2020-03-16 - Announcement to all Alexandra residents

Monday, March 16, 2020

As everyone on this island knows, nearly three years ago on June 21st, 2017 an earthquake shook our homes and our lives.  We were cut off from the world for almost three years.  But finally communications were reestablished and we are, as of March the 5th, 2020, once again, part of Canada and the world.

While I, as well as everyone else on Alexandra, was extremely happy to be once again reunited with the world, we have returned to a world that is far more chaotic than the one we left.  On March 11th, the novel coronavirus known as Covid-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.  However, Health Canada did not send us a representative to update our health care workers and town government until March the 14th.

I, of course attended that meeting and, once the officials had returned to the mainland, took a short amount of time to consider what measures should be taken to keep the residents of Alexandra safe.  As of this writing, there are, to my knowledge, no cases of Covid-19 on the island.  However it is not impossible that it has come to us since our reconnection by ferry to the mainland.

During this international crisis, I implore you to remain calm.  Alexandra spent almost three years cut off from the world and we weathered that storm.  We can weather this one as well.

The WHO website tells us that Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus.

Most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment.  Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.

The best way to prevent and slow down transmission is to be well informed about the COVID-19 virus, the disease it causes and how it spreads. Protect yourself and others from infection by washing your hands or using an alcohol based rub frequently and not touching your face.

The COVID-19 virus spreads primarily through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose when an infected person coughs or sneezes, so it’s important that you also practice respiratory etiquette (for example, by coughing into a flexed elbow).

At this time, there are no specific vaccines or treatments for COVID-19. However, there are many ongoing clinical trials evaluating potential treatments. WHO will continue to provide updated information as soon as clinical findings become available.

That being said...

Ours is a small community with a small medical community.  The Alexandra Clinic has only eight beds and would be easily overwhelmed by a pandemic on our island.  After long meetings with the Town Council, Dr. Susan McKinney and Alexandra First Responder leaders, I have come to the following decision.

Effective at 1:30 a.m on Thursday March 19, 2020, BCFerry service will stop serving Alexandra.  The ferry that leaves the island on that morning will be the last for the next 21 days.  I will decide near that time if Alexandra will reconnect to BCFerry on April 9.

The date chosen gives those who do not wish to shelter on Alexandra time to leave it, for those who are not currently on the island to return to it if they so choose, and for those who wish to order supplies to have them delivered by that date, as disconnect from the ferry also means disconnect from the mail.

Unlike the isolation that began in 2017, this is not as complete an isolation.  We have been reconnected to satellites and so we will have use of the Internet, which we did not have for almost three years.  CKAR 98.5 radio will remain on the air, as always, but listeners will be able to listen to the station online as well as using physical radios.

Mainland colleges have placed all of their classes online, so college students will not be cut off from their education.  As of right now, I am not ordering Alexandra Academy closed.  That may change if Covid-19 is on Alexandra.

The grocery store will remain open and I urge residents not to hoard supplies.  The owner of the store has assured me that they can supply residents with all they need for the length of this quarantine and the town will make arrangements for stores to resupply from the mainland if that becomes necessary.

If you are showing symptoms and suspect that you have Covid-19, please call Dr. Susan McKinney at the Alexandra Clinic.  She will let you know if you should come into the clinic for testing or self-isolate yourself to minimise the possibility of spreading this dread infection.  As of right now, I am not ordering ‘Sheltering at home”, but that may change.  Right now self-isolation is on a voluntary basis.

The people of Alexandra are strong and self sufficient.  We can make it through this crisis, as we did our last and come out, as we did before, stronger than ever.

Your mayor,
Adum Brate.