Category: Campus Life

We are often told what to do in life. Between the watchful eye and expectations of your parents, the demands and workload handed down from your teachers and professors, and favours asked by fellow students and friends, you are being pulled in many different directions. It is time to take control of your life. Being your own boss is an idea often related to the entrepreneurial world and self-employment. While that can play a huge role in taking on a greater sense of control, there are different ways to implement that strategy in all areas of your life.

Studying in school is a great time to figure out what “be your own boss” means to you. For some people, this means self-employment. For others, it means having full control over their free time or having the freedom to pursue their interests or passions. Take advantage of your evenings and weekends outside of classes and schoolwork to consider what is important to you and what would make you feel like your own boss. Life can be full of distractions, and we often can end up off-course from our dreams without realizing it. Stay focused on the goals that matter most to you. Make a list, keep a journal, and join groups that fit your interests and goals. If you are currently dissatisfied with where you are at in your studies or other areas in your life, take a stand. Be ready to make a change instead of waiting for changes to happen.

What do you want to do with your life? This is a daunting question, but one that requires much thought in order to take control. Start making a habit of exploring and trying new things. Even if you are in school and working, you can still attend events for networking, how to start a company, and more. Consider what you already know and what you want to learn, and explore businesses and activities that connect to your dreams and passions. At the same time, stay on top of your budget and finances. Being an entrepreneur means your personal and business lives are interwoven. By ensuring you live within your means and can finance the endeavours that matter, you can confidently be your own boss and not depend on others.

Do not stay comfortable. So many people play it safe and in doing so end up lacking control over their lives. Step out of that comfort zone and be ready to challenge yourself. This can be as small a step as researching how to go about a business idea or passion, or as big as moving to a new city. Build a presence for yourself online through social media or your own website; be confident in presenting yourself in a way that can build your business and life. Have the courage to tell people “no” when you do not want to take on something that does not align with your goals, and be brave enough to leave behind parts of your life that hinder your progress, such as bad habits or a job that makes you unhappy. Being your own boss means taking steps that so many others are too reluctant or afraid to take.

Always work on bettering yourself each and every day. Being your own boss is so much more than starting a business or living as an entrepreneur. It is about taking charge of your own time, making decisions that will improve your life, and striving towards your full potential. By figuring out what it is you want and how to go about it reasonably, you can live the life you want instead of a life handed to you. This requires bravery and resiliency to handle successes and failures along the way. Be brave. Be bold. Be your own boss.

Sources:

Financially Mint. “How to (Really) Be Your Own Boss.” https://financiallymint.com/how-to-really-be-your-own-boss/

Medium. “How to Be Your Own Boss in Life.” https://medium.com/@youbethree/how-to-be-your-own-boss-in-life-de1e7bc7028f

Monosoff, Tamara. “8 Tips to Get Your Business Going, Even If You Don’t Know Where to Start.” Entrepreneur. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/207488

Technological advancements continue to amaze us. Just this week, Google announced that it has developed a “hum the song” search feature for those music lovers who end up easily forgetting song titles. While this isn’t life-changing (unless you are a “Name That Tune” contest fanatic), it shows how technology is continuously evolving to become a part of our daily lives even more.

With this in mind, it won’t be long when we will bow to technological creations that have also become ingrained in how we do our jobs. Let’s take a quick look at those jobs which we’ll see fade away due to technological advancements.

Cashiers

If you’re the one doing the groceries for your household and you go to supermarket chains, you’ve probably noticed that there have been more and more self-checkout kiosks over the last few months. These self-checkout kiosks have been designed to be extremely user-friendly and even allows you to pay not just with your credit card or debit card, but cash as well. This means that in a few years’ time, we might not see a live cashier at all in these supermarket chains. However, people and employees are still needed to help operate these self-serve stations, so there is still some time before the complete wipe-out of a cashier/customer service person.

