Listening To: Sofia Portanet – Freier Geist (“Planet Mars” is perhaps my best find of 2021 so far).
Filed my first complaint against a major media organisation today. I won’t name them as the practice seems common and to their credit, they have now changed the article’s text to better reflect the present pandemic rules.
A number of published articles recently have included blanket statements such as:
“British Columbia restrictions include a ban on gathering with anyone outside one’s household“.
This is not accurate.
If you read British Columbia’s Official Province-wide Restrictions document it states that this restriction applies to multi-person households. Single-person households have a limited exemption in that they are allowed to have up to two outside contacts (expand the “Core bubble” portion of the document linked above). There are also some exceptions for other cases.
Somewhere around four million Canadians over the age of 15 live alone and many either don’t work, or work from home these days. Expecting them all to completely isolate themselves 24/7 isn’t reasonable:
- extended isolation has been shown to cause both physical and mental illness. (1) (2)
- one may need to move for some reason. From escaping a abusive partner to being evicted or renovicted. (1) (2)
- nobody knows when this will end. (1) (2)
The risk from a single person household who is obeying the pandemic rules can be very low. For instance: I generally work and live alone and only frequent businesses respecting the rules (grocery shopping off-peak, only buying take-out, wearing a mask outdoors when near others etc.).
Note that going for a “safe walk” is also within the current rules.
If you can, please get outside! Stanley could always use another sunny day walking buddy. Get in touch (top left site button) if you’re in need. Reach out to somebody if you’re struggling.
I have.