Coronavirus Outbreak

[Axeman33]

Trudeau needs to close the border to the US immediately. Major cities like Toronto should be on lockdown already (like most other major US cities are doing). We've still got restaurants & bars open for St Pattys tmrw.

It's laughable. Our gov is so weak...

You'd think at this point, the bars should be able to think on their own and not need the govt to tell them what to do.

[Wonko]

Trudeau needs to close the border to the US immediately. Major cities like Toronto should be on lockdown already (like most other major US cities are doing). We've still got restaurants & bars open for St Pattys tmrw.

It's laughable. Our gov is so weak...

True. But lets not forget that almost half the people I talked to up until a few days ago were laughing off the coronavirus outbreak as "fake news", a bad flu, or a liberal conspiracy to hurt the republican party. I still see memes today shrugging off the pandemic as a big "nothingburger". The age of social media and mindless folks believing all the crap they read there has exacerbated the situation horribly. Selfish people travelling out of country and not self isolating upon return. People continuing to live life as normal and gathering in large groups. North Americans are too spoiled to make the sacrifices it takes to truly flatten curve.

Could the government try to do more? Repercussions for not self isolating? Forcing more closures? Banning flights from out of country sooner? Lockdowns? Sure. And they likely will.

In the meantime, however, it is up to the citizenry, each and every one of us, to do the right thing. Practice social distancing. Postpone travel. Stay home where possible. Self quarantine when required. Wash our hands regularly, etc., etc..

We don't have to become the next Italy.

[butch]

True. But lets not forget that almost half the people I talked to up until a few days ago were laughing off the coronavirus outbreak as "fake news", a bad flu, or a liberal conspiracy to hurt the republican party. I still see memes today shrugging off the pandemic as a big "nothingburger". The age of social media and mindless folks believing all the crap they read there has exacerbated the situation horribly. Selfish people travelling out of country and not self isolating upon return. People continuing to live life as normal and gathering in large groups. North Americans are too spoiled to make the sacrifices it takes to truly flatten curve.

the truth is probably somewhere in the middle hopefully . I picked up a few groceries this morning and most people were being civil but noticed a lot of them shooting the breeze with eachother like any other day while I was hoping to just gtfo asap

[Wonko]

the truth is probably somewhere in the middle hopefully . I picked up a few groceries this morning and most people were being civil but noticed a lot of them shooting the breeze with eachother like any other day while I was hoping to just gtfo asap

Yeah, I came across as a bit harsh. hehe. I am just seeing some people I know coming back from out of country vacation and not following protocols. Frustrating. Or going to mass gatherings, etc..

Lots of great folks out there doing all they can.

More waking up to the reality everyday.

[ericdaoust]

Yeah, I came across as a bit harsh. hehe. I am just seeing some people I know coming back from out of country vacation and not following protocols. Frustrating. Or going to mass gatherings, etc..

Lots of great folks out there doing all they can.

More waking up to the reality everyday.

What others do is out of your control. Take care of yourself. Help others and influence them to do the right thing. That's all we can do. The rest will happen anyway.

[VincentVega]

The Canadian government has failed us. One of its main jobs is to protect its citizens and it clearly has not done this. It's allowed many people to come into the country, Canadian citizens or not, and has only handed out some pamphlet (and in some cases nothing) to let them know what to do if they exhibit symptoms. Self-quarantine does not work as enough people are irresponsible to screw it up for everyone. It needs to be regulated. How do you monitor so many people? You can't, not enough resources so the only other thing to do is to close the border (like two weeks ago) to everyone except Canadian citizens who should be put in mandatory quarantine. If people continue to insist on travelling aboard after the government announced the high risks then those people should not be allowed back into the country until the pandemic is under control or should be put in mandatory quarantine, like in Trenton-like military bases. Mobilize the army to manage the situation. Every source of new infection in the country must be isolated and quarantined. Otherwise, as WHO says, the effort will not be enough.

Most infections brought in are by Canadians coming back from abroad and now especially from the U.S. More than half of the new cases in Ontario have been linked to U.S. travel. So what does the federal government do? Doesn't close the U.S. border and again only asks Canadians to self-quarantine. This is not going to work. We are going to be the next Italy.

Yeah, extreme measures but these are extreme times where the health care system could collapse and the way of life for people inside Canada will (has already) changed significantly for the worse.

[audiopile]

We will just have to take notes for next time.

Its hard to really know how serious this is. Billions in China but less than 100k infected. Yet the mortality rate is over 3%. For something highly contageous you would think more people would get it tbh.

If it is super serious the government cant say it outright, the current panic level is bad enough. They are staging a shutdown one step at a time to maintain some order.

Personally I would have stopped anyone from coming to Canada / leaving China back when it was first discovered but imagine the backlash if they actually had. Also there were many days of travel before anyone even knew what this was, right after Christmas. This was never containable. Its easy to criticize hindsight!

Stay home if you can.

[VincentVega]

We will just have to take notes for next time.

Its hard to really know how serious this is. Billions in China but less than 100k infected. Yet the mortality rate is over 3%. For something highly contageous you would think more people would get it tbh.

If it is super serious the government cant say it outright, the current panic level is bad enough. They are staging a shutdown one step at a time to maintain some order.

Personally I would have stopped anyone from coming to Canada / leaving China back when it was first discovered but imagine the backlash if they actually had. Also there were many days of travel before anyone even knew what this was, right after Christmas. This was never containable. Its easy to criticize hindsight!
Stay home if you can.

But this isn't criticizing in hindsight. All the experts predicted what would happen if drastic measures were not taken. What is happening around the world was predicted even before the outbreak occurred by a team at John Hopkins. The only way to contain this is to isolate and quarantine all the infected individual but at great great cost to resources, economy and people's freedom. Hard to say which is going to end up being worse.

[hockeyrobot]

State of Emergency in Ontario. Good. Much better than the useless news yesterday.

[2014olympicgold]

State of Emergency in Ontario. Good. Much better than the useless news yesterday.

Except somethings are still open.

What's closed is:
Prohibition of organized public events in Ontario until March 31st
Effective immediately all the following is closed:
Rec program facilities
Libraries
Private Schools
Child Care Centres
Bars/Restaurants (except takeout)
Theatres

[hockeyrobot]

Except somethings are still open.

What's closed is:
Prohibition of organized public events in Ontario until March 31st
Effective immediately all the following is closed:
Rec program facilities
Libraries
Private Schools
Child Care Centres
Bars/Restaurants (except takeout)
Theatres

Oh ya. Definitely should have went even further.

[2014olympicgold]

Shoppers Drug Mart is opening up 1hr earlier for elderly and people with a disability.

Good move.

[ericdaoust]

I'm not a morning person at all so I'd be find if they gave seniors a 4hr window

[blayze]

Shoppers Drug Mart is opening up 1hr earlier for elderly and people with a disability.

Good move.

Several stores following suit here in Toronto. Nice too see. It was heartbreaking seeing elderly trying to stock up during the chaos at the grocery stores last week.

[hockeyrobot]

Several stores following suit here in Toronto. Nice too see. It was heartbreaking seeing elderly trying to stock up during the chaos at the grocery stores last week.

I lined up at Costco at 9:15 yesterday morning (for a 10am open) and multiple people in front of me let some older folks into line ahead of them. Great to see.