Travel agents

While the travel industry has taken a huge hit due to the pandemic, the need for travel agencies was already diminishing long before COVID struck. And it’s easy to see why. Because most people rely on their mobile devices now for everything, they are their OWN travel agents for their trips, be it an out of town or out of the country. They can book their own plane tickets since most airlines allow tickets to be booked online and they can schedule their own hotel stay since most hotels allow online reservations.

Bank tellers

There have been a number of branches shutting down way before COVID hit, and the reason is obvious: most people do online banking these days where they save time and effort compared to when they go to the physical location of their respective banks, where they often face the likelihood of standing in line for a good fifteen to thirty minutes. With all big banks now offering mobile banking, all that it takes now is a few clicks to pay a bill or transfer money. Some banks even offer an online cheque deposit via a scanning feature.

Cab dispatchers

In these days where convenience and safety are priorities, people go for easy ways to commute while avoiding public transit like subways and buses. It used to be a matter of hailing cabs before, but now it’s all a matter of a few clicks and voila, your ride is instantly in front of you. The Uber and Lyft apps even allows you real-time tracking of your ride, so you can decide whether to make a coffee run or not while waiting.

Telemarketers

There will be a time when we’ll look at each other and ask ourselves, “What are telemarketers again?” But yes, during that time when landline phones were a must in every household, you likely got a call during dinnertime from a telemarketer telling you how to save on your heating and cooling expenses. The success rate of landing sales through telemarketing have always left a lot to be desired, but even more so these days of digital marketing. In due time, we would not have to ask to be put on the Do Not Call list anymore.

These are merely a few of the jobs that will likely disappear in a few years’ time, but the list continues to grow. As long as technological advancements are here to stay, these jobs will be on the brink of being obsolete. They might always be around, but the job postings will be few and far in between.

SOURCES:

https://www.gsmarena.com/google_search_brings_hum_to_search_feature_helps_you_find_songs_you_cant_quite_name-news-45824.php

https://www.careeraddict.com/disappearing-jobs

As you’re well aware, we’re all in some pretty strange times. With students joining online classes and adjusting to a new way of life, everyone needs to adapt. One of the biggest changes is how students engage in studying.

Just a year ago, classmates could organize study groups to go over difficult material and ask each other questions. While it’s still possible to do that, students need to move online. If you’ve never done that before, though, how exactly do you go about putting the perfect group together? Well, there are a few important factors to keep in mind.

Select a Moderator

If you didn’t already know, video calls with multiple people can get messy. Even in everyday conversation, we often talk over one another. So, to eliminate all that, select an appropriate moderator to keep things in line. Keep the conversation organized, focus on the agenda, and don’t let people speak over anyone. You can also share the role every week so everyone gets a turn and the duties don’t fall on one person.

Set an Agenda

To keep things on track, have an agenda in place as well. This responsibility can also be passed down each week. Here are just a few items you should consider including each week:

• have opening statements to let everyone know what you’ll talk about
• make sure everyone gets a proper amount of time to talk
• wrap up with closing statements before everyone logs off

An agenda assures that the conversation doesn’t lull or drift completely off course. Do yourself a favour and send each group member the agenda in advance as well.

Choose the Right App

Not everyone has the social apps that you do. So, if you have Slack but someone else only has Skype, you’ll need to choose which platform you want to connect on. Contact your group members and figure out which platform would be best. You may also want to do your own research into which apps are best for the number of people you’ll have.

Be aware that if someone hasn’t used the app you choose before, you’ll need to teach them. Spend some time (or write a document) explaining the basics off the app if you think it’ll help them. You want your group members to feel comfortable and have the basic know-how so they don’t get tripped up each week.

Have a Separate Email Folder

To keep from losing your hair, separate all study group files into its own folder. Store all important data in its own place so you can retrieve any files someone might need down the road (including yourself).

