OT: Everything COVID19 - PART 8

[Pierre from Orleans]

Why should they be punished?

Most businesses and people are asking the exact same question you're asking me.

 

[DJB]

I'm telling everyone right now.....essential health care workers are burnt out. We are exhausted and totally overwhelmed.

In the ICU's in Ottawa the patient nurse ratio is now 4 patients for 1 nurse. That is absolutely ridiculous as usually it is a 1:1 ratio or even 2 nurses to 1 patient. There are not enough beds, nor are there enough nurses.

As a medic on the front line the call volume right now is out of control. There are tons of sick people and the hospitals are pretty jammed. We are stuck in offload delays. Its gone back to the way it was over a year ago with the rise of the # of Covid cases.

A year ago I only put 17km on my ambulance in one shift and my shift lasted 14.5 hours in overtime. No breaks and stuck at the hospital with one patient in a C-collor on a backboard. That is cruel for people. Medics are stuck in the hospitals for half of their shift routinely now.

We are now seeing doctors triage patients and deciding who deserves care (vents etc) because there are not enough of them.

Medics, nurses and everyone in healthcare are now starting to call in sick, turn off their phones so their bosses don't call them for OT because they can't do it anymore. They are mentally and physically exhausted.

When we see people gathering in crowds, not wearing masks or not social distancing it even further demoralizes us and angers us.

I am imploring you, stay at home, wear a mask and get your shot.

Please, I beg of you.

 

[Cosmix]

Most businesses and people are asking the exact same question you're asking me.

People who follow the rules and regs should NOT be punished. Those that do NOT follow the rules and regs SHOULD be punished. The rules and regs should be based on scientific evidence and advice and be for the benefit of society as a whole.

 

[JD1]

There's been a whole lot of gaslighting go on here, blaming this situation on "neighbours" not following the rules. It's amazing how easily some people have turned on each other. The fact of the matter is, most people have been responsible. They've worn masks. They've limited social contact. They've put their lives on hold. For 14 months.

Is 100% of the population 100% compliant with every guideline? Of course not, but to suggest that we're in this position because of individual "rule-breakers" is complete crap.

The bottom line is, entire sectors of our economy were never shut down and their workers never protected: manufacturing, construction, warehousing, etc. The people who work these jobs are disproportionately lower class - living paycheque to paycheque in multi-person, multi-family households. These people do not have a choice to be "responsible".

They have rent to pay and food to put on the table. Their employers and the government are making them go to work, even if they're ill, by not providing paid sick days. So these people have to go in, do their "essential" but low paid work, and then go home to their small apartments and interact with their roommates, who, are likely in the same situation but at different workplaces.

That is the problem. We're in this situation because our government has left entire swaths of the population completely out to dry.

It's incredible to me. I know people who are sitting at home working their white-collar remote job, have made and saved more money than ever, and talk about how the problem is "people just not being responsible". Meanwhile, they get multiple Amazon deliveries every week. They never stop to think, "Hmmm... who's fulfilling those orders? Is it a $15/hour worker, with no paid sick leave, in a poorly ventilated warehouse, who lives with 3 other people that work at other warehouses, in a 900 square foot apartment because cost of living is so high?" Mind-boggling.

Might be your best post ever

 

[BankStreetParade]

There's been a whole lot of gaslighting go on here, blaming this situation on "neighbours" not following the rules. It's amazing how easily some people have turned on each other. The fact of the matter is, most people have been responsible. They've worn masks. They've limited social contact. They've put their lives on hold. For 14 months.

Is 100% of the population 100% compliant with every guideline? Of course not, but to suggest that we're in this position because of individual "rule-breakers" is complete crap.

The bottom line is, entire sectors of our economy were never shut down and their workers never protected: manufacturing, construction, warehousing, etc. The people who work these jobs are disproportionately lower class - living paycheque to paycheque in multi-person, multi-family households. These people do not have a choice to be "responsible".

They have rent to pay and food to put on the table. Their employers and the government are making them go to work, even if they're ill, by not providing paid sick days. So these people have to go in, do their "essential" but low paid work, and then go home to their small apartments and interact with their roommates, who, are likely in the same situation but at different workplaces.

That is the problem. We're in this situation because our government has left entire swaths of the population completely out to dry.

