Just when you think you’ve seen it all, a COVIDiot takes it to another level.
We are not in the habit of calling people names, but there’s no other way to put it.
And this time, the act was so reckless, the person – or persons – responsible made sure to protect their anonymity.
Someone, or (more likely) a group of people, took it upon themselves to spread a misinformation campaign in the form of posters, declaring the COVID restrictions were over, as of March 1.
You may have seen the poster, taped to mailboxes, fences, and even Record newspaper boxes, throughout the Comox Valley.
The poster claimed that as of March 1, all COVID restrictions have been lifted – no more mask-wearing, no more social distancing, no more restrictions on gatherings.
It was produced in red and white ink, with a Canadian flag in the upper left- and right-hand corners.
Surprisingly, there were no typos. Not surprisingly, there was no attribution. Whoever wrote it obviously knew they were doing wrong, and did not want to be identified.
Reckless and cowardly. Again, not overly surprising.
Reckless because, unfortunately, there are people who see something like that, and take it at face value. There is a fine line between gullible and trusting. The anarchists who posted this know that – just as the scammers who claim to be the CRA know there is a certain portion of the population who will take it at face value, and offer their banking information, or send money in the mail.
If all the news of new exposures and outbreaks in our community is not enough to dispel the information on that poster, please rest assured, the restrictions are still in place.
And if you come across one of these posters in your mailbox, on a fence, or on a bulletin board, do everyone a favour and throw it in the trash. It is, after all, garbage.
Most importantly, keep your masks on, keep your distance, and stay safe out there.
This pandemic is far from over, regardless of what some anonymous COVIDiots want you to believe.