Wrapping Up

Having an online study group will take some time to adjust to, but soon it’ll be second nature. Find the right people, appoint a moderator, and keep talking points relevant with an agenda beforeh

By Alona Fiandaca

It does not matter if you are in elementary school, high school, post-secondary or even at a full-time job; online learning can (and mostly has) been applied to almost every field of study. It can be frustrating, especially when you are just getting introduced to the online world for academic reasons. There is so much more to this situation than what meets the eye. In this article, you will learn some of the pros and cons of online learning, the facts, and why it shouldn’t persist.

COVID-19 has brought many cons into our lives. Now it’s being fused into our academic lives as the school year is only beginning…

PROS

Comfort: You can learn in the comfort of your own home. Maybe even sleep in ten minutes longer and use the excuse “my computer was slow”, or “I had trouble logging on”.  During this time, I think it is okay to be a little late or slow to the game. Also, you won’t have teachers or administrators telling you how to do your work, instead you do it at your own pace and the way that you are most comfortable.

Affordability: Another pro is the affordability of learning online. When learning online, you don’t have to worry as much about filling your car’s gas tank again, or filling you public transportation card again.

CONS

Flexibility: It’s easy to think that if you are learning from home simply by staring at a screen, you have more time on your hands. Think again. Just because you are learning remotely does not mean that you will get a lighter workload or not receive many deadlines in some cases. All of this on top of any regular house-hold chores or events, it requires a lot of balance.

Social Interactions: It is in our human nature to connect with other people. If you think about it, one of the first things that really bummed people out when this pandemic started was the social distancing and not being able to make plans with your friends or family over the summer. Now take that and put it into an academic stand point. Online learning limits the human interaction that we naturally crave. Due to this the endorphins we get will be lost since we won’t have that tangible connection.

Inaccurate Learning: Even in the year 2020, there are still many institutions that are unsure of how to offer online learning in a strategic and supportive way.

Communication, flexibility and patience are three skills that everyone has and learns to maintain. Without flexibility, routine will be uneasy and hard to manage. Without communication, it can be hard to think and participate regularly, and without patience, it will only increase the frustration that technology already gives us. Online learning can easily limit the amount of each skill that students should only learn on an increased scale, not the opposite.

Let’s say, metaphorically, the entire school year from September 2020 to June 2021 remains online. What would happen? First, take into account that not every household can even consider online schooling because roughly 28% cannot afford internet service and 19% cannot afford internet equipment. Also, it is shown that about 65% of students are visual learners. 30% of students are auditory learners and 5% of students are kinesthetic learners. These students, no matter which way they learn best, with online schooling, they lack communication skills, tangible interaction with numerous tasks, and will not experience proper visual analysis in their lessons.

With online learning, students will most likely lose the ability to connect soulfully with others, and the ability to stay calm while planning and adjusting to a new daily schedule. Online learning will allow students to lose the money that they sent out to pay for their education, as it was not initially meant to be spent towards online learning at all. Students will lose confidence in their future careers due to the lack of hands-on experience and working with mentors.

Unfortunately, we will notice more things that we will lose only if online learning persists over the course of the next couple of months. Hopefully, it will not come to the point where anymore confinements will be made.

When people look for work, they are likely to try standard places such as employment agencies, career websites, and professional organizations. However, looking in unexpected places can be successful, as it was for me in finding work as a curriculum writer for a driving school.

Looking for work can be quite straightforward in many cases. Teachers and doctors, for example, tend to know exactly where to look for work, and it is only when these options are exhausted that they might look elsewhere. Tradespeople like electricians and plumbers also have a generally clear path to a job.

For writers, the situation is somewhat different. The types of writing that people do can vary widely, from composing poetry and novels on the creative side to writing instruction manuals on the technical side. In this field, personal contacts or just catching someone’s interest can be the best paths to success.

Connections are important for finding work in any field. Experts suggest contacting former employers or coworkers, or even people who chose not to hire you, for finding a new job. Gyms, social clubs, and volunteer organizations can be good places to meet potential employers, and alumni organizations can also be useful. Many professional organizations also have job boards or places where members can advertise their services as part of their membership fees. All of these can be good paths for making the necessary connections. A lot of the time, things can just happen when you are in the right place at the right time.

