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Letter: Heavier fines needed to stop post-holidays COVID-19 explosion

Cases surged after Thanksgiving and the writer wants to stop the same happening after Christmas
covid-19
DNA image of COVID-19. (via Getty Images)

Editor:

By the time vaccines do their job to achieve herd immunity, many will die.

To waste the BC NDP mandate would be an incalculable tragedy. If Thanksgiving and Diwali aren't indicators to this spike, then what is? Finding new ways of enforcement before Dec. 25, Boxing Day and New Year celebrations is a responsible answer. The messaging that health care is free is misleading and promotes a false sense of entitlement and a cavalier attitude.

Trickle-down vaccinations is no panacea for a defiant minority refusing to follow temporary restrictive health directives. With limited quantities of vaccine arriving, it seems reasonable to inoculate the hot spots spreading the virus while protecting LTC centres and frontline staff.

Freedom without restraint is ignorance and ignorance is the original sin of mankind. Because ignorance doesn't understand, it must be subdued by enforced laws for the greater good of society.

Now that we have an absolute NDP majority government, it's time to enforce face masks in public places and restrict travel and social gatherings temporarily.

When understanding reaches the level of a disobedient child, it's incumbent on the lawmakers to establish absolute ground rules until a definite remedy is at hand to resolve this pandemic that's affecting the vulnerable.

On a wider scale, the idea of testing 7 billion of the world population, with a positivity rate around 2%, and about 40% asymptomatic carriers spreading Covid-19 seems futile. Transmissibility begins days before the onset of symptoms. Random large scale testing without rationale is a waste of resources. So is contact tracing during widespread breakouts. Face masks, distancing and hygiene are effective and economical. The clear message during a pandemic crisis – stay home.

We love our freedom and freedom thrives with responsibility.

Those opting not to wear a face mask, have to face the burden of irresponsible behaviour. The cost of not wearing a face mask, enforced by law should be more dollars for each irresponsible behaviour.

Systemic structural problems evidenced by high mortality rates in ethnic groups working in poorly paid essential services without easy access to proper health care and benefits, results in developing higher co-morbid conditions. Funding additional staff in LTC centres, in the absence of livable salary and benefits, forebodes history to repeat itself. 

Pandemics are inevitable in this jet age.

Antony Francis, Burnaby