Although for Canadians the coronavirus epidemic may seem to be happening far away from here, it nonethless poses a grave risk to us. People arriving in Canada, whether from one of the stricken areas or from any other place, could potentially spread the virus even if they show no outward symptoms of infection. If there should be an outbreak here it will put our citizens in danger due not only to the virulence of the disease, but also to our having limited resources to combat it (doctors, nurses, hospital capacity and supplies, etc.)
Considering the speed at which the virus is able to spread, we should take action to protect our communities and keep our people safe. Here are a few things that I believe governments should do:
1. The body temperature of travelers from all foreign countries should be checked immediately upon their arrival here in Canada.
2. People traveling from regions of coronavirus outbreak should be registered and placed under self-quarantine for a period of 14 days. The government can recruit volunteers from each community to assist with their practical needs. Governments and employers should also provide compensation to anyone in quarantine who is in need of assistance to pay their living expenses during this time.
3. Emergency medical supplies should stockpiled in anticipation of a possible outbreak.
As a Canadian citizen, I would like to register myself as a volunteer to help people who are in quarantine with tasks such as delivering food, collecting mail, passing on messages, and so on. I can also help the general community in any other ways that are within my capability. I encourage others to make this same pledge.
All the above actions are proven to be cost-effective ways in which to help prevent the virus from spreading and to keep our country a safe place to live.
I strongly believe that none of us would like to see the coronavirus epidemic take hold in Canada. Thus, I petition all levels of government (municipal, provincial, federal) to take and coordinate the necessary actions within their purview to proactively counter the virus before an outbreak occurs.