There’s a Maclean’s article that uses Google geolocation data to show how reduced mobility towards retail, recreation and work is working in all the provinces and states, and Nova Scotia isn’t doing well coming in last in Canada and third last when you add in the American states.
It’s spurred a heated discussion from people on both sides of the checkout. Workers deemed “essential” have a sinking feeling in their gut every time someone walks in their place of business , wondering whether they’re the one that’s going to infect them with Covid-19. Many don’t consider home DIY materials as essentials and we should be limiting ourselves to food and medicine.
Then there are the stay at home folks who have been isolating for up to a month and are going stir crazy. To alleviate the boredom they are doing home reno’s and repairs and need some materials to get the job done.
Essentials have no idea of the debilitating boredom that stay at home folks are experiencing, while those stay at home folks are probably feeling a little jealous at the essentials making a regular paycheck and not having to wait for two days to get through to EI
Let’s have some empathy and compassion for other people, while still self-isolating as much as possible. If things get worse, you know the government will change their definition of essential services and then we’ll all lose. Please don’t browse when you visit a store, know what you want and get it and leave. Take advantage of curbside service. Use your phone. And visit alone if you can, not with your spouse or a friend.
I’ll leave you with this situation and ask your opinion. A friend is an avid skateboarder. He took his skateboard outside in his neighbourhood and got his daily exercise and fresh air by skateboarding. He got the stinkeye from just about everyone who passed by, even though he was maintaining social distancing. How was his skateboarding any different from you or I going out for a walk in our neighbourhood, something we’ve been told is OK by our Premier and our Chief Medical Officer?
