With current confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Tla’amin Nation, the false sense of security that may have enveloped some people who live between Lund and Saltery Bay has been dashed.
Our geographic isolation from other communities is no match for coronavirus, which has shown over the last six months that it knows no boundaries. COVID-19 travels by air, sea and land, and shows no favouritism. No one is exempt from its path.
Staying out of its way by following health guidelines will not guarantee avoidance of transmission, but if anything can help (handwashing, physical distancing, face coverings, avoiding crowds and gatherings), why not give yourself the best odds?
A small segment of the population will always look for how, why and when COVID-19 arrived in order to inflict unkindness with harsh words and/or ignorance. Fortunately, the majority of people offer support and kindness for those who may now be feeling the effects of the virus, more concerned about the health and wellness of individuals than criticizing them for something that may have been out of their control.
There is no room for casting blame. The virus has been out there for months; its arrival, while unwanted, was inevitable. Where it came from and how it arrived in this community is for contact tracers to figure out, but what’s most important is preventing it from spreading.
How do we do that? Protect your family members and friends by following protocols set out by BC’s Dr. Bonnie Henry, Canada’s Dr. Theresa Tam, and their teams. It is not ideal, but it is simple, and it is easy. It is not forever, but it is for now and the foreseeable future.
