Are We Too Paranoid?

  I'm sitting here during day 98 of my family's hibernation within these four walls wondering when this will end. Things are slowly returning to the status quo. Shops, daycares, and restaurants are inching towards normalcy. There is a "plan" for back to school in September...okay here we have three so who knows what will happen come the fall. So why are some people still so paranoid? And should they be?

  Now I'm not talking about the healthy paranoia. Those folks with lung issues and heart disease who are the highest of the highest at-risk get a pass to be as frightened and careful as is humanly possible. Cancer patients, immune-compromised folks are in that category too. Free passes all around. You know the people I mean. We all worry about them and do everything in our power to protect them from the virus. And we will continue to do so for many months to come.

  But there is a group of people who still have not left their homes. Those who are still relying on family and friends to get their groceries and medications. Who won't book a haircut or a doctor's appointment. Some won't even allow visitors on the patio or go grab a coffee from the drive-thru. Are they taking things too far? In my oh so humble opinion, they are.

  Taking baby steps back out into the world is necessary for all of us. If you live in an area where the numbers are low or almost nonexistent, as they are here in Ottawa and almost everywhere in Canada, it's time. And those of us enabling you to feed your fears, we need to stop too. The risk is minimal and as long as you wear a mask and wash your hands you will be fine.

  Don't take that last statement as cavalier. It wasn't meant that way. All any of us can do is just that. Wash our hands and wear a mask. But while most of us have gone back out into the world some of you are letting your fear keep you from participating. That is not healthy. In fact, that might be even worse than the virus for many of you. Letting fear take over parts of our lives can spread like wildfire and soon we cannot overcome any fear. That is no way to live...even in a pandemic.

  Every day in Canada our numbers are getting better. We've listened to what  Dr. Tam and provincial health experts have told us to do. Late winter and spring were spent without outside human contact. Zoom became our go-to word. But now it's time to leave our homes, create our bubbles, and start establishing our new normal. All of us.

  Don't let fear and paranoia control your life. Wash your hands. Wear your mask. Be smart and you will be safe.

  Ang