dianora

The COVID-19 crisis is going to be with us for quite a while yet. Listening to Quirks and Quarks today with Bob McDonald [1] talking to epidemiologist Ashleigh Tuite, on 'flattening the curve'. Unfortunately the current model shows that even if we can flatten the curve in the short term and then decide we can 'let up' on the restrictions the virus has a good chance of making a strong recovery. They only looked at the next two years hence we have a possibility of a good long time before we will have a vaccine and an effective treatment to eradicate this virus. Those of my generation dodged the Polio epidemic that hit our parent's generation with people still in iron lungs at least in 2017 [2]. We have had it good. No Polio to worry about, No Scarlet fever (which killed an aunt of my partner)

So we are effectively in prison. Sure we can go for walks. We aren't as regimented as an actual prison. But to hug our grandchildren or even our children? It's just not safe in these days of physical social distancing. Either we catch the virus or we endanger our children or grandchildren. Let's hope Science comes up with some good answers quicker than 2 years.

1.https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/covid-19-can-we-control-the-pandemic-and-move-from-flattening-the-curve-to-riding-the-wave-1.5512562
2. https://www.newser.com/story/251950/meet-the-last-3-people-still-using-an-iron-lung.html