Sometimes, however, even the best sources for jobs can fail, while the unexpected can succeed. That was the case for me. I was a former librarian who, finding it difficult to get work in that field, decided to move into writing and editing. I soon had a variety of freelance writing and editing projects to supplement my half time job, although never enough to be confident about earning a living.

Then I decided to put a listing on the Kijiji site advertising my availability as a writer and editor. I received several small projects from various people and completed the work, assuming that I would be freelancing for the rest of my career.

One of the people who contacted me was the owner of a school that specializes driver training, with curriculum on such topics as making right turns on red lights or changing lanes in intersections. It was a subject that I knew quite well, and I was glad to have relatively easy, if not particularly interesting, material to work with.

For several months, I worked on various projects for the driving school, writing descriptions of street signs or finding the spelling or grammatical mistakes in the course material. Then when the business owner mentioned that he was hoping to hire a fulltime writer, I said that I would like to be considered for the job. I started soon afterwards and have now been working full time since then. I expect that I will continue in this job for some time to come.

Moving from freelance to fulltime work is not necessarily easy. Still, for anyone struggling to find work in a particular field, it is worth pursuing.

Bibliography:

Antczak, Stephen L. “5 Unexpected Places to Find Work.” https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2017/08/17/5-unexpected-places-to-find-work/#87e61dc416d7.

Job Bank. “Technical Writer in Canada.” https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/summary-occupation/20923/ca.

Jones, Peter. “7 Unexpected Places to Find Jobs.” https://www.thejobnetwork.com/7-unexpected-places-to-find-jobs/.

Ontario Ministry of Transportation. “The Beginner Driver Education (BDE) Program Curriculum Standards.” http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/driver/pdfs/beginner-driver-education-curriculum-standards.pdf.

2020 has been brutal. On top of all the climate and environmental crises, the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the world. On one hand, the pandemic has resulted in temporarily reduced carbon emissions and a brief reprieve from our onslaught on the environment. However, it has also brought about a huge increase in waste and in pollution as countries emerge from their shutdowns. We are in a very precarious position, and how we proceed will shape our future.

Here in Canada, we have seen more waste as more people work from home. In Ontario, there were 8% and 5% increases in green bin and household garbage respectively from March to April 2020. This meant 8,300 tons more of residential waste than the year before during that period. In Wuhan, China, medical waste increased from 40 to 50 tons per day to about 247 tons per day in March 2020. The pandemic has resulted in far more plastic being used, for items such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer bottles, and more. This material could easily end up overwhelming cities, especially since waste collection and recycling have been impacted by the lockdowns.

Countries’ and businesses’ plans to reduce waste, particularly plastic, have run into roadblocks. Thailand had banned disposable plastic bags for major stores at the beginning of 2020 with the goal of reducing plastic waste. Instead, it will rise by up to 30%. Retailers such as Starbucks have had to stop allowing reusable cups, containers, or shopping bags. More and more of what we discard is being brought to landfills instead of being recycled or reused. As the pandemic and these trends continue, it will become increasingly difficult to change course and reverse this damage.

As waste piles up, there are other connected environmental factors to keep in mind. With fires continuing to ravage the Amazon rainforest and western United States, illegal loggers in Brazil have increased their destruction. In Brazil, a country that has been one of the worst-hit in terms of COVID-19 cases, there was 64% more land cleared in April 2020 compared to April 2019. The smoke from these fires in turn add to the burden of breathing issues in the midst of a pandemic of a respiratory illness. This only adds to the pressure hospitals face, and only results in more waste being used up and discarded. Meanwhile, social distancing has resulted in reduced use of public transportation, and there is a major risk of an unsustainable increase in car usage. In China, traffic was back to pre-pandemic levels in June 2020, even with many people still at home. This will only result in further waste from drive-thru meals and car parts.

