FELDSTED -- We will see new coronavirus infections as we open up again. The alternative is to maintain social isolation, which is impractical for many reasons

B.C.'s top doctor Bonnie Henry says 2nd wave of COVID-19 inevitable, but current lessons will guide response - 'We've never had a pandemic in recorded history that has not had a second wave'

CBC Radio - May 21, 2020

British Columbia's top doctor says that a second wave of COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus is inevitable in Canada, but that the lessons learned over the past few months will help inform future responses.

"The optimist in me would like to think that maybe it will go away, and the virus will mutate and won't become worse," said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry in an interview with Matt Galloway, host of CBC Radio's The Current.

"But you know what? We've never had a pandemic in recorded history that has not had a second wave." Henry, who was on the front lines of the country's SARS outbreak from 2002 to 2003, has led B.C.'s response to the coronavirus outbreak. She has been praised for her response to the pandemic that successfully flattened the curve ahead of many other regions ...

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This article is well worth the time taken to read through carefully. Dr. Bonnie Henry has been a calm voice throughout the (COVID-19) crisis and the hardships we all face.

We will see new coronavirus infections as we open up again. The alternative is to maintain social isolation, which is impractical for many reasons.

A “second wave” does not mean that we will overwhelm our health care facilities.

The key is to keep new infections manageable through early detection, contact tracing and isolating ill and exposed persons. We are building increased test capacity so we can better respond to a local outbreak.

My reading of Dr. Henry’s message is that we have a future and a plan for getting there. Without hope, our world is too dreary to contemplate.

You should judge for yourselves.

John Feldsted ... is a political commentator, consultant, and strategist. He makes his home in Winnipeg, Manitoba.