By Pepper Parr
March 30th, 2020
BURLINGTON, ON
Comments from residents on what they see happening about the city suggest that the Mayor’s message hasn’t reached all ears.
One resident said: “I abandoned my solo walk on the beach path this afternoon between the hospital and the lift bridge as it was simply too crowded to be sure that everyone was two metres apart.”
Another reported that “ at Spencer Smith Park, parents or caregivers were observed pushing young children on the swings, even though there was caution tape surrounding the swing sets. Unfortunately, the City must use their resources to dismantle the swings to protect the children from their parents or caregivers if they don’t adhere to the State of Emergency.”
The Gazette published this article yesterday – the last line “This will inevitably force us into lockdown.” is what the city will be forced to do.
“ I live on a court and have observed a home with a single resident welcome a) a girlfriend (not living at said residence), b) an adult son (not living at said residence) and c) a cleaning lady (also, not living at said residence). Likewise, I have noted a young couple with an 18 month old welcome one set of grandparents for playtime and a meal, and the next day another set of grandparents for playtime and a visit.
People are only willing to self isolate and socially distance themselves if it is of no inconvenience to them. This will inevitably force us into lockdown.”
“The beach path was terribly crowded yesterday – I saw someone had posted a video of the full parking lot and lots of people crammed everywhere. This will surely result in the parking lots being closed and perhaps the path itself being closed.”
37 million people and counting have died of Aids. This happened because of political leaders doing nothing. Trying to be politically correct. As a result millions of innocent people died. We must first educate the thoughtless, selfish, and stupid people. As to the dangers of their actions as to how covid19 virus is spread. Once that is quickly done, so they have no excuses. Or they didn’t know. Now the gloves come off to save the lives of our loved ones, friends and ourselves. Please google Singapore vs Canada Crime rate. You will notice that behaviour can be quickly modified if the correct penalty is applied swiftly and fairly. Maria and Tom are right. This is a matter of life and death. The right to be secure and safe is the greatest right we have in the Charter of Rights in Canada. It kind of leaves the door open for our options.
People are taking this as a vacation and not taking seriously the gravity of the virus. It will happen just like it did in Italy and recently in New York city, where contamination will spread so fast that they won’t even have enough space for the corps. Wake up please, this is a deadly virus. Stay home!
New York City’s Mayor has now made social distance spacing and isolation a legal responsibility, not just a moral one. Violations have a $500 fine, and efforts are going to be made to enforce this law.
A preacher and funeral home director in the US were arrested and charged for grouping too many people in confined spaces. In New Orleans, the aftermath of Mardi Gras includes accelerating infections and deaths today.
This is where we will go if people remain thoughtless, selfish and stupid.
If people cannot go out for a walk or a break, or necessary shopping and not make any apparent effort to stay sufficiently apart to not transmit infection, then the need to police that takes us only one step from being locked down in your residence so we cannot go out at all.
The surge is coming everywhere and it’s just a matter of time. Don’t think for a moment that it’s not coming here – that is what the US thought and Trump said. In the US I just heard that for every 100 infection cases there are 2 to 5 deaths.
So wake up to the reality that anyone walking around disrespectful of the spacing and isolation rules and just ignoring them no matter, is contributing to further increase the toll of the crisis coming.