Vaccine Passports are a great idea

And I will tell you why.

Monday I worked for Elections Canada in the Federal Election for which half of eligible voters did not show up because I guess they believe the current situation is fine and also the other half of voters who did vote thought the same way because nothing substantially changed. I was at the polling station, handing out and receiving ballots.

COVID protocols were in place. Everyone who entered the elementary school gym (workers and voters) where the voting was held had to wear a mask* and had a shot of hand sanitiser. There were plastic shields at each desk, there were single-use pencils that could be discarded after use. There was hand sanitiser at each desk for the voters and for the workers to give themselves a frequent de-germing on our hands. It was a safe place to be.

The next morning I woke up with a cold.

Now I say that, not to get any pity from you (like Oscar Wilde, I think that self-pity is the only pity that really counts). No, I say that to prove that a virus is gonna get you if it’s there.

What did I do to get a virus from some innocent but contagious voter into my body? Well, some people returned the pencil to me, or I picked it up from the desk. I had to handle their identification and their voting registration cards and hand them back to them. I had to receive the folded ballot back and tear off the counterfoil and give it back to them to put into the ballot box. I had to handle each ballot when I counted them. There were actually plenty of chances for that virus to catch a ride onto my hands. But whence to my face?

I tried to remember to sanitise my hands after every transaction, but sometimes did not get a chance. I tried not to touch my face, but had to lift my mask to use my water bottle or tea cup and when I ate. Also I caught myself with my chin on my hand as the evening wore on and I wore out.

I interacted with about 200 people on voting day. Imagine being a barista where you deal with twice that number during their shift, or a waiter/ress who must deal with people not wearing masks and handle their credit cards? They will come in contact with thousands of germs and viruses during their daily duties.

We have to make sure that not one of those viruses is for COVID-19.

If we want to continue to be able to go to the gym or the coffee shop or the clothing store we have to make sure that we are not endangering the lives of the people serving us.

1. Get Vaccinated
2. Prove It

It’s just that easy.

*if you didn’t want to wear a mask you could vote outside.