Travel Advisory - Canadian’s out of country

[Donald - my hero]

You said « the answer seems confusing ». I thought you were confused. He’s the PM (and I personally have no love for the guy), but he’s not going to come out and say « yeah well, if we don’t let the Americans cross we’re royally screwed. ». I thought the reporters were being deliberately obtuse. Sorry if I misinterpreted your post.

No worries! Very CDN of you to apologize I'll go back and edit my post, like i said i was literally typing with the audio running in the background and THAT is what the anchor was saying! I think (and this IS ME speaking) the reporters were trying to catch him off guard. I dunno, this is a very rapidly evolving situation and we're (and this is the collective we) responding to an unknown situation from all different backgrounds with our own filters and emotions.

 

[Madame]

No worries! Very CDN of you to apologize I'll go back and edit my post, like i said i was literally typing with the audio running in the background and THAT is what the anchor was saying! I think (and this IS ME speaking) the reporters were trying to catch him off guard. I dunno, this is a very rapidly evolving situation and we're (and this is the collective we) responding to an unknown situation from all different backgrounds with our own filters and emotions.

Absolutely. My fault too. I was speed reading your post

 

[mshanson3121]

NB has just shuttered almost everything. Just watched/watching the press release:

- All public space businesses have been shut down: theatres, libraries, museums, pools, all sports facilities (including the ski hills), bars, any restaurant with a buffet etc... closed as of tonight.
- Daycares now closed as well, with the exception that they are allowed to provide care for children of essential service workers (so the children of doctors etc....)
- No visitors allowed to nursing homes or hospitals, with the exception of 1 immediate family member for ICU, NICU, Pediatrics
- All businesses are to ask employees to work from home. If that's not possible, please close, unless you provide essential service (groceries, gas etc...)
- All medical procedures including surgery, tests, appointments, ambulatory clinics etc... being canceled except for those that are considered necessary (life-saving). This one hits home for us unfortunately.
- Screening centers are being set up for Covid, as are online doctor's clinics.
- All New Brunswickers told to please stay home unless absolutely necessary

 

[damo]

I don't think it is the US citizens crossing into Canada that are the issue as much as the Canadian citizens coming back from the US from their vacations, shopping trips, etc. Getting people to stay in the country would be a major improvement.

 

[Madame]

NB has just shuttered almost everything. Just watched/watching the press release:

- All public space businesses have been shut down: theatres, libraries, museums, pools, all sports facilities (including the ski hills), bars, any restaurant with a buffet etc... closed as of tonight.
- Daycares now closed as well, with the exception that they are allowed to provide care for children of essential service workers (so the children of doctors etc....)
- No visitors allowed to nursing homes or hospitals, with the exception of 1 immediate family member for ICU, NICU, Pediatrics
- All businesses are to ask employees to work from home. If that's not possible, please close, unless you provide essential service (groceries, gas etc...)
- All medical procedures including surgery, tests, appointments, ambulatory clinics etc... being canceled except for those that are considered necessary (life-saving). This one hits home for us unfortunately.
- Screening centers are being set up for Covid, as are online doctor's clinics.

ON needs your PM to give ours some lessons in how to properly prepare for a pandemic

Eta. Sorry just realized that English doesn’t use PM but Premier for provincial

 

[Donald - my hero]

I don't think it is the US citizens crossing into Canada that are the issue as much as the Canadian citizens coming back from the US from their vacations, shopping trips, etc. Getting people to stay in the country would be a major improvement.

Yup, and Trudeau was very clear about that : Now is the time to come home

 

[mshanson3121]

Meanwhile my MIL is trying to tell me that "No, it's not mandatory to self-isolate for 14 days if you've been out of the country." Um.... yeah, okay.

 

[Mikamarii]

Some food for thought.
The disease has been publically known since December. It wasn’t in crisis mode until probably mid February.
people across the world travelled without knowing. It spread.
Original testing was only done on the severely sick. Ones likely already in hospitals.
As we learned about it more tests became available and more people are being tested. Hence the increase in numbers.
Labs are over run and the time it takes to get results could be longer Plus people can carry the disease without symptoms for several days.
when the media uses terms like “climbs, soars, doubled, skyrocketed” it instills a sense of fear. In reality likely nothing has changed from a week ago. We just now have confirmation.
The headline reads much differently if it says ”confirmed cases lower than 10” vs “confirmed cases triple (3-9) overnight.