Now is the time to demand that our governments choose what their priorities are. Will we continue to produce record levels of garbage on a planet already in the midst of a sixth mass extinction, dangerously increasing temperatures, and collapsing ecosystems? Or will we push for legislation and measures that will allow for a green economic recovery and a vast change from the status quo? Either way, we will have to fundamentally change our way of life as we know it.

Sources:

Bengali, Shashank. “The COVID-19 pandemic is unleashing a tidal wave of plastic waste.” Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-06-13/coronavirus-pandemic-plastic-waste-recycling

Gardiner, Beth. “Why COVID-19 will end up harming the environment.” National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/06/why-covid-19-will-end-up-harming-the-environment/#close

Ok, Sik Yong, Christine Sonne, and Siming You. “COVID-19’s unsustainable waste management.” American Association for the Advancement of Science. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/368/6498/1438.1Waste Advantage Magazine. “Ontario, Canada Sees Increase in Waste Generation During Pandemic.” https://wasteadvantagemag.com/ontario-canada-sees-increase-in-waste-generation-during-pandemic/

By Maryam Sheikh

Earlier this year, many universities made the difficult decision to close campuses and opt for online learning for the Fall 2020 semester. Students across the province had to scramble in order  to make arrangements; some, like international students, flying back home for the semester, and others, managing leases and leaving student homes.

These decisions have been received differently by students. For most, distance learning is not an ideal; some areas have limited access to the Internet, a tool that schools are heavily depending on for these upcoming semesters. Furthermore, the pandemic has caused a significant decrease in job opportunities, especially for students, so financing post-secondary education has come up as a large concern. Lastly, many students fear that the quality of their education will be impacted; with no office hours, in person study groups, or extracurricular activities running, the school year will look drastically different from most others. For these reasons, some students have chosen to take a gap year and start their university journeys when a more conventional experience is possible. Others have braced themselves for the journey.

Schools across the country are coping differently. Some small classes, such as specialized upper year courses, are being held in person while upholding social distancing and safety precautions. Other classes are being offered through online platforms such as Zoom, with hundreds of students tuning in for their lectures. On the flip side, some courses are being offered without any synchronous components- instead, students are required to complete courses at their own pace.

This has been an interesting and difficult time to navigate. Online forums, social media accounts, and news articles have shed light on the hectic and busy experience the first week has brought. Incoming students have gone from a virtual welcome week full of upper year mentors to being thrust into full course loads of classes, attempting to navigate their online university learning platforms.

Now that the year has started and these plans have been put into place, faculty members and educators can get a real glimpse of how students are coping with this new reality. In talking to peers, I’ve heard mixed responses. Some students are grateful for the extra time they have gained (with commuting no longer in the picture), access to their professors through online meetings, and more time to study without distractions. Others have said that they’ve struggled to find social groups, maintain focus on long Zoom calls, and keep up with a study schedule at home. It has also been difficult for students to get used to university life and expectations with no in-person guidance. However, many professors have been helpful and understanding. They have acknowledged that this semester will be successful only if everyone is cooperative and supportive.

Throughout this time, I advise everyone- first year students and upper years alike- to use support networks, reach out for help, and remember that we are all in this together. It will definitely be a unique transition, but with planning in advance, prioritizing wellbeing and safety, and trying our best to remain steadfast in the face of obstacles, we will triumph through this year. I’m rooting for you all!

By Erin Rebello

With all the uncertainty that COVID-19 has brought within the past few months, students have been rethinking the careers they want to pursue. If this sounds anything like you, rest assured that you’re not alone! It is very natural for students to have second thoughts about their potential career paths, especially during something as impactful as a pandemic!

With the wide scope of COVID’s impact, many families have been financially hurt by the country-wide lockdowns put in place to stop the spread of the virus. Whether a family business went out of business, or a parent lost their job, some students are reconsidering how stable their future careers are. Although it might have been a student’s dream to study hairstyling and cosmetology, it’s difficult to ignore how hairdressers were unable to earn income during the pandemic. For many people, job security and stability is a top priority, which might be just enough to influence students to change careers.

