British Columbia鈥檚 top doctor says a burning anxiety in the pit of her stomach had become her constant companion as China began reporting a few cases of an unusual pneumonia in Wuhan in December 2019.

Dr. Bonnie Henry writes in her new book, 鈥淏e Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe,鈥� co-written with her sister Lynn Henry, that the sense of dread didn鈥檛 ease as the number of cases climbed in China.

Among other things, the book provides a behind-the-scenes look at the decisions she made to close restaurants, businesses and schools. It also explains how Henry came up with phrase 鈥渂e kind, be calm, be safe,鈥� which has become her mantra, featured on T-shirts and painted on rocks.

When Henry declared a public emergency, she says she also wanted to give people hope. That鈥檚 when the words kindness, calm and safe came to mind, she writes in the book, published by Penguin Random House Canada.

鈥淚 believe we need hope, too,鈥� Henry is quoted in a section written by her sister, 鈥淔or me, 鈥榖e kind鈥� fosters emotional well-being and gives people a sense of belonging; 鈥榖e calm鈥� is about mental well-being and gives meaning; and 鈥榖e safe鈥� is about physical well-being and gives us a sense of purpose.鈥�

The book says Henry decided to reopen schools because they are a safe place for children where they have access to food, health and social supports. Children with special needs were likely to be more affected, British Columbia鈥檚 provincial health officer says.

鈥淭eachers and staff were uniquely placed to notice whether children were in danger at home and to intervene,鈥� she says in the book.

Henry also explains why the province鈥檚 modelling projections don鈥檛 include a death count. She says the number of deaths is dependent on the government鈥檚 response and its ability to prevent transmission, particularly in long-term care homes.

The book recalls how she told a journalist that in B.C., public health officials do not predict the number of deaths. Henry says she realizes her position put her at odds with other public health officials in Canada and elsewhere who present models that project death rates.

The advance the Henry sisters received for the book has been donated to charities that help communities hit hard by the pandemic.

The book also opens a window to the toll the pandemic has taken on Henry.

鈥淢y sister came home to find me lying on the living-room floor, still in my work clothes, too tired to move,鈥� Henry says in the book.

鈥淪he ordered takeout from my favourite restaurant and poured me a glass of wine, and for an hour or two I almost relaxed. But that night, the spectre of the next few weeks, and how critical they would be, whirled ceaselessly through my mind.鈥�

It offers some lighter observations as well.

鈥淲e have learned the true value of toilet paper. We鈥檝e learned that you should never ever do your own hair in a pandemic,鈥� she writes.

鈥淏ut we have also learned that we can be resilient and adaptable, even when it鈥檚 hard. That social connections, even when virtual, are essential. That compassion is stronger than cynicism. That even when faced with unrelenting uncertainty, there is still joy and beauty in the world.鈥