Letter to the Ottawa Citizen, Sent This Morning

[dewline]

As regards today's op-ed cartoon by Greg Perry...

Whatever his own opinion, the family he depicted have a legitimate reason for a long, loud cry of frustration: COVID-19 is still very much part of the picture. So long as we don't require masking up properly and good air-cleaning measures in our workplaces - including public transit to and from those spaces - and our various levels of government are not dealing with the pandemic still in progress in the proper ways otherwise, SARS-CoV-2 and its medical consequences will still plague us. Socially, economically, in every way possible. The vaccines we have are still not enough in and of themselves to end the pandemic.

Therefore, Dads and kids everywhere have every right to keep crying.

Comments

[extraarcha]

A link to the op-ed cartoon would be very good, please?

I've been telling people for a long time now that the pandemic will be with us for 10 years, or so. That's largely due to the reasons you cite AND not masking in (way too) close social encounters with people, as is illustrated by the large numbers of those who contacted COVID at the Democratic Convention.

A brief reading of the history of the so-called "Spanish Flu" makes this clear. But what isn't easily learned is that the effects from it lasted well over that 10 years of the main block. Children and others were having what might be called "long SF" and birth issues were seen long past the 10 years.

  "Let's Be Careful Out There!"
Anyone know what show this was from?

[murakozi]

The quote was from Hill Street Blues, wasn't it?

[extraarcha]

Yes it was. Did you watch the show? I may have missed a few episodes due to marriage, working and stuff. It was back in the day when there wasn't much of any internet. Someone is getting to the point where he'll have to admit he's not so young anymore? (for clarity, i was checking my mirror. LMAO)

About that op-ed cartoon?

[dewline]

I tried to find it online today! No luck so far!

I may end up scanning it myself...

[blogcutter]

You raise some very important points and I hope your letter gets published. Personally I thought the cartoon was simply an apt illustration of the old adage that you can't please all of the people all of the time. I do think it's quite legitimate in some jobs for the employer to require physical presence in a public office. In-person service (as one option) for government services most of us need (like Social Insurance Numbers or Passports), to me is a basic right. That said, when it comes to those providing the services, workers also have their rights and should have the flexibility to refuse a job they feel will be injurious to their health and overall well-being.

You're right that the existing vaccines are not a panacea. Some have chosen to delay getting boosters until the fall, when supposedly we'll get vaccines that are more effective against the newer strains of the virus. My partner and I (who are in our early 70s) opted to get boosted as soon as we became eligible, which was early June. By early December, we should be able to get one of the new improved vaccines - so maybe not as early as they're available but hopefully still soon enough.