End Covid Now

I have never been more grateful to be part of an organization that does so much to protect and strengthen our communities around the globe.

COVID-19 is affecting every aspect of our lives, and not knowing what is going to happen is devastating. We are facing a pandemic, with an unpredictable situation until a few months ago.

If the district project of donating only $30/member was shared only by certain clubs in our District, NOW we have the opportunity to show solidarity with the citizens of these two countries through a very necessary project: END COVID NOW.

In Rotary, we claim to be leaders, the elite, we are the leaders of our communities, and it is high time we confirmed this. In many ways, this is our time. I invite those with proven skills through concrete deeds, not words and dissimulation, to unite to provide help to people in need, respecting the instructions of the authorities and not substituting for them. We cannot do actions that spread the virus, as we have noticed, dismayed, that some have posted on Facebook; these are benevolent people, but they have no education, experience and expertise. In fact, our planet just got the bill for imposture, incompetence, greed and malice.

Our attention and dedication is now required locally. I urge all Rotarians to exercise generosity and donate to the club they belong to for END COVID NOW. I invite you to open an account in the club, and I ask each club to manage their donations locally, to direct them according to their county’s needs. Ask your local and county authorities how you can help them. Decide in your clubs, according to the power you have, which hospital to donate the money to. NOW is the time to prove that you are leaders in your communities, that you ACT where you are needed. Obviously, we will not cover all our needs, especially since this time, too, we were unprepared. Hospital doctors do not have the usual mask. The medical staff will be the first to be stricken by the virus.

The global effort to end COVID-19 is dependent upon the actions taken by each individual. Paradoxically, the action is to STAY HOME and to stop human interaction for a short period of time. We cannot know yet what the consequences of the virus will be. We can play our role by AUTO-ISOLATING ourselves, so as to flatten the disease curve. Our major goal is to have under control the number of cases in a short period of time, so as to allow our health systems to deal with the problems without being blocked by a large number of patients. Our global effort contributes to keeping the situation under control.

Me and my family are doctors (my wife was valedictorian) and we follow the most reliable sources in the world. We want to make the best decisions and I want to send you in the next period the most relevant and useful information through all the communication channels by which we are connected. NOW, those who cannot understand the power of connectivity have also received an answer.

NOW is an opportunity for us to demonstrate that Rotary connects the world in innovative ways that are useful to those connected by the power of good.

We need to closely follow the advice of WHO and local health authorities. This includes canceling Rotary club events and meetings, on the short term, to reduce interactions that could cause infections. We will use the internet for communication.

I am making a new call to Action, Consciousness, Unity, and Mentality: Let’s join our Rotary communities through donations to say END COVID NOW. The ball is in our court, let us be the leaders we wanted to see in our communities. Everyone’s efforts matter because every life matters.

This is an unprecedented challenge for all of us. But it is also an opportunity for Rotarians to unite NOW and do good in the world.

Stay healthy!

Marian Neagoe