Novel Coronavirus

[Lastpointe]

Alcohol taxes are always something you can count on to go up in a budget.

some people certainly have a funny relationship with alcohol. Must be a temperance hold over or something. Definitely not an attitude you see in Europe

there are lots of problems with alcohol. Some of that seems to me to be because of all the stigma we place on it

one of my kids went to university in Europe. A beer after class was a common thing for the 18 year olds. He felt not as much binge drinking in dorms like in here and in the USA because it was ok to go out to the pubs

and grocery stores certainly sell lots of stuff not good for us. pops and sugary drinks, candy, ice cream, baking products. If we mandated only healthy food I guess we could start to tackle obesity

 

[ChemGal]

Alcohol taxes are always something you can count on to go up in a budget.

some people certainly have a funny relationship with alcohol. Must be a temperance hold over or something. Definitely not an attitude you see in Europe

there are lots of problems with alcohol. Some of that seems to me to be because of all the stigma we place on it

one of my kids went to university in Europe. A beer after class was a common thing for the 18 year olds. He felt not as much binge drinking in dorms like in here and in the USA because it was ok to go out to the pubs

and grocery stores certainly sell lots of stuff not good for us. pops and sugary drinks, candy, ice cream, baking products. If we mandated only healthy food I guess we could start to tackle obesity

I agree that there are some attitude differences, but confused about the ok to go out to pubs. Isn't that true here too? I went to a pub on my 18th birthday. At U of C there was the Den and Black Lounge and Grad Lounge. The Den and Black Lounge had a club atmosphere at night, but a pub atmosphere for lunch & dinner hours. There were a number of pubs nearby off campus that we would go to as well.

 

[PilgrimsProgress]

Mental health is an issue I've grappled with most of my adult life......

One insight I've acquired (thanks to good therapy) is how important perspective is.

I can concentrate on the negative -and allow my anxiety to spiral out of control and go deeper into anxiety and depression concerning this global pandemic.

Or I can concentrate on the positive -the choice is mine.

I realise that if (or when) I become ill with this virus it will be more of a challenge -but at the moment I'm well -so it makes good sense to appreciate the positive things that I've noticed about this pandemic situation.

I've had more phone calls from relatives and friends than I usually have - reassuring me that folks do care about me. I've rung up my Aunt who is in her nineties, and am pleased to hear how well she's coping.
My fortnightly therapy sessions are no longer face to face. Yet my therapist now rings me weekly and we have 45 minute therapy sessions over the phone. It's not quite the same - but she charges me less....
My siblings are more in touch re online and phone than we have been for years.
My chemist said I'm "vulnerable" (the phrase we use here in Oz) and that my doctor can just ring through with my prescriptions -and I can ring him and he will deliver to my doorstep, free of delivery charges. (Or anything else I require from the chemist -like hair dye!)
My neighbours are wonderful. We talk from our balconies and this keeps our spirits up. One left toilet paper at my door (the toilet fairy?) I mentioned to another that I was no longer shopping at our biggest supermarket because physical distancing couldn't be maintained - but, oh, I miss my Portuguese tarts! And, sure enough, outside my door appeared some Portuguese tarts........
This has given me the feeling that we are indeed in this together. I said to one younger neighbour that I did feel a bit guilty because I didn't have much to offer. She gave me a lovely smile and said, "Just keep giving your humour and wisdom -that's your contribution."

When I'm on my daily exercise walk I notice anxious faces all around me. it occurs to me that what they are facing now, is what I've been facing for most of my life -anxiety and a feeling of not being in control of my own life. So, in a weird way, I have had more experience than they, in coping with anxiety and fear. This is familiar territory for me, and, if I dig deep, I have the resilience to cope.

If nothing else, I'm hoping that when this pandemic is over, the general public will at least have a better understanding of what living with insecurity and fear is, and thus more support will be extended to those of us who grapple with anxiety on a daily basis. I hope more folks when they hear of "self-isolation in your home' will have a better understanding of what it must be like to be homeless. I hope more people will understand why universal health care -and proper resourcing -is so important for the welfare of the whole society.
I hope we'll ditch neo-liberalism and see ourselves as part of a community, and not as part of an economy. Essential services should be government owned and ran -this will still leave plenty of room for private enterprise and capitalism..
The end of WW2 led to more welfare run governments - so let us hope that, after this pandemic, the same thing will occur?

 

[Ritafee]

True. But the powers that be already placed severe restrictions, penalties, and severe price hikes on tobacco before covid. No deterrents for alcohol...which is a public health problem...in fact, they seem to be celebrating the business boost.

WHO benefits?

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

My remaining iPhone/ iPad charger cord is now broken so I have to go to Shoppers or London Drugs to get a new one.

I talked to (texted) my roommate about a kitchen schedule for distancing (and I always let her know before I take a bath and ask if she needs the bathroom first. It is not reciprocated.) she said no because she just cooks and eats whenever she feels hungry. So, I said (no choice) "okay I will do the same as I do - which is to let you know - before I take a bath. Then you can tell me how long you will be." Today I didn't eat until almost 2. I texted to ask if she was using the kitchen at 1:15. I was supposed to work at 3:00, a short shift but cancelled because of the stress and curfuffle- anyway...she said she was so I said I will need to be in there to grab a quick bite then I will be leaving by 2:40. I am in there eating and her dishes are still in the sink which is fine they can wait 1/2 hr. My coffee is on the counter near the kettle by the sink. I was about to go get it and she comes in and starts washing dishes. I sighed and said - firmly which is rare - "The reason I told you when I will be in here and when I'm leaving is so we can stay out of each other's way. I'm trying to be courteous about it." When I was leaving I saw her go out from the side of the house (her door we have seperate doors) in a huff. My landlords are not playing by the rules completely. I am the only conscientious one here and it's stressing me out. Closed quarters is the most likely means of transmission.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

Uh what? There are more places one can smoke legally than drink. Both have added taxes.

