A COVID-19 LETTER FROM A RETIRED COUPLE I WON’T SOON FORGET

Last night I received a Facebook message from an elderly couple who will remain anonymous – I’ve never met them.

When people make comments about the lockdown measures we’ve been living with in PEI for 8 months under a health emergency without a single hospitalization, when lockdowns were only supposed to last a few weeks to keep hospitals from overflowing with patients, comments like, “Think of someone other than yourself for a change,” or “OMG!!! We’re not being asked to remove an arm,” or “It’s the least we can do…” well, I know I’ll think of the pain and desperation of this elderly couple that hit me like a brick when I read this letter.

If lockdowns worked I’d support them. They don’t.

If masks worked to prevent – or even significantly slow – the inevitable spread of the virus, I’d wear them. They don’t.

Those cheering the lockdown strategy here in PEI and telling me I should be ashamed of myself for presenting information, asking questions, and trying to get a public discussion going on these important issues, seem unaware of much of the new information available at this stage of the pandemic saying lockdown strategies need to be abandoned in the interest of promoting health and the public good.

The continued imposition of restrictions and the suspension of significant Charter Rights would be hard to justify even if it had some benefits; however, the science and reams of other data (economic analysis of negative impacts; documented mental health impacts; sociological data showing increased suicides, addictions, family violence, etc.) reveal that the strategy does not bring benefits, not even marginally, but significant and, in many cases, long-term negative impacts.

This unnecessary and harmful approach is especially cruel with elderly people, many of whom are being left abandoned to live out their days alone, cut-off from their family, their own children, grandkids, and great grandkids….left to sit and wonder what’s the point of living with such a constant sense of sadness and loss, when daily denied the most basic joys of retirement and one’s final years.

Those who support lockdowns and shout, “Think of the elderly” really need to read this letter and then ask themselves: “Perhaps I should ask the elderly whether they prefer to live life, or prolong a miserable existence before I speak on their behalf.”

I’ve cut and pasted the message, so it’s exactly as it came to me, only broken up in paragraphs:

Hello Kevin,

Need to say .. My husband and I are seniors and yes, we have health conditions, as most people in our age group do . But we are beyond wanting any governmental interference into how we live out the remainder of our lives .

We take great comfort in the way we have lived thus far, and take great insult by our Premier, Dr. Morrison, and Federal interference. It is as if we have not done a good job of caring and loving our fellow citizens, and we need to be told, most blatantly how to do that by their self imposed excellence in the matter!

We refuse to hold up in our home with doom and gloom swirling over our heads ! We want and Intend to have what we have earned . The right to congregate with our family and friends , to hug and hold those so dear to us! To take delight in our grands and greats and to be present to see it first hand…not on FB.

We, my husband and I refuse to be held hostage any longer by Premier King, Dr. Morrison or the corruption of WHO! Our time on this earth is beyond valuable and we still have so much to accomplish!

I am saddened beyond belief as to what is taking place in our world and in our country …and in our faith. We can only speak for us, and so we will! We are going to Mass, we will gather with our loved ones, we will take delight in our babies! We have had enough ! Our time is being wasted !