Feeling a little seasick yet? As the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic washes over B.C., it’s no surprise if some of us are a little green around the gills – heads spinning from the ever-changing rules and restrictions put in place by the provincial health officer and health minister over the past year.
That said, we wouldn’t want to be in the position of having to navigate these choppy waters on behalf of 5 million British Columbians with opinions as diverse as their backgrounds.
Are the current restrictions too much? Not enough? Depends on who you ask.
To a small business owner who is doing their best to hang on to something they may have spent their entire adult life building only to watch it slip away, month by month, the announcement of the current ‘circuit breaker’ ban on indoor dining must have been a gut-punch.
On the other hand, if you’re a vulnerable senior or someone with pre-existing health conditions – or someone who loves such a person – you’re likely on board with tighter restrictions that add another layer of protection.
If you’re someone who falls into both categories, you may well be torn.
Information isn’t coming as fast – nor is it as fulsome – as many might hope, so we are left with little choice but to hope – and trust – that those in charge are making the best moves possible in the face of constantly changing information.
One thing we can likely all agree, though, that it is a thankless task – and doubtless the most important that any politician or health care administrator will take on during their career.
And while they will never make a decision that pleases everyone, anything they can do to help keep B.C. residents safe, they absolutely must do. Meanwhile, the rest of us can do our part to help struggling businesses stay afloat by supporting them in whatever ways current regulations allow.
