday in Quebec there was a protest against the lock downs........ hundreds of folks marched the streets without masks. Bloody brilliant!!
Quebec has been under heavy restrictions for - I don't know - 2 months now?? AND their numbers are still climbing. Their Premier begged them to follow the restrictions and said they could have Christmas if they were good....... they weren't good so now he has cancelled Christmas. Doesn't it sound an awful lot like a parent imposing consequences for bad behaviour?? However - we aren't children. And it's obvious a lot of folks are thumbing their noses at the government and the restrictions.
"In my world" it seems so simple - limit your outings to only essential - groceries and such - and only associate with folks who follow the same self isolation protocols you do....... Shut out the world for the most part.
Having said that - how careful we are - Covid can sneak up on ya. I got a message from a friend on the weekend telling me that she had heard my dentist had tested positive for Covid. I looked at the calendar ........ I was in her chair 7 days before she tested positive. 7 days!!! I can tell you my heart nearly stopped!! Took me a little while to figure out that on Saturday it had been 12 days since my appointment....... and today is the 14th day - and I have no symptoms. phewwwwwwwww
BUT for some reason - this lock down here in Ontario - has really bummed me out ya know?! It doesn't technically change our life at all! We don't eat out in restaurants - we don't go shopping in the shops/malls - don't take winter holidays and the lil one is home schooled..... BUT it has definitely bummed me out.......
Let's do a 'check in' ......... how's everyone doing in your corner of this madness?
Ron is seriously considering cancelling his family's visit to us because of the impending full lockdown. They are in a city already locked down, so why are they taking a chance on infecting us? I hope he tells them it's not safe.
ReplyDeleteWe will exchange gifts and have dinner with the dear neighbour next door who will also be alone.
Hugs and Merry Christmas!
Hermione
I've been lucky - over where I live it's a bit of a draconian society, or so the people in the Western world have said. But the strict government laws and implementation of mandatory mask wearing and free testing for suspected cases, and stay home quarantine notices (punishable by hefty fines if one is found to be breaking their quarantines!) all make for a safe community right now. we have zero locally transmitted cases, no one is ICU at the moment (thank GOD!) and the only cases we're seeing are all imported (people coming back home, or travellers on 'essential' work trips) and these have all got to do a mandatory quarantine / testing upon arrival.
ReplyDeleteWe're all still wearing masks, we have social distancing (altho not all places have this strictly enforced) and restaurants have been given large fines and been shuttered if they allow more than 5 pax to a table.
And the contact tracing is ridiculously stringent. We scan our IDs in and out of buildings so that in case there is any active case they can track down the people who have been in the vicinity at the same time and have them tested too.
Anyone showing symptoms of colds / coughs etc are automatically put on stay-home leave if they visit the doctor, and they only pay $10 for their visit and test (if the doc thinks it's warranted). Or else they sit home for 3-5 days and monitor their own symptoms and are given a swab-test clinic address to go to in case they get worse.
It's all very controlled and closely monitored, but hey, if it means my country's Covid-free then sure, sign me up.
so in other words, I'm doing great. the restriction on travel and parties and such things is a bit annoying, but at least i'm not worried for my life as much as I was 6 mths ago.
We had our gathering this past Saturday. Seven people in all - we wore mask most of the time and even ate at separate tables so as not to be bunched up all together. I know it wasn't perfectly safe so I'll be right here at home for two weeks hoping and praying everyone is well. I do grocery pick up now and I canceled a non -essential doctor visit. I guess we all have to have an element of hope.
ReplyDeleteI'm fine but I'm following the rules.
ReplyDeleteThe advisory council to the government here, made up of virologists and epidemiologists, have concluded that from information gathered from positive cases that most of the new infections are from people who don't follow the regulations. And that putting stricter regulations in place only punishes those that are already keeping safe. Result - stricter controls of existing regulations. For example, the fine for attending a lock down party has been increased from 250 Euros to 750 Euros. Lets hope that this attitude works before the idiots start infecting the more responsible members of Belgian society.
Prefectdt
I'm sorry tkk read this Morningstar. As I commented on Ronnie's blog the other day, I have never been more grateful to live here in New Zealand than I have this year. Like Fondles, our only cases are residents returning from overseas and they are in mandatory managed isolation.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Roz
its pretty bad here in the UK. the umming and awwing by the government has led to multiple changes of rules in the run up to xmas, leading to many people having to make substantial changes to their xmas plans (many of them after they had spent a lot of money on food etc). One of my friends was planning to spend xmas with her partner's family in London - that's changed with moving London into tier 4 and she's now frantically scrabbling to sort out xmas. I doubt she's the only one. We're okay - we had always planned to spend xmas at home on our own, despite the pressure of family, and I'm glad now that we stuck to our guns.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you've heard on the news that there is a new variant of covid in the UK. It doesn't seem to be worse (thankfully), just a lot more infectious. People who get it seem to have a higher viral load, so infection rates are going through the roof - the R number is well above 1 here, I expect down south where it seems to be more prevalent it will be much higher. I think we'll be plunged into another national lockdown very soon. In our area the numbers are going up a lot: I'm trying to minimise going out as much as possible. Thankfully only twice more before xmas: once to pick up the meat at 7am on 24th, and midnight mass on 24th. Then we're home for the duration, at least until we run out of milk.
Anyway, hope you and yours stay safe, and i hope you're able to enjoy christmas itself.
xxxx
I am just frustrated they waited so long for the lockdown. It should have happened WAY sooner, but what do I know?
ReplyDeleteHere, we are facing our first Christmas without the Sheriff's mom. This is hitting me hard and I seem close to tears. Ironically, the rest of my house is fine, no big emotional swings about things. Sigh. I miss her.
Otherwise, I am in heaven being with my kid and Sheriff (and have only been spanked once so far!)
Keep smiling! This too shall pass, others have lived through much worse.
Hugs
Boo