COVID 19: Keep Calm | Carry on (#8)

Published Categorised as COVID-19, News, President's Pen

Introduction

This is the 8th update in our Covid 19 announcements to XirCammini Members.

There is finally light at the end of the tunnel and we have now reached a phase where – with caution and discipline – we can again walk together again.

Our underlying advice remains, “act sensibly | exercise discipline | carry on while respective directives.”

Local Trekking | Health Directives

I am pleased to announce that, following today’s briefing by the Superintendence of Health, we will resume Wed Walks from Wednesday 10th June 2020. An event will be posted shortly on the XirCammini FB Page and shared with the XirCammini Group on FB.

We will advocate the following rules for those who wish to join us please:

  1. Do not hike if you are sick, running a temperature, have a cough, or experiencing trouble to breathe;
  2. Do not hike if you or persons close to you have recently (i.e. during the last fortnight) returned from overseas. You should be in quarantine;
  3. If you meet any one avoid any form of physical contact with others (i.e. shaking hands, hugging, kissing etc.) and try to maintain the 2.5-metre physical distance advocated by the government directives;
  4. Avoiding touching eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. Carry and use alcohol-based hand sanitizers, tissues, and other hygiene products constantly on a trek;
  5. Use soap and water if hands are visibly dirty;
  6. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.

Overseas / Major Trekking Events: Jan – Jun 2020

As informed earlier, all our overseas trekking event up to and including June 2020 have been cancelled. All members should by now have been reimbursed any deposits paid. If not please let us know.

No member should have been left out of pocket.

Regarding the Aug to Dec trips we are still waiting to see how circumstances continue to unfold. We are currently in a situation where (a.) flights will resume from Malta to pre-determined ‘safe corridor’ countries (b.) not all of these ‘safe corridor’ countries have by now lifted restrictions and/or removed quarantine (c.) some accommodation providers have decided not to re-open as yet and are waiting for the phased road-map in their country to unfold.

So, in short, we’ll continue to monitor the situation and will revert. Notwithstanding this, if you had paid a deposit for any of the XirCammini overseas trips for later on in the year and – for whatever reason – you wish to withdraw we will return your deposit. We can travel and walk together again in the future when it suits you and you feel safe to do so.

Conclusion: Thank You | Be Respectful

I will end with the ‘thank you’ note  and a word of caution that I generally started our Covid-19 briefings with:

Thanks: We want to thank all the healthcare professionals, paramedics, disciplined forces, volunteers and all those engaged in the effort to halt and or heal. Thank you. Thank you also to every one rose the occasion and identified ways and means to be of help to others in this hour of need.

Caution: For those of us accustomed to trekking we know that a descent is generally trickier than an ascent. If the transmission phase was a hilly ascent of directives and new behaviour, exiting the Covid-19 emergency phase is our descent. If we do it recklessly or without due caution we risk breaking a leg (or worse still our neck). A word of caution to everyone: directives and guidelines are there to protect us. Please continue to cooperate.

In all that we do and from all walks of life let us be respectful to each other at all times.

Some circumstances in life tend to bring out the best in some people and the worst in others. it is worth remembering that:

  1. If / when you are visible your words and actions influence others. Be judicious in both.
  2. Prejudice brings out the worst in people. Hindsight generally teaches us that we are generally always in the same boat or journeying the same road albeit at different junctions, brigdes or thresholds at any point in time. Be patient and understanding with others.
  3. Unfortunately social media has replaced the soap-box and created multiple mutations of preachers who with evangelical zeal spout or advocate hell’s fire and brimstone at /for anyone who dares disagree with their point of view even on mundane matters. Bad as Covid-19 may be there are worse viruses infecting some of us such viruses as prejudice, gossip, bigotry, conceited self-righteousness and so on. Be kind in silence. After all it is our actions (not our words) that speak most volumes.

Life is a journey | keep walking | keep smiling | keep safe | keep calm | act sensibly | exercise self-discipline and carry on.