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I shouldn’t have to explain that you should care about people

I understand that people are getting frustrated that the pandemic still is clutching us close. What I don’t understand is the blatant lack of empathy and disregard for medicine and science.
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Editor of the Pipestone Flyer, Shaela Dansereau.

I understand that people are getting frustrated that the pandemic still is clutching us close. What I don’t understand is the blatant lack of empathy and disregard for medicine and science.

The Government of Alberta and Dr. Deena Hinshaw are doing a pretty good job on keeping the public informed on data and new cases. This pandemic is not only entirely new to the scientific community in the nature of its rapid spread and contagion, but in the transparency that they are showing on a daily basis.

Many people are angry that the vaccine development keeps hitting speed bumps and slowing down the process of us ditching this ‘new normal’. However, scientific and medical discoveries, including vaccines, have always been done on a trial and error basis. There is no single experiment or medical treatment that was created and entirely successful on the first trial.

The scientists and medical experts are hard at work trying to find a cure, or at least a way to help protect us from virus. The scientists working on the vaccine have not changed anything about the process; except that they are working tirelessly and relentlessly to find answers.

The biggest change in regards to the creation of a vaccine for COVID-19 and further answers about the virus is the widespread public transparency and awareness that the work for a vaccine is in progress.

Right now is a major milestone in history where there is transparency in many mediums, from the scientific breakthroughs to the abilities and resources of our medical system.

Transparency in the media has also been key during this pandemic. Media organizations, from big national corporations, to small papers across Canada are consistently updating COVID-19 numbers and protocols that are provided by the government and professionals on the front lines of this pandemic.

As journalists we would love to fill every page of every paper with stories of optimism and cool things that people in the community have done. However, right now whether in a big or small way, people are impacted by the pandemic, and it is important to keep people informed.

Pulling a wool blanket over your eyes won’t stop the spread of COVID-19, it will just make you stop seeing it around you—which is dangerous to yourself and others.

This week even the Pipestone Flyer and other media organizations reporting on COVID-19 were called ‘terrorist organizations’ and that by updating COVID-19 cases we are ‘fear mongering’.

I would love to write fun, bubbly stories about my community, but there isn’t a lot of that right now.

At this point it’s hard to even try to explain that YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT PEOPLE.

As a local journalist I will continue to do my part to update my community on the status of COVID-19 in Alberta and the Wetaskiwin County area, because it is important to remain informed.

Everyone working the front lines of this pandemic is burnt out, but they will continue to do their best to help protect themselves and those around them from this virus. Do your due diligence to help others by social distancing, wearing your mask and washing your hands/ sanitizing regularly.

Pretending COVID-19 isn’t real won’t stop you from catching it. And one thing that is for sure, breathing through a mask is a lot more comfortable than breathing through a ventilator.