Letters  

Should feel sorry for nurses

Re: Not sorry for nurses (Castanet, Oct. 26)

I have been deeply saddened to observe the heartlessness and complete lack of empathy or compassion being displayed recently towards those losing their jobs due to the vaccine mandate.

H. Ferri's letter Not sorry for nurses is a prime example.

Nurses are not "choosing" to leave their jobs. Being forced onto unpaid leave, and kicked out of the hospital at midnight, is not a choice. The government is changing the conditions of their employment after they have already been hired and punishing those who refuse to comply. That is not a "choice", that is tyranny.

I personally know two nurses who have worked on Covid wards since the beginning of the pandemic. They have cared for people dying of Covid for two years now and at some point they each caught Covid, got sick and recovered. Canadians beat pots and pans each day in support of them but now, because they have not been jabbed, they are being put on unpaid leave and likely fired. Why?

Why, when our healthcare system is facing a terrible nursing shortage, are nurses being fired?

They have bills and mortgages to pay, and families to support. So yes, we should feel sorry for them. My heart breaks for them. And on top of it all, they have to endure mockery from others who don't know what they're talking about.

When did we as a society become so arrogant and cruel? We are all in this together, so be kind.

L. Jonathan

Parental critic defended

Re.: Don’t judge other parents (Castanet, Oct. 25)

This is for E. Harggam, who felt the need to shame some couple that likely needed a night out—even if that meant going to an upper-end restaurant to ensure a quiet atmosphere.

Did you consider that perhaps this couple wanted to have that quiet night out. Maybe this was their first time out in months. Covid has certainly kept many of us away from restaurants.

Have you ever had to cancel or alter plans when your babysitter cancelled? Having a child does not give anyone carte blanche to disrupt an entire business or public space. The onus is on the one disrupting a situation to remove themselves.

Perhaps you should look within yourself and realize that you shamed some couple that wanted to splurge on an occasional treat. Instead of rushing to judgement, put yourself in that couple's shoes.

Raising a child requires a little application of discipline, something that is sorely lacking with a lot of parents these days.

I hope you take the time to really think about what is important in life and what is worth focusing on, Iit's not putting up with someone else's kids screaming in a restaurant.

Stop judging people for things that quite frankly, do not concern you.

L. Gardiner

Not sorry for nurses

Open letter to unvaccinated health care workers

Re.: Nurses face uncertain future (Castanet, Oct. 26)

I am not sorry you have chosen to lose your job and career because you refused to take a vaccine that will save lives.

It's mind-boggling you are crying to the media about how hard you have worked to get where you are and it’s (also) mind-boggling that, as a person in health care you see how Covid-19 effects peoples lives on a day-to-day basis.

You are the front lines, you see people dying of covid. You see who is getting sick. You have the education and science background.

You should know how RNA messenger proteins work to attack and destroy pathogenic cells. I know this (from) taking Biology 12.

How can I sit back here and feel sorry for you? You would have your job if you just took the vaccine.

You, as a health care professional, should know that it's the right thing to do.

H. Ferri, Kelowna

RDCO off-leash dog parks

I was pleased to read that the Regional District of Central Okanagan will allow dogs to run off-leash in Kopje Regional Park and (be on-leash on trails in) Kaloya regional parks from Oct. 2021 through March 2022.

Clearly, RDCO would like this trial period to be successful, as they have increased signage and provided both dog-bag dispensers and dog-waste containers. Although dogs will not be permitted on the beaches of either park, that should not be a problem in the cooler (weather) period of this trial.

It is in the interest of all dog owners to be considerate of the RDCO's generosity by ensuring that they pick up after their dogs and dispose of the poop in the dog-waste containers.

Perhaps in the next off-season—2022-2023—one of the parks could be designated to dogs weighing 40 pounds or less, as even in play, a larger dog may unintentionally injure a smaller dog. Any wildlife inhabiting the parks will likely find safer ground elsewhere.

Now a word of caution—fur trappers are not required to post locations of their traps. Dogs may pick up the scent of whatever bait is placed in the traps (outside the parks) and be caught. Learn how to release a trap safely. The information can be found on the internet.

I thank the RDCO for giving dog owners an opportunity to hike with their companion dogs.

Helen Schiele, Kelowna

Vax recognition problem

I followed Canadian federal advice earlier this year that said get the covid vaccine as soon as you can, wherever you can.

So, I received two doses of Sinovac (CoronaVac, PiCoVacc) while in Mexico. I was to also receive a Pfizer booster back in Canada on Sept. 21.

The problem now is B.C. (like the U.S.) recognizes the Sinovac, so they have refused to give me a second Pfizer (shot) because according to them, I have had three vaccinations.

But the Canadian federal government does not recognize Sinovac. It says I have only had one acceptable vaccination (Pfizer).

Unfortunately, the federal government dictates I cannot use transport in Canada to be a snowbird this year and I don't see how I can change my situation.

It's such a mess by the federal government.

John Wardley