The latest big news 📰 on the pandemic when trusted expert, Harvard doc and occupational health specialist Dr. Stefanos Kales speaks we listen. He was the first to address the preventive power of face masks during the pandemic and now says let’s “move on”! check out his interview.

Recently many parts of the globe 🌎 experienced extreme snow ❄️ ⛄️ even as far as the Middle East. Just like some endemic diseases, climate changes are here to stay. But as with all we learn and move on.

A couple of years ago our post on “snow literacy” proves current today. The earth 🌍 of extremes — floods, snow emergencies in winter months, more floods and extreme heat 🥵 causing fire 🔥 in summer months.

This year started with a big “snow ball” in greater Athens, and all parts of Greece which are unaccustomed to so much snow… although children live for “forced snow days” — the perfect ‘powder snow’ can turn into sticky mayhem that can make many adults very unhappy and life can suddenly become treacherous on the roads or in the home (power outages or worse fires 🔥). It’s the first time that the National road had hundreds stranded causing the government an unneeded headache and necessity to reimburse drivers.  Some narratives still show that our snow literacy  ❄️  ⛄️ is severely lacking.

There are many types of snow that one can find from places like the ‘National Snow and Ice Data Center’ (Types of Snow, NSIDC). We all can remember at least once making those wonderful snow angels so why ruin that pleasantry with a tragedy film of small-town America which received low reviews this past decade (Snow Angels from the New York Times Review).

Snow melts, hence ice, hence slippage and likely injury.  You need to sweep and shovel the snow, throw sand or salt on it as it melts, and at night when it is colder tread carefully (including appropriate shoes, and car tires) or not at all.  Avoid slipping, sliding, to prevent injury. Of course on the other hand, some physical therapists, orthopedics and sports doctors will have some extra work!

Question #1 — do most societies experience high violent crimes especially by teens and young adults due to CoVid lockdown?  as these years are the highest age of ‘sensation-seeking behaviors’ and the pent-up energy needs to be redirected into a more positive societal outlook? 

Question #2 — can parents afford to not go to work because their kids stay home? Why do kids with few symptoms COVID positive need to stay home 🏡 more  than 4-5 days? Focus on immunity building and as for the snow, some municipalities do not have enough snow plowing machines, and worse no salt to throw on the ice.

Question #3 — unrealistic expectations from some people — do you expect the government to actually plow your front door and sidewalk ? 😱 change policy and change thinking, buy a snow shovel and salt. Take some personal responsibility. This learned helplessness attitude needs to change.

Yes indeed, snow literacy should be one of the fundamentals of survival and overall health literacy AND yes 🙌 we need to move on from a “pandemic”, the data speaks !