Covid-19 (Coronavirus) has a stranglehold on our society and people are understandably fed-up. Unless you have been living under a rock, the last two-plus years have been tough. Lockdowns, social distancing, mask-wearing…. where does it end? I have been affected by layoffs due to businesses trimming their operations and reducing staff resources. I have persevered following recommended guidelines and I got vaccinated to protect myself and others near me. Not everyone agrees with what society dictates, but one thing we learned is that the pandemic has disrupted our lives more than we could have imagined.
Disconnection and lockdowns
Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher, famously said: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” This notion still seems relevant in our culture. Unfortunately, Covid-19 (Coronavirus) has persisted and we have felt all the negatives of the effects and fall-out. I can’t remember being so disconnected from family, and friends with all the lockdowns, social distancing and travel bans in place. The lack of social contact, gatherings and a sense of touch has been the norm for the last 2 years. Lockdowns equated to people being isolated and struggling to stay fit and healthy. No gyms and we were forced to isolate at home for weeks if we had any faint symptoms of COVID.
Children and elders are the hardest-hit
Take a look at our hardest-hit demographic… our children. Our kids were forced to adhere to all the restrictions in our education system: wearing a mask, social distancing, following sanitary procedures and interacting less with their teacher and peers. I’m sorry, but isolating and online learning at home doesn’t work with little ones. My daughter is playing catch-up and has fallen behind in her education. Technology is a great tool and has its place, but it can’t replace in-person interaction or touch us on a physical, or emotional level. Statistics have shown a growing number of people – adults and children being depressed and feeling more alone. I can see counselling and more therapy sessions will be common practice. Our poor elders and seniors living in assisted living and group homes have suffered. This is a tricky road that we navigate so we must be prudent to watch for the signs and correct our path.
Dare we compare it to the 1918 flu?
Seems like we are doomed to repeat our mistakes. Take the deadly flu back in 19818 before my time. By 1920, nearly two years into a deadly influenza pandemic, it claimed over 50 million lives worldwide. New York City like several U.S. urban centres, believed that the worst was over after two years. Unfortunately, they experienced a surge in influenza cases resulting in more deaths with a 4th wave. Despite the virus variant being milder, it claimed more lives. Sound familiar? The Coronavirus disease pandemic may have the same effect: we can expect it to turn into a seasonal nuisance treated with an annual vaccine shot. Granted those times were different, but you can draw the same dumbfounded conclusions.
People are fed up with lockdowns and restrictions
Are we done yet? If anything has taught us, wearing masks, maintaining a social distance from each other and applying sanitizer, don’t completely work. This is the Chief Medical Officer of Health’s consistent message throughout the pandemic, to help reduce the spread and chances of getting the Coronavirus COVID-19. Not an easy job, and yet people are quick to judge the experts i.e. entomologists, scientists, and healthcare professionals. Lots of misinformation and distorted theories on social media are partly to blame. When people have a distrust of governments and healthcare professionals, they will turn to other sources for knowledge. I am tired and shocked by all the hatred, and negativity spawned from Facebook and other social media platforms. Yes, the pandemic has been going on too long, but did we lose some of our civil rights and freedoms that we take for granted? It is debatable.
Right-wing extremists and protests
It is the responsibility of the government and policymakers to act with the best intentions for the welfare of the majority of Canadians. The latest “freedom convoy” of trucks is an example of right-wing extremists taking advantage of this peaceful protest. It is not just about the vaccine mandate for truckers anymore. Fortunately, this does not represent all Canadians. Using the Canadian flag and other flags as a symbol of unification and reconciliation is a bit puzzling. Hopefully, more people will comply with getting vaccines and we can lift more restrictions and return to “normal”. Whatever that means nowadays.
Vaccine roll-out and the Trudeau Federal Government
It is amazing how the federal government dictated the mass roll-out of the vaccine shots and subsidized and compensated people affected by the virus. At least that is most people’s perception. I applaud the effort by Trudeau and the Government even if it means going further into debt. The first year of the pandemic was difficult for citizens and businesses that were forced to close their doors. These hand-outs kept some businesses afloat and bought them for some time. However, the vaccine roll-out was marked by distribution and supply chain issues. Many of the provinces struggled to get booking systems working properly and efficiently online. The Feds will provide the funds, personal protective equipment (PPE) vaccines and test kits, but it was up to the provinces to handle the logistics and dictate the rules laid down by the Chief Officer of Health. Canada’s decentralized federation is partly to blame since they rely on the provinces for administering vaccinations to the residents in their respective jurisdictions.
Moving forward with COVID-19
We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with COVID. Will it be gone completely? I doubt it. Like seasonal flu or influenza, we may need to take supplemental booster vaccines on an annual basis. Vaccine supply continues to be managed strategically to best support Canada’s evolving domestic needs. Now that we have a homegrown production lab, we can improve our emergency readiness and distribute vaccines more quickly and efficiently. This is reassuring, but we need to do more to detect the virus and make sure all levels of the government work together. Going through 4 waves of the pandemic has taken a toll mentally and physically, but we getting through it together. I feel sad and disheartened when I think of all the families that have lost their loved ones due to COVID-19. Let’s stand together in unity as a sovereign nation, rather than civil disobedience and hatred. Nothing wrong with getting our voices heard, but let’s do it in a polite “Canadian” way, eh?
