Are we there yet?
The last
time I wrote about the COVID-19 pandemic was at the end of 2021. We seemed to
be finally transitioning out of the most dangerous phases. People were
beginning to travel again, as we did for Christmas that year. Many had gone
back to their jobs although the workplace was unalterably changed.
The infection was not through with us yet but there was confidence that the worst was behind us. It was not true, of course, as the worst wave hit us in January 2022. After another year and successive but less impactful waves, we may be getting back to “normal” as normal might be defined now.
Countries have now relaxed or done away completely with
restrictions involving COVID-19. We are all relieved but still unsure whether
we have seen the last of any major outbreaks.
Most people are resigned to living with COVID in the same way we do with the
flu, hoping that another deadly variant does not come along. If it does,
though, our systems should be ready for a wave of new infections.
Unfortunately, one of the lasting effects is not sickness but anger, from many who think their rights have been impinged on. Many still believe it was all a hoax. I am not sure how they explain how over 681 million people contracted COVID or almost seven million people died worldwide, according to the most recent counts which can be read here.
Or why tens of thousands of people still contact the virus every day and many still die.
An article published by Katie Dangerfield for Global News
Canada summarizes where we are at present.
More than
51,000 Canadians lost their lives to the virus. People are still being
hospitalized. Deaths are declining in number but that may be because so many of
the most vulnerable (read “old”) are now gone. Greater than 70% of Canadians
contracted the virus at least once. Officials now tell us that we are transitioning
to an endemic state.
There can
be no question that vaccines have prevented what could have been a repeat of
previous viral infections, such as the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-19 when
probably over 50 million people died. The world then did not have the
protection and treatment we have today and we can thank scientists for that.
So, are we
there yet? Have we reached safety?
Dr. Theresa
Tam, Canada’s chief health officer says, “We are now at a point in Canada where
COVID-19 activity has reached a relatively steady state. In recent months there
have been no distinct variant-driven waves. Over the past six to eight months
COVID-19 hospitalizations have been relatively stable despite the ongoing
spread of Omicron subvariants.”
It’s not
over. It may never be over. But we are now living with COVID as we do with the
flu and other infectious diseases.
My wife and
I were lucky that we avoided contracting the virus. We are also part of the
large group that got all the inoculations available to us. We are part of that
most vulnerable group – Canadians older than 70.
There is no
guarantee we won’t contract some infection but we take precautions offered to
us in same we way we get flu shots every year.
The
question now is:
Have we
learned enough to avoid the worst aspects of the next pandemic?