Work at Home Blog 1

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Coronavirus Disease Update - March 23rd, 2020

A work at home blog 1, my very first. As of March 23rd, 628 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the province of Quebec. 45 people are hospitalized and 20 of them are in intensive care. “We are entering a new stage,” says François Legault, Quebec Prime Minister during his latest news conference in Quebec City, the capital of the province of Quebec.

• A drive-through COVID-19 testing clinic is now opened in downtown Montreal.
• Grocery stores, pharmacies and SAQ* are to remain open.
  
• Montreal police are enforcing Quebec's ban on gatherings.
• Montreal police ready to enforce state of emergency.
  
• The City of Montreal is closing all playgrounds.
• Two Montreal police officers infected.

*SAQ Société des alcools du Québec

"Time for determination, solidarity, courage" François Legault

• Hydro-Quebec has suspended fees on late payments.
• Quebec is closing all shopping malls.
• Quebec schools will remain closed until at least May 1st.
• Restaurants are to be take-out only.

"Enough is enough – go home and stay home" Justin Trudeau

• Canada has tested 102,000 people.
  
• More flights are expected to bring Canadians home this week.
• Air Transat lays off 3,600 employees.
• 20 deaths in Canada - Canadian cases surge.

March, 23, 2010. If it wouldn't have been for CODIV-19, I don't think I would have shared what I'm about to share with you, internet users who, like me, are probably fighting anxiety. We all hope our friends and relatives are in good health and we all are trying to survive physically and emotionally, no matter what. 

My story with my parents has nothing to do with our common enemy of today. My story is about emotional issues. Both my parents and grand-parents had emotional issues with consequences that, unfortunately, included anger, withdrawal and anxiety.

I'm a baby boomer so, my parents survived the Second World War (1939-1945) and my grand-parents survived the Great War (1914-1918), the Spanish Influenza Epidemic (1918-1919), the Wall Street Crash of 1929... 

There was no time or not much time to "love and nurture' the children. Survival was at the top of everybody's list. To survive they needed all their strength, skills, efforts, determination, ingenuity...

One of my grand-fathers was a plumber and an exceptionally strong man I'm proud to say. My other grand-father was an accountant, but there was no job, therefore no money and nothing like the "work at home blog 1" of the present days.

I remember one particular moment at my grand-mother's. My aunt Janine was exasperated because my grand-mother still kept the last small pieces of soap, melted them down and made new soap bars. I agree with my aunt, they looked rather "unappealing" but...I loved my grand-mother.

She never forgot those painful moments just like each and everyone of us will never forget the very present and very painful COVID-19 pandemic. 

Montreal BLOG Kit
Work at Home Blog 1 by Rachel Louise Barry

Discovering the many aspects that characterize Montreal and Montrealers