Before people freak out on me I’m not saying (nor have I ever said) we shouldn’t be doing anything. We should continue to follow the recommendations. We don’t want it to spread but according To some experts the more confirmed cases can be a good thing. People are recovering and it means we are developing an immunity to it. I’ll clarify again so no one loses it on me. I’m not saying we should spread it to get more people infected to develop immunities. I’m saying this occurred before we started the self isolating so it was already present And people recovered.

clearing our stores of TP, cleaning supplies, and medicine is not the answer. A calm, rational response is.

 

[40ariel]

NB has just shuttered almost everything. Just watched/watching the press release:

- All public space businesses have been shut down: theatres, libraries, museums, pools, all sports facilities (including the ski hills), bars, any restaurant with a buffet etc... closed as of tonight.
- Daycares now closed as well, with the exception that they are allowed to provide care for children of essential service workers (so the children of doctors etc....)
- No visitors allowed to nursing homes or hospitals, with the exception of 1 immediate family member for ICU, NICU, Pediatrics
- All businesses are to ask employees to work from home. If that's not possible, please close, unless you provide essential service (groceries, gas etc...)
- All medical procedures including surgery, tests, appointments, ambulatory clinics etc... being canceled except for those that are considered necessary (life-saving). This one hits home for us unfortunately.
- Screening centers are being set up for Covid, as are online doctor's clinics.
- All New Brunswickers told to please stay home unless absolutely necessary

Can you provide a link for this?

 

[Donald - my hero]

clearing our stores of TP, cleaning supplies, and medicine is not the answer. A calm, rational response is.

Fair enough but with one caveat - can you please allow those of us who suffer from what can be at times crippling anxiety to deal with this rapidly evolving situation in what you might consider an irrational manner? I'm fully aware that my fears and concerns are out of tune with the world at the best of times and all this upheaval is doing is adding fuel to my fire and I'm worrying about the fact that I'm worrying!!! I think we need to cut each other a significant amount of slack right now as we navigate what will become a different sense of "normal"

 

[mshanson3121]

Can you provide a link for this?

Press release will be out soon. The conference just ended. You can go onto River Valley Sun page on Facebook though, and read some of the updates there. They were reporting live time.

 

[Madame]

Fair enough but with once caveat - can you please allow those of us who suffer from what can be at times crippling anxiety to deal with this rapidly evolving situation in what you might consider an irrational manner? I'm fully aware that my fears and concerns are out of tune with the world at the best of times and all this upheaval is doing is adding fuel to my fire and I'm worrying about the fact that I'm worrying!!! I think we need to cut each other a significant amount of slack right now as we navigate what will become a different sense of "normal"

Oh dear God me too . My poor long suffering husband. I have been having multiple panic attacks daily & I’ve had pretty good control for the last 10 years or so. Deep breathing, meditating, grounding... this is going to take 10 years off my life

 

[mshanson3121]

Fair enough but with once caveat - can you please allow those of us who suffer from what can be at times crippling anxiety to deal with this rapidly evolving situation in what you might consider an irrational manner? I'm fully aware that my fears and concerns are out of tune with the world at the best of times and all this upheaval is doing is adding fuel to my fire and I'm worrying about the fact that I'm worrying!!! I think we need to cut each other a significant amount of slack right now as we navigate what will become a different sense of "normal"

First of all, please let me send you a virtual hug. You raise such a good point - this is a terrible time for anyone who suffers from/struggles with anxiety. On Friday before the college shut down, my husband had to respond to a student facing a serious mental health crisis, which was largely triggered by all of this. It was both heart-breaking and eye-opening for my husband. This is a really hard thing for so many people to cope with. My best friend, both she and her husband are very high risk due to health issues, and she struggles with anxiety - she has been crying every single day, from the stress of this. And that's even with her trying to avoid social media. We never know who is struggling with these issues, and yes, they definitely colour how you view things. We all need to be respectful of that, and keep that in mind.

@Madame your post just popped up as I was typing this. Please know I'm sending you a hug, too. I've been struggling a bit myself, and I don't even have an anxiety disorder. I can only imagine how hard this is for anyone who does. Thinking of you guys.