No there are not. Not here. We can't smoke in parks, restaurants, bars, in rental apartments, city owned courtyards, on downtown city sidewalks because they are all too close to any air intakes, bus stops, school properties including fields even if it's after hours and nobody's there, in mall parking lots, indoor and outdoor work-sites ...only owned property (owned houses, not businesses, not most condos) -only in alleys and cars, if you own one, pretty much. People break the rules now and then but they can be fined.

 

[ChemGal]

No there are not. Not here. We can't smoke in parks, restaurants, bars, in rental apartments, city owned courtyards, on downtown city sidewalks because they are all too close to any air intakes, bus stops, school properties including fields even if it's after hours and nobody's there, in mall parking lots...only owned property (owned houses, not businesses, not most condos) -only in alleys and cars, if you own one, pretty much. People break the rules now and then but they can be fined.

I can't stand on the sidewalk and drink. One can do so smoking. There's also chewing, more options for tobacco that way.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

I can't stand on the sidewalk and drink. One can do so smoking. There's also chewing, more options for tobacco that way.

No they can't stand on the sidewalk very many places. You could walk down the street or sit in a park with a concealed beer much more easily. I'm guessing you probably have at least once in your life.

They are not the same. I find chewing tobacco much more disgusting tasting, personally - but you wouldn't understand anyway.

 

[Northwind]

I hope we'll ditch neo-liberalism and see ourselves as part of a community, and not as part of an economy. Essential services should be government owned and ran -this will still leave plenty of room for private enterprise and capitalism..
The end of WW2 led to more welfare run governments - so let us hope that, after this pandemic, the same thing will occur?

That hope is helping me too. I see small glimmers of evidence that supports the hope in some corners. In other corners, I see none. My hope is that the populace will demand better.

No they can't stand on the sidewalk very many places. You could walk down the street or sit in a park with a concealed beer much more easily. I'm guessing you probably have at least once in your life.

People can stand on the sidewalk and smoke in most BC communities as long as they are the prescribed distance from entrances to buildings. You cannot stand there with a beer.

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

What about domestic abuse and child abuse cases up? No connection? Mental health? People drinking more? Will alcoholism increase? Unsafe homes and unreported child abuse is a danger with having kids at home in isolation with drinking parents - parents fighting, taking it out on kids - even if they were not alcoholics before, stress is high, mental health is teetering for a lot of people, and nobody to keep an eye out like before. Are home visits still being done by social workers?

In my neighbourhood the child protection workers are still working.
Another friend of mine who works for the school board with at risk families works from home over the phone.

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

I am not getting the beer/ cigarettes argument. It sounded like kimmio wanted all liquor stores closed because they are not essential. I would say, on that level, smokes aren’t either. Are you prepared to go cold turkey, kimmio, in a stressful time like this?

 

[BetteTheRed]

It's not an excuse. It's a legitimate concern. Most addicts I know or knew did not choose to be in the mess they're in. If this were about choice, no one would be an addict.

And not every addict is a mess. You can be "functionally" addicted to quite a few substances... I almost NEVER touch hard liquor for instance, and neither did my father. I keep rum in the house for recipes, and hot toddies if I've got a cold/gotten really chilled outside. If I were to turn to rum more than, say, once every couple of weeks, except for during an active cold, I'd worry about it.

 

[Northwind]

And not every addict is a mess. You can be "functionally" addicted to quite a few substances.

I absolutely agree. I would argue that most alcoholics are actually people who appear to be functioning very well. I've sometimes thought hiring an alcoholic might be wise. They are often hard workers who will go out of their way to prove they are not an alcoholic. Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess after all.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

My whole point is not to be a temperance pusher...I legitimately am worried about kids (and women, mostly, who can’t safely flee as well)...alcohol or not...alcohol does seem to fuel worse domestic violence incidents on top of existing problems. Social workers only check in on families with histories, open cases, in the system, or reported concerns. There are plenty who have no history to this point and are more at risk now, and this crisis of isolation - where they see nobody in person, by decree - does not help. There will be fallout from this that is long lasting, quite probably worse, than the virus.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

China could’ve contained it earlier and less harshly. They heard warnings from citizen doctors but ignored them. Then Trump dropped the ball and it’s mayhem in the US. And Canada should’ve had greater testing capability and more stringent screening, ready before it spread far. They had time. They screwed us. We shouldn’t be going through this. Kids, though, will probably pay the biggest long term price for it. As per usual.

 

[Northwind]

Could have, should have, would have. We can't change the past.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

And we know world powers are going to exploit this crisis. Trump already is with Keystone XL, and Trudeau will follow suit. There will be no protesting because there can’t be.

 

[BetteTheRed]

Nor should we be too quick to judge other cultures/countries that we don't really know up close and personal.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

Could have, should have, would have. We can't change the past.

I’m not convinced it’s being handled properly. BC is probably in the best hands right now of most places...with Dr. Henry. She’s one of the world’s leading epidemiologists. I trust she is only doing what she has to...no more, no less. She is not keeping kids inside at least. They can ride bikes, run in parks...just not share playground equipment.

 

[Kimmio Laughterlove]

Nor should we be too quick to judge other cultures/countries that we don't really know up close and personal.

I have been reading about authoritarian governments - they have poor records of/ by handling crises with iron fists. Even the administrations screw themselves by creating a false narrative and censoring real information from citizens.