I would like to commend Mayor Tara Veer and the Red Deer city council for not mandating masks as part of our protocol against COVID-19.
There is presently much conflicting advice regarding wearing masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and on the possible benefits and/or harms for healthy members of the public to do so.
There has been much fear mongering and stressing the fact that there are increasing cases (not surprising, as testing has increased, and indeed, it is natural for the virus to move through the population).
The fact that the death rate is not rising, in spite of the increase in cases, is great news that is not even mentioned.
Fear and stress are both factors that influence our immune systems, so this one-sided presentation of facts could actually be increasing the chances for our citizens to become sick with COVID or other illnesses.
In Red Deer, we have zero deaths so far. In Alberta, the average age of death with COVID is 83, when life expectancy is 82.
Of the 606,465 people that were tested in Alberta as of July 21, only 1.6 per cent of people tested positive — with no mask order.
Anyone’s best defence against COVID-19 is supporting the immune system with a healthy diet, clean water, avoidance of processed foods, plenty of fresh air, sunshine, moderate exercise, adequate restful sleep, caring relationships, and avoidance of stress.
Many more Canadians are being harmed by the response to COVID than are being harmed by COVID itself.
During times of emergency, constitutional rights do not stop being important. They become even more important.
Thank you to Red Deer’s elected officials for realizing this.
Lori Curran is a Red Deer resident.