It's incredible to me. I know people who are sitting at home working their white-collar remote job, have made and saved more money than ever, and talk about how the problem is "people just not being responsible". Meanwhile, they get multiple Amazon deliveries every week. They never stop to think, "Hmmm... who's fulfilling those orders? Is it a $15/hour worker, with no paid sick leave, in a poorly ventilated warehouse, who lives with 3 other people that work at other warehouses, in a 900 square foot apartment because cost of living is so high?" Mind-boggling.

This is really oversimplified, for so many reasons. Yes, low-income workers and people of color in low-income areas are bearing the brunt of this - very unfairly, it should be noted. But it's not the whole story.

Someone not far above your post shared a video of a demonstration at Queens Park where no one was wearing a mask. I'm not saying they don't have the right to demonstrate, but why without masks? The idea that individual "rule-breakers" aren't responsible for a large share of this predicament is incredibly naive.

Look at the people flouting mask rules, gathering limitations, etc. How do you know what's happening in people's homes? At all. How do you know the people who own restaurants, who have friends and family too, aren't hosting them for easter dinners? Birthdays? Anniversaries?

Compound that with all the problems of construction sites, warehouse operations, manufacturing, large box retailing, lockdown fatigue, etc. and you have the predicament we're in now. Reducing this to any one piece of the whole pie just doesn't make sense.

 

[Sens]

 

[DaveMatthew]

This is really oversimplified, for so many reasons. Yes, low-income workers and people of color in low-income areas are bearing the brunt of this - very unfairly, it should be noted. But it's not the whole story.

That's exactly my point. The premier and health officials in this administration have boiled it down to, "My friends, we cannot gather. Please stay at home. It's up to you." and completely ignored the whole story.

Do we play a part? Absolutely. People need to remain safe. We need to limit our social circles. We need to wear masks. And those openly flouting guidelines, refusing to wear masks or holding large indoor gatherings, should be fined.

But Ford's administration has put the onus completely on individuals, and just bent over for corporate interests.

I live in Centretown. There's a park near my house that's mainly frequented by new Canadians who live in the high-rises on Laurier and their young kids. I look out at the park, and from what I've seen, the adults all wear masks and mostly, keep to themselves as their kids play. These are people that don't have backyards, and now, no schools. They're probably living in 750 square feet with 2 adults and 1-3 kids.

Now, they can't go to the park during the day.

Meanwhile, the surrounding condo developments are full-steam ahead, deemed "essential".

It's madness.

Edit: I see the restrictions on playgrounds have been lifted. At least some common-sense has prevailed.

 

[YouGotAStuGoing]

ugh...

If this pandemic has done anything, it has permanently killed any lingering faith I have in humanity. (snip for length)

There's been a whole lot of gaslighting go on here, blaming this situation on "neighbours" not following the rules. It's amazing how easily some people have turned on each other. The fact of the matter is, most people have been responsible. They've worn masks. They've limited social contact. They've put their lives on hold. For 14 months. (snip for length)

The latter post was in response to the initial post, but I think both these positions can be and are true. The general population takes disproportionate amount of the blame for what's going wrong, when much of the spread is systemic and caused by telling essential workers that their labour is essential but their lives are not.

At the same time, we've got anti-mask protests, people who have insisted that their need for a haircut outweighs others' need for safety, and grocery store customers berating poor employees who had nothing to do with the legislation and are being asked to be the frontline enforcers.

Most of us seem to be fairly responsible. There's a core subsection that isn't following regulations, which would heavily imply the need for stricter enforcement rather than stricter guidelines. And the major problem — that we keep putting people in positions where they can't follow guidelines or advice due to a need to work, to provide for their families and to feed themselves — keeps going unaddressed in favour of guidelines that the responsible folk are already following and the irresponsible won't anyway. And, as we saw yesterday, when the guidelines go too far they erode public confidence and cause even those who have been responsible about it all to get fed up and to do what they think is right instead of what we're told is right.

We need to come together here, and yet every step of the way we're being driven apart.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Has anyone taken or know anyone that has taken the AstraZeneca shot? Wondering about side affects, if any

 

[Billy Bridges]

Has anyone taken or know anyone that has taken the AstraZeneca shot? Wondering about side affects, if any

Most common side effects are a sore arm, sore cheeks from smiling, and a huge sense of relief knowing you won't die or end up in an overwhelmed hospital. Bonus side effects include knowing you've done your part to save others.

