Editorial: Restrictions wearying, but we could be worse off

B.C. health officials are asking us to keep up enhanced COVID restrictions for another month, as provincial health orders against gatherings with anyone outside our households are being extended until Feb. 5.

That some have had it worse than others doesn’t discount anyone’s sufferings. We’ve sacrificed a lot lately and it isn’t fair.

EDITORIAL: We can resolve to limit what COVID-19 costs us

We held out hope that restrictions would be eased last week, though it was pretty clear that infection rates weren’t pointing that way. Provincial Health Officer (PHO) Dr. Bonnie Henry said Thursday, Jan. 7, that while the vast majority of British Columbians followed public health orders over the holidays, “some people made the decision to make an exception for themselves.” A few people’s having bent the rules exponentially increased the risks for everyone else, she said. She acknowledged everyone is tired of the pandemic but asked for our continued co-operation.

“The virus doesn’t know that we haven’t seen our friends in months. It doesn’t know that it’s our grandmother’s birthday. It doesn’t know,” Henry said. “When we let our guard down, it’s transmitted.”

What the PHO is saying makes sense. We’re more weary of quarantine by now, but it’s no less important. in fact, case counts show the virus is in our part of the Island and is being spread here.

Some are combating the virus with every breath in their body. For the rest of us, our fight is a bit different – a personal contribution to a collective effort. We’ve holed up this long and are still holding up. We can do this.

Social gathering, events to remain banned in B.C. as daily COVID-19 cases stay high https://t.co/ohXQ1wiCmM

— Nanaimo Bulletin (@NanaimoBulletin) January 7, 2021