Another reason someone might change careers is due to the technological switch. Although it has been happening gradually over the past few years, the pandemic caused many companies to switch to online and technology-based models in only a couple of months. As a result, many jobs are popping up that require technological proficiency, meaning that studying technology is more important than ever! There is a huge demand in the workforce for science and technology workers, meaning more jobs and higher-paying jobs! This industry also shows promise of expanding rapidly over the next decades, meaning that it would be a very safe and secure industry to pursue a career.

This pandemic might also cause students to consider whether or not their potential career would be something they enjoy pursuing. After seeing so many people work from home, including their own parents, a student might realize that a corporate job isn’t for them, and that they would instead prefer to become an entrepreneur and work for themselves. Coupled with the fact that many students have seen their friends and families let go from their jobs, students may realize that working for themselves gives them more autonomy, flexibility, and even security.

Although the thought of choosing a career may strike fear in a student’s heart, it’s important to remember that jobs and careers don’t have to be permanent. Over the course of a lifetime, people change and grow, resulting in career changes that range anywhere from a simple promotion to a complete industry switch. This is perfectly normal. Although it’s important to think long and hard about the field you would like to pursue, don’t beat yourself up about it! If you realize that you’re not as satisfied with your careers as you thought you would be, you can always go back to school to grow your skillset. In fact, with the instability in the current job market, many workers are going back to school to study and start in a new industry! Jobs and careers can change in an instant, and it’s completely up to you!

Overall, the pandemic and closure of schools have allowed many students the opportunity to ponder deeply about whether their ‘dream career’ is actually something that they would want to pursue. With rapid changes in the economic climate in the past months, it’s important to really analyze if a career is stable, in-demand, and fulfilling. Although it can be scary to consider changing your mind on something as important as a career, it’s important to remember that if you choose a career it’s not set in stone and that you can always change your mind!

It feels like COVID-19 is not just the biggest news story, but also the only. Every headline of every major news outlet relates to the pandemic. This barrage of updates, impacts, and predictions can be too much for the mind to handle. Take a moment to breathe. There are numerous ways to take in all this news, separate facts from misleading clickbait or outright lies, and keep each other updated in a healthy and constructive manner. This starts by reflecting on how you go about getting your news.

Social media throws seemingly endless news in your direction each and every day. As you sit at home sifting through COVID-19 updates, pay close attention to your news-consuming habits. What websites do you frequently visit? Which sources do you tend to go to more than others? Within those articles, check to see what sources they are using for their research, and ensure it is a reputable and credible organization or expert. Watch out for poor grammar or multiple spelling mistakes, which can be signs of hastily written and poorly researched pieces. Use trusted sites such as the World Health Organization’s myth busters page, especially for scientific information on COVID-19. False information can not only be wrong, but also dangerous.

Pay attention to how you are sharing news and taking in news shared on social media. Fully read the entire article, not just the headline, before posting to Facebook or Twitter. Be wary if a site is overly eager to get you to share its page, as aggressive viral marketing is an effective method of spreading false information. Add your own comments to the post to encourage conversation amongst friends as opposed to presenting the information as fact. A lot of the ramifications and science related to COVID-19 is still in the early stages and being worked out, so it is best to avoid pieces that claim to have “proof” about the virus’s effects. When you notice pages or profiles sharing news that is definitely false, call it out and encourage your friends to unfollow pages that are more focused on building an audience than being accurate. Have a critical eye for everything you and others share.

All of this can be overwhelming. It is more important than ever to take breaks away from the news cycle. The constant negative and often contradictory information can take a detrimental toll on your health. It can lead to loss of sleep, increased anxiety, and the mental and physical harm that comes with depression. Make it a habit to step away from your screens on a regular basis. There is no need to or advantage in reading the same news incessantly, and you may want to catch up on news just once a day. Use that time instead to connect with friends, rest, and enjoy hobbies. Certain professionals, like journalists and government officials, may find themselves consumed with news more than most people. But for many, stepping away from the media for the rest of the day will not be a problem. In fact, it might be just what you need.

