ItB次元官网网址檚 unlikely most Canadians will enjoy a holly jolly Christmas season of gatherings, carolling and travel, say public health experts who encourage those who revel in holiday traditions to accept more sacrifices ahead.
As the pandemicB次元官网网址檚 second wave maintained its grip in many parts of the country, political leaders acknowledged this week that recent limits on social gatherings, restaurants, gyms and entertainment venues in some hot spots have not significantly changed the trajectory of COVID-19 infections.
Nevertheless, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 deputy chief public health officer Dr. Howard Njoo and Quebec Premier Francois Legault were among those urging Canadians to step up efforts that could flatten the curve and allow for some modified festivities by Dec. 25.
The warning followed weeks of unclear messages and confusing advice that likely played a role in cases now being linked to Thanksgiving weekend, says Toronto infectious diseases expert Dr. Andrew Morris, who stresses the importance of frank talk about the severity of the pandemic.
B次元官网网址淲e need to be able to say when thereB次元官网网址檚 uncertainty but we also canB次元官网网址檛 have comments like (Monday) at the provincial press conference, when the Ontario health minister said that there are some hints of things on a decline (in Ontario hot spots). That is very misleading information and all it does is it sows doubt in the public,B次元官网网址� says Morris, a physician at TorontoB次元官网网址檚 Mount Sinai Hospital.
B次元官网网址淥r even to suggest that weB次元官网网址檙e still waiting to see the effect of our measures, (that) itB次元官网网址檚 too early to tell, when I think everyone around us B次元官网网址� most people B次元官网网址� should recognize that things are still rising substantially.B次元官网网址�
On Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford countered bleak outlooks on Christmas by noting B次元官网网址減eople get tired, but IB次元官网网址檝e got to give them hope.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 all work together and letB次元官网网址檚 make Christmas happen. LetB次元官网网址檚 always think of the glass as half full,B次元官网网址� said Ford. B次元官网网址淟etB次元官网网址檚 not think the glass is half empty B次元官网网址� we can do it. We will do it by working together.B次元官网网址�
Morris says itB次元官网网址檚 unfair to impose a timeline on hoped-for victories, pointing to many uncertainties that make it hard to predict what infections will look like in December. He also questions how accurate OntarioB次元官网网址檚 data was to begin with, noting he continues to hear about some people waiting days for a test B次元官网网址� a problem that would make it B次元官网网址渘ear impossibleB次元官网网址� to get a handle on COVID-19B次元官网网址檚 spread.
But he doesnB次元官网网址檛 expect much will change over the next two months.
B次元官网网址淔ast-forward six weeks, weB次元官网网址檙e going to be seeing waves pretty substantially rising, if not cresting,B次元官网网址� Morris predicts.
B次元官网网址淚 would be absolutely shocked if we arenB次元官网网址檛 seeing really high peaks in six weeksB次元官网网址� time.B次元官网网址�
The colder temperatures and shorter days have coincided with mounting public frustration over months of economic, scholastic and social upheaval, which in recent weeks escalated to instances of outright defiance of public health directives.
ManitobaB次元官网网址檚 premier and chief provincial public health officer this week delivered blistering rebukes of infected people brazenly disobeying containment rules, while a coalition of Quebec gym owners initially threatened to defy extended lockdown measures before vowing Wednesday to protest instead.
Trudeau acknowledged frustrations while cautioning the nation that B次元官网网址渦nless weB次元官网网址檙e really, really careful, there may not be the kinds of family gatherings we want to have at Christmas.B次元官网网址�
And while Legault recognized the B次元官网网址渧ast majorityB次元官网网址� of Quebecers have complied with public health guidance, he said it was B次元官网网址渘ot enoughB次元官网网址� and that B次元官网网址渂ig parties for ChristmasB次元官网网址� were unlikely.
In order for public health measures to hit home, the advice must be clear and consistent, and politicians should be transparent about their rationale for social restrictions, says infectious disease epidemiologist Ashleigh Tuite.
She says itB次元官网网址檚 far more helpful to offer concrete examples of what people should do, than admonish them for what they should not do.
B次元官网网址淭he reality is we know that people are going to bend the rules a little bit. First of all, give people creative ideas of how they might celebrate the holidays,B次元官网网址� says Tuite, a University of Toronto professor who especially wanted holiday travel guidance for university students living away from home.
Still, Tuite says tapping into shared hopes can be a powerful motivator to keep people committed to COVID-19 sacrifices: B次元官网网址淲e need something to look forward to.B次元官网网址�
Many of the holiday seasonB次元官网网址檚 highlights have already been scrapped or are unlikely to take place, including bustling Christmas markets, Santa Claus parades, mall photos with Santa, blockbuster movie releases, and holiday concerts and performances.
But that doesnB次元官网网址檛 mean Christmas is cancelled, says health economist and policy analyst Peter Berman of the University of British Columbia, who suggests a near-normal celebration might be possible in the least-impacted regions.
In the same way many Canadians found ways to celebrate a scaled-back Thanksgiving and are now modifying their Halloween fun, Berman encourages people to focus on accepting a new reality B次元官网网址� one he expects will curtail social gatherings well into the new year.
B次元官网网址淲e should probably turn our attention not so much to lamenting that we wonB次元官网网址檛 have the Christmas weB次元官网网址檙e all used to, but rather thinking, B次元官网网址楬ow can we make the best of enjoying the one weB次元官网网址檙e going to have together?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� says Berman.
Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press
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