 

[Donald - my hero]

First of all, please let me send you a virtual hug. You raise such a good point - this is a terrible time for anyone who suffers from/struggles with anxiety. On Friday before the college shut down, my husband had to respond to a student facing a serious mental health crisis, which was largely triggered by all of this. It was both heart-breaking and eye-opening for my husband. This is a really hard thing for so many people to cope with. My best friend, both she and her husband are very high risk due to health issues, and she struggles with anxiety - she has been crying every single day, from the stress of this. And that's even with her trying to avoid social media. We never know who is struggling with these issues, and yes, they definitely colour how you view things. We all need to be respectful of that, and keep that in mind.

@Madame your post just popped up as I was typing this. Please know I'm sending you a hug, too. I've been struggling a bit myself, and I don't even have an anxiety disorder. I can only imagine how hard this is for anyone who does. Thinking of you guys.

THANK YOU! Yeah, this is not an easy road to walk right now. I don't hide the fact that i have a mental illness, heck it's in my signature! I've got lots of self-care measures already in place and put myself on a "social media news diet" shortly after the last election stateside (just about broke me!) I use this forum as a sort of distraction, focusing on my Airmiles Threads as a way to provide (what i hope is) some goodness to others. I rarely venture past the border of the Canadian forum cause it gets nasty out there at times I have a Facebook account that is mainly used to connect to my kids and a few Disney groups (mainly food allergy based) I do NOT use either of these platforms to gather my news but will use them as a springboard to search out actual, fact based information that i can confirm. I was already reeling from devastating news that the clinic i go to for what has been life-changing treatments lost it's funding in the last provincial slashes so I was already in a state of panic!

 

[pigletto]

Our mental health is just as important as our physical right now and I was just discussing this with a nurse friend this morning. It's so important we take care of ourselves in ALL ways right now. I and just about everyone I know have been an anxious mess. For all kinds of reasons. And that doesn't mean we are wild eyed, mouth frothing weirdos. It means something unsettling is happening and we are unsettled. A little understanding of that goes a long way.
I haven't cleared a store of anything, I haven't posted a thing on social media, and I'm educated and informed. I also happen to be very anxious about the health of my immune compromised loved ones, an overtaxed health care system, and that we just lost 35% of our income ...which is a struggle for us. Why should I have to justify any of that? Being upset or anxious doesn't make someone unreasonable and I take offence to being characterized as such for having normal concerns.

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Of all the forums, chats, social media I follow this forum is the most sanely calm about this whole thing. Lots of great perspectives and emotional support for our fellow Canucks.

 

[ottawamom]

We are a country that primarily exports natural resources & imports goods - we cannot do this without continued trade across the border. We will need the flow of food stuffs and medical supplies coming from the US. This is mainly done via transport truck. You cannot close the border so easily.

Exactly on point. Sorry about adding to this particular discussion a little late. (I've been off the computer all afternoon) Another reason we are allowing American citizens across is that many Canadian and American citizens work cross border. By cutting them off we would be cutting off their ability to provide for their families while they can.

The border may well be closed completely one day. Time will tell. I don't see a rush of American tourists coming to Canada to escape Covid-19 in their own country.

 

[Madame]

Exactly on point. Sorry about adding to this particular discussion a little late. (I've been off the computer all afternoon) Another reason we are allowing American citizens across is that many Canadian and American citizens work cross border. By cutting them off we would be cutting off their ability to provide for their families while they can.

The border may well be closed completely one day. Time will tell. I don't see a rush of American tourists coming to Canada to escape Covid-19 in their own country.

Yes, many here in the Windsor area cross the border daily to work in Detroit. It would be a worse situation to close the border.

 

[Where's Wall-E]

Does anyone recall how long the border between the US and Canada was closed due to 9/11? There's a bit of precedent set there, at least, that the Government of Canada could follow for reference.

 

[Donald - my hero]

Does anyone recall how long the border between the US and Canada was closed due to 9/11? There's a bit of precedent set there, at least, that the Government of Canada could follow for reference.

A very quick glance at Google -- shows not very long! Our neighbour was literally on the bridge crossing from Windsor and said it was surreal to look in his rear-view mirror and see gates going down and to look forward and see a line of very heavily armed agents waiting. He was listening to the radio reports so I'd say around 9 am. Found a newspaper report from Sept 13th at 4 pm reporting waits of up to 12 - 15 hours to cross the same bridge. Flights resumed on September 13th as well.

Based on this quick search, the border was closed for less that 48 hours.

**ETA THIS an interesting look at the timeline of 9/11 and how Canada reacted.