{"id":3041,"date":"2020-03-27T22:22:56","date_gmt":"2020-03-28T01:22:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/?p=3041"},"modified":"2020-03-28T10:33:49","modified_gmt":"2020-03-28T13:33:49","slug":"to-what-extent-did-the-whos-delayed-warning-about-the-coronavirus-pandemic-delay-the-worlds-preparedness-and-what-about-canadas-further-delays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bambisafkar.ca\/index.php\/2020\/03\/27\/to-what-extent-did-the-whos-delayed-warning-about-the-coronavirus-pandemic-delay-the-worlds-preparedness-and-what-about-canadas-further-delays\/","title":{"rendered":"To what extent did the WHO\u2019s delayed warning about the coronavirus pandemic delay the world\u2019s preparedness? And what about Canada\u2019s further delay(s)?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The government of China\u2019s initial reaction was to hide\nits tragic coronavirus outbreak for whatever reason. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps it is embarrassing for them not to have been\nable to control the outbreak in its early stages? Perhaps this government was\ntoo busy fighting the virus that it did not think of the rest of the world?\nPerhaps it truly believes that China is the centre of the world? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or perhaps Bambi is being too harsh now\u2026?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing is sure: It is heartbreaking to have\nwitnessed the suffering of the Chinese people from Day 1 (Bambi followed this story.\nIntuitively, she saw this pandemic coming early on\u2026). It is also very sad to see\nthe progression of the virus around the world and to know that our turn is\ncoming (what we have seen thus far is likely just the start\u2026). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many advanced countries, Canada\u2019s population is older. Thus, more vulnerable (age or comorbid health conditions). The coronavirus may\/will put a huge pressure on our health care systems, like what we have seen elsewhere. Thus, although tough on people, our province took a very smart decision by locking down nursing homes. It has also increased screening for staff at hospitals (hopefully it was earlier than at the UHN’s Toronto General Hospital\u2026). Our town is also taking the needed measures. Our Mayor reassured citizens early on: Sackville will ensure that the basics are there: running water, etc. They may have to play a larger role in the future. Who knows? Things are changing on a daily basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This being said about our town and province, as a\ncitizen of Canada and of the world, Bambi has all the rights to be angry at the\nUN-WHO for its delayed declaration, even if it may have perhaps been because of\nChina\u2019s own delay or political influence in this organization?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bambi wrote the above and she appreciates when China\u2019s\nleaders behave in a human way. Recently, they send a small donation of medical\nsupplies to Lebanon. Thank you. Same to France, in the middle of its own tragedy.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As citizens of Canada, we have all the rights, of the world,\nto keep a critical eye on the decisions or absence of decisions by our\ngovernments. More than ever now, we need to demand information and transparency.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Bambi\u2019s mind, the WHO\u2019s delay has likely prevented many\ncountries from preparing as fast as possible before the tsunami of COVID-19\nstarted spreading everywhere; yes, due to travels across any border and by any human\nbeing\u2026 and then the virus enters countries and starts to be transmitted locally.\nThis is how the Spanish Influenza pandemic spread (with soldiers\u2019 travels, and\nit hit younger people then). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would we have been able to stop this new virus? Likely not. However, perhaps we would have been able to act faster (prepare hospitals, hotel rooms as they are working on in Lebanon now, secure medical equipment, including clothes and masks to nurses\/physicians, respiratory machines to patients, negative pressure rooms, etc.). We could have had more time to psychologically better prepare the population.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Bambi is angry at the WHO now, imagine how\nfrustrated she is at our own federal government for the initial and continuous delays,\nmisjudgements, and inefficacies.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canada was SO LATE, even after the declaration of the\nWHO and seeing BC, Qu\u00e9bec, and ON dealing with the crisis first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bambi saw this coming and cancelled trips in April and did not purchase tickets for later travels. How come our leaders did not see this and did not ask people to be mindful about travels for March breaks and after even?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, it is easy to say \u201cshoulda coulda woulda\u201d\nafter the facts. However, common sense\/leadership must be present before\/during\/after\nBombardier sagas, railway crises, and pandemics\u2026 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps Mr. Trudeau and Ms. Freeland did not understand\nyet that what is ahead is the biggest fight of their (with OUR) lives?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No time for ideology now. No time for political correctness. This is a pandemic and it requires a war mindset against this virus. They cannot ask Canadians coming from abroad to self-isolate (with a walk to breathe far from people and not into grocery shops, etc.). Many but NOT all Canadians will act accordingly. Bambi has posted comments about cultural differences of travellers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Maybe it would help if Hajdu instructs stranded travellers\u2019 returning home not to kiss\/hug at airports before “looking at criminal penalties for travellers who disobey quarantine advice\u201d ? Screening may help too\u2026 unless it is already too late?<\/a><\/blockquote>