What’s it been? Three months since the pandemic turned everything upside down?
The number of new cases is recently slowing in our region and across the province. Combined with loosening restrictions and the heat of summer weather . . .
it appears many people are beginning to let their guard down.
It’s hard to blame anyone for cutting some corners and flouting some of the government’s guidelines, given the sacrifices that were made during the initial stages of the lockdown. Businesses closed down, people were laid off. Some are still without work. In addition to the financial pressure, the movements of Pontiac’s citizens were confined by the authorities, a drastic step usually only seen under martial law.
With that kind of drastic change, there was bound to be some chafing.
Despite the efforts of public servants and all levels of government, the novelty of this virus has made consistent measures and regulations for the public difficult to uphold /maintain. How do you combat something that top scientists are still frantically trying to understand?
We’re lucky that our MRC has experienced no cases so far (knock on wood), and our neighbours in the Municipality of Pontiac have very few to report. But that’s not a reason to get complacent. Thousands of people travel to and from Pontiac, Ottawa/Gatineau and Renfrew County every day. Even if they’re all on their best behaviour – and let’s face it, they’re not – there could very easily be cases in our community before the summer’s over.
According to the local health authority, our county has the glamorous distinction of being one of the least healthy populations across the province. In addition, there is a significant number of elderly people in these parts, the demographic that’s been hit the hardest by this virus. Just under 98 per cent of the COVID-related deaths in Quebec have been people over 60 years of age. An overwhelming number of these deaths have taken place in long-term care facilities. Given that Quebec has the highest proportion of cases across Canada by a large margin, there needs to be a serious inquiry into the state of seniors’ housing in our province as soon as possible.
The fact that the staff at such institutions are paid low wages and work long hours (often in multiple facilities) was documented thoroughly prior to the pandemic. It is an outrage that should be remedied immediately. They are entrusted with the well-being of some of society’s most vulnerable people and need to be compensated accordingly.
Of course, money isn’t everything. Despite this region and the province as a whole being in the midst of a labour shortage leading up to the crisis, the CAQ government did their best to cut immigration numbers and also to burden Quebec’s religious minorities with discriminatory legislation. It’s outrageous that a government that was up in arms over face coverings in public a year ago is now actively encouraging the general population to don masks when they go to the supermarket.
We owe it to the elderly and vulnerable people in the community to grit our teeth and follow the public health guidelines until this thing is stamped out. It can be a huge pain to deal with ever changing and sometimes contradictory information from public officials, but protecting our seniors is a worthy cause.
Stay safe, sane and (relatively) sober, this isn’t over yet.
Caleb Nickerson
