WHAT I HAVE LEARNED SO FAR.

TESTING AND FAST CONTACT TRACING.

 The Corona virus otherwise known as Covid-19 or SARS-Cov-2 has killed thousands around the world and here in Quebec, because of ignorance and fear, 5600 of our most vulnerable and elderly citizens have fallen to the virus.
 What I have learned so far is that Canada and especially Quebec, need a much faster testing and contact tracing system with an immediate no exceptions lock-down. We need a fast and effective virus tracing detective agency ready to jump the moment a deadly virus is found in a hospital anywhere in Canada. That is the number 1 response all governments around the world must have in face of dangerous epidemics and pandemics created by a changing climate. Of course we could try to change our polluting behaviors in order to slow down climate change and make the environment less hospitable to bacteria and viruses, but that would be like beating a dead Mule. Today's stubborn profit oriented polluters are unlikely to wake up and change direction any time soon. A Green world economy has yet to be created.

  I have also learned that money from our Canadian health care system has been reduced over the years. We can no longer be proud of our "fine" health care system because it has been allowed to shrink into a mix of commercial privatization and government bureaucracy. Unfortunately, the government controlled part of our medicare system was hardest hit by the virus and with most of our vulnerable and elderly people the victims of fear and neglect. 
 Why am I angry! Years ago I wrote a story about a wonderful lady who died under the care of a C.H.S.L.D. A government controlled elder home.  Before the SARS-CoV-2 hit Canada, I realized how badly the conditions were in our elder care homes. Mrs Squires was my 100 year old friend who was left alone and miserable in her final days of life. After her death I wrote to the Canadian government to do something to alleviate the misery of all our elders forced by poverty into these so called "homes" but the government did nothing! Maybe now our politicians will change their attitudes and bring back a world class Medicare system which will again make us proud to live in this place we call Canada. 
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 News about the virus vaccine.
 There is a good chance a vaccine will be developed within Seven months. I hope the vaccine is both effective and the distribution not a problem!
 N.J. Raglione