Slog on through the third wave

Dear editor,

It has been a very long 15 months as we all live through a once-in-a-lifetime public health crisis.

As we’ve seen in recent days, COVID-19 still has its grip on our province and with the highly contagious variants at play, we can all see how rapidly the number of positive cases has surged.

Even though we all want to see the end of the pandemic, now more than ever we must all follow the public health guidelines to keep ourselves and each other safe. Remember to:

• Wash your hands.
• Wear your mask.
• Keep at least 6 feet from others, whether indoors or outdoors.
• Stay within your household bubble and within your community.
• Shop only for essential goods and, when possible, shop online or through curbside pickup.
• Take the opportunity to be regularly tested for COVID-19.
• Self-isolate, including members of your household, if you have symptoms, have been exposed or are awaiting test results.
• Roll up your sleeve to receive your vaccine as soon as your age group becomes eligible.

Even once you have your first dose of vaccine, you must continue to follow public health guidelines. It takes your body two weeks to build up the protective immunity that will stop the most severe impacts of the disease and it is still possible to get sick after the first dose. You are not fully vaccinated until you receive the second dose of the vaccine.

It’s OK to have questions, but when looking for answers, be sure you are seeking information from credible sources. It’s also OK to feel angry, sad and lost. We’re living through a situation that is beyond our control: it’s scary and not all answers are known.

Be sure you are taking care of your mental health. Use technology to connect with family and friends. Get outside in nature so you can decompress and break out of negative thinking. Be physically active to keep both your body and mind healthy. Reach out for help when you need it.

Doctors, nurses and other health-care providers are doing their best during this difficult time and we need you to do your part too. Be kind to each other, protect each other and support each other so that we can get through this together.

You have the power to help turn around this third wave. As hard as it is, we must stay the course and keep doing the hard work so that we can all get through the pandemic as safely as possible. We must slog on.

Sincerely,

Dr. Stan Kutcher
Senator

Dr. Robyn MacQuarrie, President
Doctors Nova Scotia