Physical distancing: HIV, cholera, COVID
April 8, 2020 - Opinion
To each virus, its own prevention. Yet, some people need the threat of a fine to do their share.
Journalist
Lack of physical distancing in a downtown Toronto public park during COVID-19 public health emergency.
Photo: Charles-Antoine Rouyer
You may also feel the same. Anger and outrage are growing with me these days. Because too many citizens simply do not abide by the physical distancing measures, designed to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
When dealing with HIV/AIDS, people do not have unprotected sex. With cholera, folks simply don’t drink tainted water. Well, for COVID-19, people must be physically distant. Period.
Authorities will probably end up slapping even tighter distancing and home isolation measures (as witnessed in Quebec, or worse, in France or Greece), especially considering there are still not enough screening kits available to test everyone.
Measures currently in place were extended recently for another 12 weeks, at least, that is probably until the end of June. Meanwhile in Toronto, the municipal government significantly raised the fines for not adhering to adequate physical distancing in public places, to be now enforced by police officers.
Indeed, last week (March 27), in my neighbourhood park, a mother let her 4 or 5-year-old daughter slip under theyellow caution tapes signalling that the playground facilities are closed.
The very same day, I saw several young women sitting very close to each other on an oversized elevated metal disk, normally a water fountain still closed for the winter. “We are roommates», one of them snapped back when I pointed out to them (politely) that this is the kind of behaviour that will lead to having our park completely shut down. (Even roommates should be leading by example…)
Yesterday (April 1), four young adults, men and women, were dribbling with a small plastic soccer ball, passing it to each other over and over, the little object bouncing off their chest, their shoulders, very close to their face.
What if COVID was like HIV, the AIDS virus transmitted through direct blood and semen contact? Would people have unprotected sex left and right (in a public place for that matter)? Would roommates get it on as a foursome orgy with no caution?
What if it was cholera (a bacteria actually) that is waterborne? Would a mother give to her daughter a glass of water possibly infected?
Unfortunately, there are no anti-COVID-19 condoms and regular facemasks are not fail proof.
the faster we will all follow the physical distancing recommendations, the faster the COVID-19 epidemic curve will flatten. And the faster this ordeal will be over.
Each individual who does not follow these recommendations simply blows a hole in the dam or breakwall that we are all trying to build, in oder to shunt the size of this public health tsunami that is fast approaching. And this minority simply destroys all the efforts that most of our citizens are diligently carrying out.
So, what part of “No” does not understand this minority. No close contact. Period.
We’ll have plenty of time to hug later when COVID-19 is under control.
Two young men practicing close contact boxing in a public park in Toronto during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Photo : Charles-Antoine Rouyer