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Once the precedent’s set, it’s hard to ignore. So, if nine people die in a couple of Calgary nursing homes next February, do we close the city down? And if we don’t, do lawsuits fly from relatives of those succumbing to this latest virus?
The same with local businesses: if they tell employees to work and those folk subsequently get sick, will they also be in the legal firing line?
Hey, easier to simply shut it down once again. The health-care honchos will approve and someone, somewhere might send us all a cheque.
It’ll take a brave person to stand and declare such annual deaths are part of life and we must now look to the needs of the living.
So yes, there’s no blame due for the measures we’re enduring. It’s common sense in the face of the unknown. But our future is another matter.
We opened Pandora’s box in good conscience. Closing it again? Well, that’ll take guts. So it might be wise looking for a 10-year supply of those facemasks.
Chris Nelson is a regular columnist for the Calgary Herald.