 

[Stylizer1]

Most common side effects are a sore arm, sore cheeks from smiling, and a huge sense of relief knowing you won't die or end up in an overwhelmed hospital. Bonus side effects include knowing you've done your part to save others.

 

[Fandlauer]

Has anyone taken or know anyone that has taken the AstraZeneca shot? Wondering about side affects, if any

My in-laws both got the AZ shot. They are both mid sixties and had zero side effects other than a sore shoulder.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

My in-laws both got the AZ shot. They are both mid sixties and had zero side effects other than a sore shoulder.

Thanks.

 

[mat_sens]

Has anyone taken or know anyone that has taken the AstraZeneca shot? Wondering about side affects, if any

Both my parents got AZ. Had to do a bit of convincing and found a pharmacy that had some available for both of them.

They were both a bit tired the next day but that's it. After 24h, all was good.

 

[NewSNESJersey]

Has anyone taken or know anyone that has taken the AstraZeneca shot? Wondering about side affects, if any

My aunt and uncle both got AZ and they said they had a sore arm for a couple of days. The exact same happened with my Pfizer and my parent's Moderna.

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

The talk about brands is very strange. Does anyone ever know the brand of the flu shot they get or care?

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

Has anyone taken or know anyone that has taken the AstraZeneca shot? Wondering about side affects, if any

I had the AZ yesterday. Little bit of a sore muscle where the needle went in, but otherwise I feel fine.

I guess I had a bit of a headache his morning, but that was more likely due to the martinis last night than the shot.

 

[Here I Pageau Again]

Everyone should watch this.

Everyone.

Especially at around the 6 minute mark where she describes what "triage" really means.

This video essentially puts into words the mentality of my work currently. People who actually work in ICU are exhausted. I've been lucky to deal with less Covid as a pediatric nurse but now it's coming in full force. I cannot imagine the burnout of someone who has dealt with constant death since the beginning.

I could really go on, but after leaving work this morning with pretty much half our staff in tears.. I just can't any more. You win selfishness, you win. (Obviously I'll still do my best I can for my patients but I can't deal with the general public any more).

 

[Mingus Dew]

The talk about brands is very strange. Does anyone ever know the brand of the flu shot they get or care?

Well there are different efficacy rates and different side effects (potentially) for each “brand” so it kind of makes sense?

I mean hell J&J is only one shot. That’s a material difference no?

 

[Here I Pageau Again]

Rapid testing, contact tracing, and paid sick days in essential workplaces is a helluva lot cheaper and easier than staffing an ICU bed.

Yup. An ICU stay is about $10000 on average per day. We are spending ~$7 million a day on ICU Covid patients now (likely a bit more due to how sick these patients are and the medications they need).

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDoo]

This video essentially puts into words the mentality of my work currently. People who actually work in ICU are exhausted. I've been lucky to deal with less Covid as a pediatric nurse but now it's coming in full force. I cannot imagine the burnout of someone who has dealt with constant death since the beginning.

I could really go on, but after leaving work this morning with pretty much half our staff in tears.. I just can't any more. You win selfishness, you win. (Obviously I'll still do my best I can for my patients but I can't deal with the general public any more).

Hang in there.

There are lots of people who are aware of and appreciate what our healthcare professionals are going through.

 

[Nac Mac Feegle]

There's been a whole lot of gaslighting go on here, blaming this situation on "neighbours" not following the rules. It's amazing how easily some people have turned on each other. The fact of the matter is, most people have been responsible. They've worn masks. They've limited social contact. They've put their lives on hold. For 14 months.

Is 100% of the population 100% compliant with every guideline? Of course not, but to suggest that we're in this position because of individual "rule-breakers" is complete crap.

The bottom line is, entire sectors of our economy were never shut down and their workers never protected: manufacturing, construction, warehousing, etc. The people who work these jobs are disproportionately lower class - living paycheque to paycheque in multi-person, multi-family households. These people do not have a choice to be "responsible".

They have rent to pay and food to put on the table. Their employers and the government are making them go to work, even if they're ill, by not providing paid sick days. So these people have to go in, do their "essential" but low paid work, and then go home to their small apartments and interact with their roommates, who, are likely in the same situation but at different workplaces.

