Pros and cons of COVID-19

By Letter to the Editor on May 15, 2020.

Before COVID-19, climate change was different in many industrial countries, such as China and India, where citizens wore face masks due to pollution in the atmosphere. Trump and the Conservatives did not believe this was a problem. Greta Thunberg was right when she said world leaders must be more involved in cleaning the atmosphere to save humanity.

Since March 17, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused China, India, Italy, Spain, U.K. and the U.S. to take restrictive measures to save the people. For the past 2.5 months, guidelines announced by our prime minister have been in effect, including compulsory physical distancing by two metres and to stay home whether we have the virus or not. It was difficult for us not to attend weekday Masses, and even worse not to attend Sunday Masses in person. Never in the history of Canada did the government tell us, out of necessity, when or how we should practise our faith.

There are many advantages by staying at home. Once a week we shop for groceries and pick up the mail. We can watch daily and Sunday TV Mass as well as livestreamed Masses from Calgary and enjoy taking part from the comfort of our home.

Since we cannot travel too far, we need not spend money on gas. With fewer people travelling and less pollution, the air has improved considerably – clean and fresh when we wake up in the morning, including in China and India, the two most polluted countries in the world. They still wear face masks because the people want to be safe from the COVID-19 virus. There is a new outbreak in Wuhan, China. In hospitals, they detected tiny airborne droplets that are smaller than one-10,000th of an inch in diameter. In view of this second wave, Canada should cancel opening air travel and cease importing goods from China but should continue to export our products to them.

Major banks are allowing six months to defer the principal of mortgages and defer payment for three months on credit cards. This will allow citizens cash flow during this time of pandemic.

Premier Jason Kenney finally announced that some businesses would be allowed to almost get back to normal by May 4. We miss dining in restaurants and appreciate associating with people although if someone breaks the public health rules we will be back to where we started. I have encountered a few people breaking the rules. Remember, two metres social distancing means 6.5 feet, not two feet.

Paul Jones

Coaldale

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