Canadians can afford to have the flu without panic
If our presidential candidates only think about the elections, and have forgotten to think about the people who continue to die from the flu due to lack of any medications that should be available to everyone, then who will go to these elections?!
What do the media say about the flu in Ukraine? Almost two hundred thousand people have fallen ill. 60 have died – and these are official data, that is, the information that the government allows to be broadcast on media channels. How things actually stand is known only to doctors in hot regions, and they, of course, do not have the right to disseminate the true picture of the flu.
In Ukraine, gatherings are banned, school and university holidays are extended, military conscription is suspended. In pharmacies, signs saying there is nothing remind one of the forgotten Soviet times of shortages, lines for "anything if there is nothing that is needed." And yet, it would seem – the 21st century... People are buying up everything that can protect against the flu, or just protect psychologically. Often it seems that if a pharmacist says "There is nothing, only 'Durex'," people will buy that too, just in case.
The authorities call on people to unite and not panic, especially touching is the call to "unite" – how to do that, and most importantly why, if the country is in quarantine. The authorities also call on people to sew gauze masks and protect themselves with folk methods – and I cannot help but repeat – this is in the 21st century! And the chief sanitary doctor Alexander Belovol reproached his fellow citizens: they say, if you had gotten vaccinated, you would not be sick now. I would have, but where?!
The government knew about the upcoming epidemic back in April 2009. An informed government is commendable. But the information should be properly used for the benefit of the people, and we are advised to do cross-stitching and resort to garlic-onion therapy.
All channels are "screaming" that the flu is rampant in all countries of the world. Let us, for the sake of objectivity, compare how this terrible flu affects Canada and its inhabitants.
The front pages of news in Canada today feature the news that Prince Charles and his wife Camilla have arrived in the country for an 11-day visit. And where is the flu? It, as they say in Odessa, does exist. So where is the panic? That is not and will not be. It must be remembered that Canadian media do not undergo censorship in government offices, and if the situation requires placement on the front pages of newspapers, then it will undoubtedly be there.
Not on the front pages, but in less popular places, it is easy to find the following information about the A/N1H1 flu: over the last 8 days, Canada has used more than 1 million vaccines to immunize its citizens – in order of priority, first those in special risk groups received their vaccine, then everyone else. Automatically, Canada has already saved more than 1 million lives from the consequences of the pandemic.
The Canadian government is ready to complete vaccination of the population by Christmas, that is, by December 25 of the current year.
The medications Tamiflu and Relenza can be found in pharmacies and freely purchased with a prescription from the attending physician (without markup). In every province, in every city, lists of clinics have long been announced where one can undergo examination and, if necessary, receive treatment for the flu. In many clinics, a 24-hour work schedule has been introduced in case of need.
What is the population of Canada thinking about in these difficult hours? According to the news summary for November 5, 2009, Canada successfully celebrated Halloween, is preparing for Christmas sales, and certainly does not introduce widespread "3-week holidays." Of course, all Canadians are also concerned about overcoming the economic crisis, and in all media this topic still receives much more attention than the flu or even Prince Charles. Because in the economy they have their own problems, and the flu and its treatment are not a problem, it is a stipulated procedure for all citizens of the country. When did Canada learn about the impending danger? At the same time as Ukraine – in April 2009.
Why can other countries do it, but we cannot?! Why, as always, do we become hostages of the negligence and incompetence of the men of Ukraine. Unfortunately, we have long forgotten that the state is obliged to protect its people from everything and everyone, the state is obliged to notify its people in advance about everything and always, in order to protect and warn them. The state is obliged to provide its citizens with everything necessary, and its basic principles should be "for the people and for the people."
It is sad that the words "providently", "for people" and "in Ukraine" are increasingly rarely found in one sentence, and this is already a pattern. But it is gratifying that everyone is given a choice and the 21st century still gives almost every Ukrainian the opportunity to immigrate to Canada, to where social security and state obligations are not empty words.
Material prepared by Elena PALATNIK.
Director of the Immigration and Training Center "Palleonn" (Ukraine)
Palleonn Immigration and Recruitment Services Ltd. (Canada)