That is the problem. We're in this situation because our government has left entire swaths of the population completely out to dry.

It's incredible to me. I know people who are sitting at home working their white-collar remote job, have made and saved more money than ever, and talk about how the problem is "people just not being responsible". Meanwhile, they get multiple Amazon deliveries every week. They never stop to think, "Hmmm... who's fulfilling those orders? Is it a $15/hour worker, with no paid sick leave, in a poorly ventilated warehouse, who lives with 3 other people that work at other warehouses, in a 900 square foot apartment because cost of living is so high?" Mind-boggling.

I'm an essential worker and work in a warehouse.

We have strict guidelines and have to abide by them if we want to step foot in the building. And it's been this way for nearly a year. Wearing masks while working, washing hands, sanitizing surfaces, etc.

Myself and my coworkers are living paycheck to paycheck, and yes, we are being very responsible and doing everything possible to follow all guidelines. And yes, we definitely have the choice to be responsible (as some people definitely aren't outside of work and still hanging out with friends and playing around).

The one thing I agree with is the sick days. Governments and business has to get together to make sure it is possible for every worker to take sick days without losing pay. It already exists in large warehouses and business, but the independent places are definitely a problem.

 

[DylanSensFan]

There's been a whole lot of gaslighting go on here, blaming this situation on "neighbours" not following the rules. It's amazing how easily some people have turned on each other. The fact of the matter is, most people have been responsible. They've worn masks. They've limited social contact. They've put their lives on hold. For 14 months.

Is 100% of the population 100% compliant with every guideline? Of course not, but to suggest that we're in this position because of individual "rule-breakers" is complete crap.

The bottom line is, entire sectors of our economy were never shut down and their workers never protected: manufacturing, construction, warehousing, etc. The people who work these jobs are disproportionately lower class - living paycheque to paycheque in multi-person, multi-family households. These people do not have a choice to be "responsible".

They have rent to pay and food to put on the table. Their employers and the government are making them go to work, even if they're ill, by not providing paid sick days. So these people have to go in, do their "essential" but low paid work, and then go home to their small apartments and interact with their roommates, who, are likely in the same situation but at different workplaces.

That is the problem. We're in this situation because our government has left entire swaths of the population completely out to dry.

It's incredible to me. I know people who are sitting at home working their white-collar remote job, have made and saved more money than ever, and talk about how the problem is "people just not being responsible". Meanwhile, they get multiple Amazon deliveries every week. They never stop to think, "Hmmm... who's fulfilling those orders? Is it a $15/hour worker, with no paid sick leave, in a poorly ventilated warehouse, who lives with 3 other people that work at other warehouses, in a 900 square foot apartment because cost of living is so high?" Mind-boggling.

Okay, so now do a post explaining all the white privileged people here in Alberta and elsewhere? Explain, why much of the ICU is being filled with bar stars on 17th in Calgary. Explain why there is a class action lawsuit against restaurants here in Alberta for not properly protecting people.

You're completely correct about our society failing certain people and sectors of our economy. But it is definitely the provincial governments doing most of the failing. They are also failing at their messaging, and this thing is getting out of control. Our health care workers are also on the front line, and expected to go back there day after day, while they are disrespected by conspiracy nutjobs on the internet and elsewhere.

What is mind boggling to me is that some of these people who think covid 19 is a farce, are also the ones who expect the economy should go back to normal and they could care less about the ones at Amazon or elsewhere, who are getting sick and in some cases dying. Major class action lawsuits are coming against Kenney, Ford and anyone else who didn't uphold section 7 of our Charter of Rights. RIGHT TO LIFE

 

[Here I Pageau Again]

Hang in there.

There are lots of people who are aware of and appreciate what our healthcare professionals are going through.

Thank goodness patients and families have been so thankful, so I definitely feel appreciated. Plus my co-workers are amazing!!

It's just hard when I see what's going on outside of the workplace. I nearly went across the street and kicked our neighbors "no more lockdowns" sign. I don't like a lockdown, but I don't like watching people my age die either.

 

[Sun God Nika]

The talk about brands is very strange. Does anyone ever know the brand of the flu shot they get or care?

Thank the media.