Be yourself; Everyone else is already taken.
— Oscar Wilde.
This is the first post on my new blog. I’m just getting this new blog going, so stay tuned for more. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.
Expo Centre Repurposed as COVID-19 Shelter for Homeless
By Melissa L.A. Bishop – Independent
Edmonton, Alta – On Friday, March 20th, 2020, Alberta Premier, Jason Kenney announced that the Edmonton Expo Centre is converting into a COVID-19 facility for people experiencing homelessness. Kenney said it would be “activated as a location for people with illness” with “a separate area of surge capacity for those who are not showing signs or symptoms of COVID-19.” The Edmonton Expo Centre will feature a daily drop-in centre operating from 8 AM to 8 PM for those not experiencing symptoms of illness. A second 24/7 area will be an “isolation shelter”. It is for “people experiencing homelessness who have been exposed to COVID-19, or have cold or flu symptoms, to recover and protect others by self-isolating.” Images from within the facility show rows of ten black cots with adjoining chairs spaced out in columns of about ten. These images mean close to 100 people could be within a hall.
Shortly after Kenney’s update, chief medical officer Dr Hinshaw announced 49 new cases, with 11 potential community transmissions within Alberta. Dr Hinshaw reiterates the absolute importance of social distancing from Friday’s briefing. She states, “if you are feeling sick with fever or cough, or even mild cold-like symptoms, you must stay home and away from others.” However, guidelines state that agencies and shelters for homeless people are exempt from the limits put in place by public health interventions. The situation highlights a difficulty for the agencies working tirelessly to mitigate risks for Edmonton’s most vulnerable in this pandemic and presents a possible threat to this population. Current data from Homeward Trust indicates that as of February 2020, 754 people of the 1904 current homeless population either only access emergency shelters or are entirely unsheltered. Therefore, hundreds of people will isolate collectively at shelters if symptomatic.
Justin Marin, a 27-year-old frontline social worker with AHS, states concern with a 12-page guideline from the Alberta government COVID-19’s resources. The information advocates outdated material from March 16th, 2020. On page five, it recommends for agencies to “keep, at a minimum, of about one metre (three feet) between sleeping mats with “head to foot” placement.” The document does suggest to increase the space between mats, if possible. However, the current minimum is two metres or six feet. Having relevant and current messaging is vital for everyone’s health and safety. Messaging for all COVID-19 guidance must be up-to-date, especially for at-risk populations and employees. This small error highlights a potentially fatal mistake if overlooked by an agency not knowledgeable about provincial recommendations. Marin stresses a vital takeaway for everyone to follow during this unprecedented crisis. “The most important thing people can do is to be properly informed and always access multiple pieces of information.”
49 New Cases of COVID-19 in Alberta with Five People in ICU
by Melissa L.A. Bishop on Friday, March 20th, 2020
Edmonton, Alta – Alberta’s chief medical officer, Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced this afternoon an increase of 49 COVID-19 cases bringing the total number of cases in Alberta to 195. Ten patients are currently in hospital, and five people are receiving care in ICU. Three of those ICU cases are new admissions in the last 24 hours. Dr. Hinshaw also stated that 11 of the total confirmed cases in Alberta are suspected to be community transmission and only within Edmonton and Calgary. Three people have now recovered, and there have been no new deaths. Hinshaw stated that per capita, Alberta has one of the highest lab testing capabilities worldwide.
49 New Cases of COVID-19 in Alberta with Five People in ICU
by Melissa L.A. Bishop on Friday, March 20th, 2020
Edmonton, Alta – Alberta’s chief medical officer, Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced this afternoon an increase of 49 COVID-19 cases bringing the total number of cases in Alberta to 195. Ten patients are currently in hospital, and five people are receiving care in ICU. Three of those ICU cases are new admissions in the last 24 hours. Dr. Hinshaw also stated that 11 of the total confirmed cases in Alberta are suspected to be community transmission and only within Edmonton and Calgary. Three people have now recovered, and there have been no new deaths. Hinshaw stated that per capita, Alberta has one of the highest lab testing capabilities worldwide.
Introduce Yourself (Example Post)
This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.
You’re going to publish a post today. Don’t worry about how your blog looks. Don’t worry if you haven’t given it a name yet, or you’re feeling overwhelmed. Just click the “New Post” button, and tell us why you’re here.
Why do this?
- Because it gives new readers context. What are you about? Why should they read your blog?
- Because it will help you focus you own ideas about your blog and what you’d like to do with it.
The post can be short or long, a personal intro to your life or a bloggy mission statement, a manifesto for the future or a simple outline of your the types of things you hope to publish.
To help you get started, here are a few questions:
- Why are you blogging publicly, rather than keeping a personal journal?
- What topics do you think you’ll write about?
- Who would you love to connect with via your blog?
- If you blog successfully throughout the next year, what would you hope to have accomplished?
You’re not locked into any of this; one of the wonderful things about blogs is how they constantly evolve as we learn, grow, and interact with one another — but it’s good to know where and why you started, and articulating your goals may just give you a few other post ideas.
Can’t think how to get started? Just write the first thing that pops into your head. Anne Lamott, author of a book on writing we love, says that you need to give yourself permission to write a “crappy first draft”. Anne makes a great point — just start writing, and worry about editing it later.
When you’re ready to publish, give your post three to five tags that describe your blog’s focus — writing, photography, fiction, parenting, food, cars, movies, sports, whatever. These tags will help others who care about your topics find you in the Reader. Make sure one of the tags is “zerotohero,” so other new bloggers can find you, too.
The Ambidextrous Adventures I Left to Write 