A millennial doctor’s message to other young Canadians
I am a millennial. I am a doctor. And I am a new mother. During this COVID-19 pandemic, I have heard and seen numerous stories of millennials (1982-2004) and Gen Z (2005-) who think this disease is NBD (translation for those not in these generations: No Big Deal).
I am here to tell you something we grew up hearing, but you need to hear again: You matter. Your decision matters. What you do today more than ever before will make a difference.
You may think that being young and healthy means you don’t need to participate in #SocialIsolation. This is not true. The only way social isolation works to reduce the burden of cases facing our health-care system at once (#FlatteningTheCurve) is if everyone does it.
Especially in this case, where the virus is often spread by young, healthy people like you and me, with mild or no symptoms: Our generations might be the most important to #SociallyIsolate since we spread the disease without even knowing it.
Would you purposely hand an illness to your favourite neighbour, your teacher, your parents, your grandparents, your health-care workers, etc.? What about your best friend’s parents; what about your best friend’s best friend’s parents? You get the point.
The more time you spend in public, the higher the chance that this virus will affect someone more vulnerable than you. The more people it affects, the less able our health-care system will be to face medical issues. This means that your health-care providers will not be able to take care of your health needs, or help to promote your health and prevent illness the way we normally would with a fully functioning health-care system.
I teach medical students, residents and other physicians about the need to use different strategies to teach different generations. Why? Because our cohorts (millennials, Gen X-ers, baby boomers, traditionalists) share different characteristics and motivations based on life events that we’ve lived through and that define our generations.
Millennials grew up through 9/11 and the rapid rise of technology, while Gen-Z has grown up through the rise of school shootings and have always known the internet. Because of these experiences, the unifying characteristic of millennials and Gen-Z is a hope and motivation to change the world, and a belief that we will. (Thank you, helicopter-parent baby boomers.) Now more than ever we have achance to truly make that difference we have been raised believing that we can. Millennials and Gen Z: Your use of technology is exceptional and as a “digital native” it comes to you naturally. Use it to your advantage; don’t spread fear, but spread the importance of #SocialIsolation. Do what you do best and make sharing information via technology fun.
You love to collaborate. Now is the time to come together with friends to create social change and disrupt the notion that you cannot influence this pandemic. You excel at building relationships across time and space; now is your time to do this from the safety of your home, and create real change. #SocialIsolation doesn’t mean stop socializing, it means do so virtually.
You appreciate honest and clear communication. Find sources that are valid and evidence based and read about this pandemic and share among your friends. Look to local and national public health and hospital websites and your elected leaders. Share the most accurate information you can find and educate your peers using social platforms and technology.
The majority of my family and friends are in health care. They will be affected. They may get sick. Or worse. They may face the nausea-inducing decision as to whose life to save because there aren’t enough ventilators if we do not slow the spread of this virus.
My baby is growing up through COVID-19 and the actions and decisions we make now will likely be the defining life event of his generation, and very well yours. He will know that his family worked hard and worked together to save lives. He might learn that our generation did the uncomfortable thing to #SociallyDistance to save lives. He might learn that our generation who believed we could change the world, actually did.
What legacy do you want to leave for your kids and your grandkids?