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Editorial: Our future success depends on what we do now

Our daily lives are filled with choices. Choices that seem mundane and simple – even trivial – and it would be easy to think these kinds of decisions we make have very little influence or effect in the world around us.

Our daily lives are filled with choices.

Many of the choices we make have in the past seemed mundane and simple – even trivial. It would be easy to think these kinds of decisions we make have very little influence or effect in the world around us. 

But as we settle into six weeks of restrictions on our daily lives, it should be sinking in for many that the choices we make every day in this crisis can either prevent or help the spread of the COVID-19 cornavirus. 

While we cannot control what is happening right now – we can control how we choose to respond to this crisis.

When we make the choice to leave our homes and go out into public for anything other than what is absolutely necessary – we are choosing to risk lives and the progress made against this virus so far. 

As the weather begins to turn to spring, the urge to leave our homes increases. We have already seen the results this past weekend, and while many residents in the valley are diligently following physical distancing and public health orders, others appear to not understand that heading to the mountains for the day, or a leisurely nature hike, is only going to make things worse.

Many are looking for loopholes around these restrictions to get outside and engage in recreational pursuits. But there are no straightforward ways to circumvent or get around these new rules. It is critical that we remember – this is a temporary situation. While we don't know how long we will have to adapt and manage this situation – we know there are not going to be permanent restrictions on our lives.

Now is not the time to give up or give into our cravings to get outside and do things. 

What we have been doing in this valley and across Alberta has been working – the number of hospitalizations and patients with COVID-19 in intensive care units are below Alberta Health Services' modelling numbers at the moment.

Now more than ever we must hold fast. 

Stay the course and together we can save lives by staying home. That is a choice we can make everyday to be part of the solution to this crisis.

Especially if those who live outside this valley – the residents of Canmore, Banff, MD of Bighorn and the Stoney Nakoda First Nation are asking our neighbours to the east and west of us to refrain from seeking outdoor relief in the mountains.

The mountains will still be here when this is over. But some of our most cherished friends, family and neighbours may not be if we begin to relax these restrictions too soon or if visitors from the Calgary region continue to head to our communities to get outside and a break from their current reality. 

We can reschedule hockey games and birthday parties. We can bring back coffee dates with our friends and dinner parties with neighbours. We can return to our normal routines and enjoy all the pursuits and events we are missing out on now once this is over.

But we cannot bring back the dead. Those whose lives would be at risk as COVID-19 patients fill our hospitals to the point that we no longer have enough resources to try and save them. 

For their sake, choose wisely. 

 

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