It91裸聊视频檚 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 pandemic91裸聊视频檚 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, Canada91裸聊视频檚 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.
91裸聊视频淲e need to be able to say when there91裸聊视频檚 uncertainty but we also can91裸聊视频檛 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,91裸聊视频� says Morris, a physician at Toronto91裸聊视频檚 Mount Sinai Hospital.
91裸聊视频淥r even to suggest that we91裸聊视频檙e still waiting to see the effect of our measures, (that) it91裸聊视频檚 too early to tell, when I think everyone around us 91裸聊视频� most people 91裸聊视频� should recognize that things are still rising substantially.91裸聊视频�
On Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford countered bleak outlooks on Christmas by noting 91裸聊视频減eople get tired, but I91裸聊视频檝e got to give them hope.91裸聊视频�
91裸聊视频淟et91裸聊视频檚 all work together and let91裸聊视频檚 make Christmas happen. Let91裸聊视频檚 always think of the glass as half full,91裸聊视频� said Ford. 91裸聊视频淟et91裸聊视频檚 not think the glass is half empty 91裸聊视频� we can do it. We will do it by working together.91裸聊视频�
Morris says it91裸聊视频檚 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 Ontario91裸聊视频檚 data was to begin with, noting he continues to hear about some people waiting days for a test 91裸聊视频� a problem that would make it 91裸聊视频渘ear impossible91裸聊视频� to get a handle on COVID-1991裸聊视频檚 spread.
But he doesn91裸聊视频檛 expect much will change over the next two months.
91裸聊视频淔ast-forward six weeks, we91裸聊视频檙e going to be seeing waves pretty substantially rising, if not cresting,91裸聊视频� Morris predicts.
91裸聊视频淚 would be absolutely shocked if we aren91裸聊视频檛 seeing really high peaks in six weeks91裸聊视频� time.91裸聊视频�
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.
Manitoba91裸聊视频檚 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 91裸聊视频渦nless we91裸聊视频檙e really, really careful, there may not be the kinds of family gatherings we want to have at Christmas.91裸聊视频�
And while Legault recognized the 91裸聊视频渧ast majority91裸聊视频� of Quebecers have complied with public health guidance, he said it was 91裸聊视频渘ot enough91裸聊视频� and that 91裸聊视频渂ig parties for Christmas91裸聊视频� 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 it91裸聊视频檚 far more helpful to offer concrete examples of what people should do, than admonish them for what they should not do.
91裸聊视频淭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,91裸聊视频� 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: 91裸聊视频淲e need something to look forward to.91裸聊视频�
Many of the holiday season91裸聊视频檚 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 doesn91裸聊视频檛 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 91裸聊视频� one he expects will curtail social gatherings well into the new year.
91裸聊视频淲e should probably turn our attention not so much to lamenting that we won91裸聊视频檛 have the Christmas we91裸聊视频檙e all used to, but rather thinking, 91裸聊视频楬ow can we make the best of enjoying the one we91裸聊视频檙e going to have together?91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� says Berman.
Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press
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