The middle of October is probably a good time to take stock of where we are with the pandemic and its associated crises. With second waves hitting several jurisdictions, an 'October surprise' positive test for the US President, news about vaccines, Covid-chaos in UK universities as Brexit moves to its dismal conclusion, and with the advent of flu season in the Northern Hemisphere set to be added to the brew.

It is also Thanksgiving weekend in Canada (we are a month before the US, probably due to the shorter growing season, and therefore earlier harvests). A reminder perhaps of all the diseases that the agricultural revolution brought into the human domus? This year I am thankful that our isolated Province has less active cases in its half-million population than the US White House.

So, while we are still in the thick of the pandemic, at least we are now settled into a new normal, and there are signs that an end might be in sight. To use a Second World War analogy (and we are all probably heartily sick of these after the UK Brexit debates), it all has a bit of a 1943 feel: it no longer has the novelty of the beginning, we are in it for the long haul, and there are signs for how this might all end.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving weekend...