I couldn鈥檛 think of a better group of people to be with on the first day free of public health measures, or as most of us called them, restrictions.
I don鈥檛 know what you did on Sunday afternoon, but my mom鈥檚 side of the family (the Leguees) gathered to celebrate Grandma Leguee鈥檚 birthday. Her birthday was actually Saturday, but for all of us to come together, we would have had to hold the birthday outdoors in the sweltering heat.
At Sunday鈥檚 celebration, we had no masks. No crowd limitations. Mom and Dad were in town, now that they could travel out of B.C. And it was great. 聽
Needless to say, we had more than 30 people present.
We hugged. We shook hands. We talked while in close quarters. We weren鈥檛 worried about social distancing, or an abundance of caution, or the other buzz terms we鈥檝e worried about in the past 16 months.聽
I鈥檝e done my best to be in compliance over the last 16 months, but I鈥檝e longed for a return to more normal living.
Sure, we鈥檙e not back to quite the level of March 11, 2020, the day before the first of the restrictions were imposed. But we鈥檙e closer than before.
We still need to wear a mask at the hospital and other health care facilities, and there will likely be businesses that will require a mask, so it鈥檚 too early to have that cathartic mask-burning ceremony.
But for the most part, everything is open again, services are back to the way they were 16 months ago, and we can gather with as many people as we want, and in close proximity to others, too.聽
We can see smiles that aren鈥檛 obstructed by a mask. 聽
The Estevan Motor Speedway and other sports venues can have full capacity. Churches can have their sanctuaries filled for their Sunday services. Movie theatres don鈥檛 have to limit their capacity numbers. Gyms can return to normal.
We鈥檙e going to see one heck of a summer bash in Estevan on July 17, when the Estevan Downtown Business Association has a street dance cabaret with live music.聽
It鈥檒l be interesting to see how many people are willing to get out and enjoy the event, and how many decide to pass because they just aren鈥檛 ready.聽
If you鈥檝e been fully immunized, and if our case numbers remain low heading into the event, then we should feel comfortable, no matter how close we are during the dances or in the beer gardens.聽
This doesn鈥檛 mean COVID is finished. We saw what happened in northeast Saskatchewan with a large gathering, but maybe that area wasn`t ready for the event.
The provincial government has drawn some criticism for its decision to move from Level 2 in the re-open 鈥渞oad map鈥� to fully reopening in a three-week span. Some thought the government should have had higher thresholds for first and second doses before removing the last of the orders.
Others thought there should have been a more staggered approach, with a transition point between phase 2 and full reopening. They would have rather seen an increase in crowd sizes for Phase 3, and then have a full reopening two or three weeks later.
These are valid concerns and good arguments. But the government wants full reopening now, during the summer months. 聽
The biggest mistake the government could make could be to fully reopen too soon. If they do, and restrictions need to be put in place again, a lot of people on all sides would be angry.
We also have to remember the importance of good behaviour.
Some people will still feel the need to wear a mask in public, perhaps because of nerves, or perhaps because of immune system issues. Don鈥檛 taunt them.聽
Some might decide they aren鈥檛 quite ready to be out in large crowds. Don鈥檛 pressure or ridicule them.聽
And some will be eager to flaunt their recently rediscovered freedoms. Don鈥檛 condescend them. 聽
Businesses might decide they still want customers to wear masks. Don鈥檛 insult the staff. 聽
If you鈥檙e really concerned about the impacts of reopening, then continue to do your thing and keep your distance from others.
We鈥檝e waited 16 months for this. Most of us have done our part, been cautious and want to be out. Those first few times are going to be pretty special. They might even be a little awkward at times, being surrounded by others in close proximity. 聽
But I know the group of people I鈥檒l be with won`t be as good as Sunday.
