With March going out like a lion and April Fool’s Day not really marked, we here at the Tribune are, like you, continue to adjust to rapidly changing situation imposed on us by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since it began to unfold almost three weeks ago in B.C., all of our lives have been altered.
Teachers have returned to schools this week, while parents or caregivers are at home with students.
Read more: VIDEO: Williams Lake teachers reach out to students on first week back to school without them
Most businesses are locked up, and social distancing is now part of our every day vocabulary.
Grocery stores have adjusted their hours, some have even put in screens to protect cashiers and the public.
There are stickers on the floor indicating where customers should stand.
Numbers of people inside a grocery store at once should be no more than 50 at a time, advises provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
Many grocery stores across the country are pleading with the public to come in, grab what they need, and leave.
“We are not the place where you should be trying to catch up with the community,” they are reminding us.
Last weekend our emergency responders did a drive-by salute for workers at Cariboo Memorial Hospital. We were there filming it live and by Tuesday, 40K people had viewed the video. Comments from people watching indicated it made them feel connected.
Many helpful people are doing everything they can to help others in our community, whether it’s buying groceries, running errands, sharing goods, delivering meals, you name it.
Read more: ‘It’s the humane thing to do’; Muraca on providing a warm shelter for Williams Lake homeless
Some of those needs are shared through social media, which has made it easy for some, but there are many without Internet who will be feeling more isolated than the rest of us.
Through this pandemic, the paradigm is shifting, and it will be interesting to see if after it’s all over we have become more compassionate and caring for everyone in our communities.
news@wltribune.com
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