The poem was written in reference to the cholera epidemic that spread worldwide from Africa in the 1860's.

Brilliant.

But nothing about video conference calls.

How bloody brilliant, thank you so very much. I'm having a small and quiet crisis of confidence this week. It's nice to know that those who were before us have had their moments...I had my back against the wall...but I fear I'm not gaining headway

You're welcome!
The poem, it turns out, was written in March of this year by Kitty O'Meara, (the friend who sent it to me checked when I questioned something else he'd sent), but it's still good.

I don't have any Canadian contacts who have had the virus but my family back in England did. One still tested positive some three weeks after they no longer had symptoms, another just had mild sore throat and cough. My brother was the sickest I've ever known him to be and he was a stay at home mild case of COVID. He looked and felt awful. Another friend, his wife and his adult kids were treated at home. One kid never tested positive, never had symptoms. One kid no symptoms but was +ve. He was very sick too but again no hospital admission.

My Facebook feed has hospital worker friends that are dealing with patients and it's as bad as they say.

We've been lucky out here in the sticks. No community spread but that will no doubt change as things open up.

Long term care homes are not the place to be, either as resident or employee.

14 residents and 3 staff have so far tested positive.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/14-residents-t...lity-1.4984688

God give me strength. You mean I have been queueing up in the rain for nothing.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/202...rsity-experts/

I got tested today, at a drive-in place. Ten minutes, low key, efficient, friendly, no cost, results on Wednesday. It seems like something everyone should do reasonably often.

When they start doing it here I'll go.

There are still downsides to speculative testing, because you may be asked if you have been tested, implying that if you have been tested, you are at higher risk (otherwise, why would you have been tested?) I have already been asked this as part of a risk screening questioinnaire, and therefore I won't be getting tested unless or until I feel that it is appropriate, or if for some reason I am induced to undergo testing e.g. as a prerequisit for obtaining medical services,

I'm still afraid to go out there, wouldn't venture to a testing center, that's where all the sick people go.

Is there a benefit to getting tested if no symptoms are present? Seems one could be negative today, and next week be positive, or am I missing something?

BC unless showing symptoms one doesn't fit into the current testing protocol at least from what the BC CDC website lists.

I'll get tested if a doctor recommends it, but otherwise I don't think I will.

I agree. I hear it’s not a particularly nice test to have...swab up the nose right to the back of the throat. Too many false negative and positives.

This too!