Everyone needs to follow rules on COVID-19
Death often came quickly and all too often it came to young and relatively healthy people.
The 1918 Spanish flu frequently destroyed human victims in a single day.
Originating in Kansas in 1917, the pandemic spread worldwide taking over 50 million victims. It eventually relented by spring 1921 — after almost four full years of death and debilitation.
By 1918, most believed it was “germ” related as viruses had not yet been discovered. It attacked healthy immune systems which over responded destroying healthy blood cells and people literally died from liquid-filled lungs.
The Spanish flu was not attributed to a virus until 1933 when viruses were identified by use of early electron microscopes.
However, by as early as 1922 medical researchers were discovering that long-term consequences were identified from illness associated with Spanish flu. Among associated consequences were brain damage and damage to internal organs.
Recently, in a set of two articles written by the Windsor Star's Anne Jarvis we further learned how there are significant consequences for some people who contract COVID-19.
She told the incredible story of a courageous Lasalle resident Torry Robertson who contracted the disease and fought it for months before his release from hospital. His continued fight should serve as a strident warning how this disease must be taken seriously.
Furthermore, it must also be understood this disease is not going away quickly and it can have prolonged debilitation consequences for some — perhaps many people.
Anne's second article on the work of Dr. Michael Winger, a local neurologist detailed how he has found brain damage in some people from exposure to COVID-19.
Today MRI images have replaced the guesswork associated with the Spanish flu and its prolonged consequences. Dr. Winger should be applauded for bringing attention to the potential for long-term impairment of brain functions as collateral damage with the virus.
It shows how this is a disease to be taken seriously as case numbers mount during this second wave. Taking directions as to appropriate protocols from public health officials such as Dr. Wajid Ahmed, another dedicated medical professional, is imperative.
Governments can impose fines on those who fail to follow public health directions. But this should be a last resort. Governments also can employ moral persuasion to encourage people to follow rules, but for some people even an appeal to wear masks and impose distancing seems to fall upon lifeless ears.
I shudder imagining upcoming anti-vaccination rhetoric.
If this pandemic continues — with or without a vaccine — for another year or more it will require an enormous level of public comprehension that what individuals do or fail to do can have disastrous consequences.
If you are so sufficiently naive as to assume that “oh well, so I catch COVID, big deal,” then Torry Robertson's plight and Dr. Winger's research argues vigorously against such complacency and casual attitudes.
Perhaps at no other time in history has it become so fully apparent how we are interconnected and thus our individual behaviour can impose enormous and dreadful adverse consequences upon other people.
Governments can implore and governments can threaten, but cannot do much to fill the cranial gaps among those lacking common sense and fundamental social respect.
We also need to realize that governments' ability to fund programs designed to ease families and businesses through the virus assault cannot be maintained indefinitely.
I am absolutely certain that not a single responsible politician enjoys governing when faced with a crisis such as COVID-19. Furthermore, I am certain politicians, like every one of us, have tired of wearing masks, endlessly washing hands or social distancing from friend and families.
Like many others, I long to travel once again and to enjoy restaurant meals with friends and family. I long to resume a real life once more and enjoy those few years still available to me.
But I will follow the rules and implore all others to do the same so that we all can plan a future.