The Internet and social media have made news and information more complex than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has simply exasperated an existing problem. Be critical. Verify what you read. Discuss what you share. Step away when needed. There are numerous good habits you can build to help you traverse the social media landscape and consume news in a healthier and more useful way. That being said, no one is free from bias. You cannot get rid of yours, but you can work hard to minimize it. Utilize multiple sources and discuss news with others. There is a lot of news out there. Take a breath and dig in.

Sources:

Kh, Ryan. “How to Avoid Fake News About COVID-19 on Social Media.” Social Media Explorer. https://socialmediaexplorer.com/content-sections/news-and-noise/how-to-avoid-fake-news-about-covid-19-on-social-media/

Savage, Maddy. “Coronavirus: How much news is too much?” BBC. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200505-coronavirus-how-much-news-is-too-much

Vanderslott, Samantha. “Here are Simple Tips to Help You Avoid Fake Coronavirus News.” Science Alert. https://www.sciencealert.com/fake-coronavirus-news-is-everywhere-here-s-how-to-discern-the-facts-not-the-fiction

By Erin Rebello

With a lot of misinformation about COVID-19 floating around it can be easy to get caught  in a whirlpool of confusion. Some people are caught in a frenzy of panic, while others believe it’s a hoax and do not care at all. However, when we take a step back and look at verified statistics and facts, we’re able to get a much clearer understanding of the situation.

One question that a lot of people are concerned about is whether or not they’ll catch the coronavirus and how it might impact them. Rough estimates from mid-March have shown that 30-70% of the population will likely have the coronavirus at some point. But before you start panicking and fearing for your life, it’s important to remember that most coronavirus cases are very mild. In fact, you might not even know that you have it because it can present with little to no symptoms. Although you’re probably breathing a sigh of relief, this gives the virus a sort of invisibility, making it harder to keep track of who’s infected and thus harder to protect vulnerable communities. In turn?  We MUST be cautious, respectful and follow the rules set out by the head appointed health professionals in this country. You must consider, what may be good for you, will not be good for everyone else.

Who are the most vulnerable to COVID 19? Well there are two main groups: the sick, and the elderly. It isn’t really that simple, though; people that are immune compromised, have ashma or lung complications, for example, may be affected greater by the virus. There are new things we learn about this virus every day. If you’ve been keeping up with the news, you’ll probably know that the people who get really sick from COVID tend to be older. In fact, the Canadian government classifies older adults as a vulnerable population. Since COVID is a type of virus, a weakened immune system due to conditions such as cancer, heart disease, or a respiratory ailment mean that the body can’t fight off the virus as well as someone who is healthy. As a result, these two groups are highly vulnerable to COVID-19 and need to be monitored and kept safe. However, everyone from EVERY walk of life, even healthy people, can suffer from this virus. It is unpredictable.

Two other groups that are highly vulnerable are healthcare specialists and essential workers. With overflowing hospitals and a rising number of cases, it makes sense that healthcare workers are one of the highest-risk groups. Furthermore, considering inadequate preparations and supplies, many doctors and nurses are forced to treat coronavirus patients with improper PPE. As a result, physicians are being forced to risk their health every time they treat a coronavirus patient. Another group that is often forgotten are the essential workers, including cashiers, servers, food delivery, mail services, bus drivers and more. Although we often overlook these jobs, we probably wouldn’t be able to live without them. Essential workers must continue to work while everyone else stays home. As a result, they continue to work with their communities and are much more exposed to the virus than the general population.

If you’re someone who’s in none of these risk groups, you’re probably wondering what you can do to help. The best way you can help to stop the spread of the virus is by staying home and practicing social-distancing and personal hygiene. Don’t go out unless you absolutely must, and even then be wary of your actions. With a few simple steps and precautions, you can do your part in preventing vulnerable populations from getting sick. Stay home, save lives.

Sources:

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/vulnerable-populations-covid-19.html

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-between-30-and-70-per-cent-of-canadians-could-be-infected-with/