Day 12

Friday, March 27, 2020

The other day some friends posted a remarkable piece of writing and journaling from the 1600s. Thanks for putting some things in perspective, J, P & L. I am reprinting (below) the first part plus a link to the whole piece. Does Drury Lane ring any bells?

If you haven't discovered this piece of remarkable statistical work yet, here is another way of keeping track. I think Dafoe would have loved it - https://resources-covid19canada.hub.arcgis.com/

I heard from a local author/friend yesterday who was looking for a long-ago-friend's husband for a piece of information to go in his book. So from here to Thunder Bay and back again.

And another much older friend called to see how I was doing (I had sent her a link to this blog). We had a lovely chat and slagged her adopted country's leader for quite a few minutes - it was quite satisfying. She actually thinks the wretch is going to get back in again. We'll see.

A trip to the doctor's office in Annapolis Royal requires a new set of rules in these times. Here is what Bill did to get a blood pressure test (all routine). He drove to the parking lot, called the doctor's office, was told to wait for a call back, and then he went to the door (see entry procedure below), got the blood pressure taken and left.

And here is what the latest is from the docs at the health centre (we are grateful) -

"UPDATE on COVID-19 preparedness and precautions at the Annapolis Community Health Centre from Doctors Bonnington; Buchholz; Conyers; Hancock; Lavelle; Newman; and Nurse Practitioners Baran and Maynard.

“Dear friends, neighbours, and patients. Time for another update with regards changes in patient flow at ACHC. All the changes are aimed to reduce attendances to the Health Centre, so as to reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19 for you and others, if there is another adequate way to meet your healthcare needs.

First things first: If you develop a cough and/or a fever, you should call 811 for assessment.

Please note the following in regards to the Annapolis Community Health Centre (ACHC):

* ALL access to ACHC is now through the Main Door. There you’ll meet a Nurse behind a plexiglass screen who’ll ask you if you have symptoms that could indicate Coronavirus: a fever or a new cough.

* We have re-organized several rooms within the ACHC – and now have two sides to the Emergency Department: one for possible COVID cases; and one for patients who are likely not COVID cases. You will be directed by the Nurse towards the appropriate side.

* Bloodwork is now by Appointment only – please call 902-825-5191 to arrange an appointment time. Most 'routine' bloodwork has been suspended. If you’re not sure, please contact your Provider's office. If you are not currently on a list, call 902-532-2381

* Unattached patients (those without a Family Physician or Nurse Practitioner) who need renewal of a prescription, or something that could be addressed over the phone, please call 902-532-2381 and leave your details. You will be called back within 72 hours

* X-RAY is now for URGENT reasons only. walk-in X-RAY in not available at this time."

Be safe.
Onwards.

A JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR

By Daniel Defoe

First published in 1665

[Courtesy of https://www.gutenberg.org/files/376/376-h/376-h.htm]

being observations or memorials

of the most remarkable occurrences,

as well public as private, which happened in

London during the last great visitation in 1665.

Written by a Citizen who continued

all the while in London.

Never made public before

It was about the beginning of September, 1664, that I, among the rest of my neighbours, heard in ordinary discourse that the plague was returned again in Holland; for it had been very violent there, and particularly at Amsterdam and Rotterdam, in the year 1663, whither, they say, it was brought, some said from Italy, others from the Levant, among some goods which were brought home by their Turkey fleet; others said it was brought from Candia; others from Cyprus. It mattered not from whence it came; but all agreed it was come into Holland again.

We had no such thing as printed newspapers in those days to spread rumours and reports of things, and to improve them by the invention of men, as I have lived to see practised since. But such things as these were gathered from the letters of merchants and others who corresponded abroad, and from them was handed about by word of mouth only; so that things did not spread instantly over the whole nation, as they do now. But it seems that the Government had a true account of it, and several councils were held about ways to prevent its coming over; but all was kept very private. Hence it was that this rumour died off again, and people began to forget it as a thing we were very little concerned in, and that we hoped was not true; till the latter end of November or the beginning of December 1664 when two men, said to be Frenchmen, died of the plague in Long Acre, or rather at the upper end of Drury Lane. The family they were in endeavoured to conceal it as much as possible, but as it had gotten some vent in the discourse of the neighbourhood, the Secretaries of State got knowledge of it; and concerning themselves to inquire about it, in order to be certain of the truth, two physicians and a surgeon were ordered to go to the house and make inspection. This they did; and finding evident tokens of the sickness upon both the bodies that were dead, they gave their opinions publicly that they died of the plague.