With Covid: sometimes you’re the rock and sometimes you’re the shattered windshield

Growing up, I had a friend who had an interesting perspective on getting cracked windshields on gravel roads in rural Saskatchewan. He said the best way to not get a cracked windshield was to drive extra fast on the roads and then that way no rocks would hit it. 

That theory does provide an interesting comparison between that and people who want Covid-19 restrictions lifted. 

People are sick of (and because of) Covid-19. Undoubtedly, our worlds have been thrown into chaos. 

There is no one who thinks the pandemic-related restrictions have been okay or a benefit. Socio-economically, mentally, it has all hurt…badly.

However, these restrictions have been put in place in order to keep people from getting sick. There have been numerous studies and graphs to show that the numbers are going up. The B.1.1.7 variant 

From March 9-March 21 there have 6,109 cases with approximately 2,000 deaths in Alberta and just under 23,000 in Canada. As of March 21, 93,236 Albertans fully immunized of the 4,436,258 resident (as of Jan. 1 2021 numbers).

According to a private analysis from Dr. Malgorzata (Gosia) Gasperowicz, a Developmental biologist, researcher from the University of Calgary, the combined cases of both the original variant of the virus and the B.1.1.7 variant (U.K.) are drastically trending upwards. If numbers stay consistent with the current measures in place, by March 26, there will be 500 daily new cases (combined in Alberta); April 14, 1,000 daily new cases and April 27 2,000 new cases. 

Innoculations are coming, yes, they are needed badly, but it seems to have given people a sense of security. If they are coming and they are reaching those who need it the most because of health and employment considerations, we should be fine right? After all, the inoculations should increase now that 250 pharmacies across Alberta are getting the vaccine so as to administer to those who want it. 

Unfortunately, health officials are having trouble keeping up because economic considerations are more important than health ones. No, not everyone is going to lose their life by contracting the Covid-19 virus. However, there are many who are going to get sick, very sick and may require hospitalization. The reason it hasn’t happened is that for the most part people have followed the rules and the restrictions. But pandemic fatigue has set in for both good and unfortunately in some cases, selfish reason. It is difficult for health officials to get a grasp because they don’t know what the public is going to do. Predicting human nature reactions could be one of the most difficult things there are.

The trouble is first not everyone wants the vaccine due to medical fears all the way to thinking there’s some sort of tracking device within the serum. As well some people don’t want to wait any longer. They believe this pandemic ism is an economic conspiracy. 

There have been some nasty protests in Saskatoon, a huge one March 20 in Calgary and smaller ones in various other prairie communities. Some it is because their economic livelihood is on the line. For others like in Medicine Hat where a group of up to a 100 protestors ranging in age from grandparents to those under 10 were wanting the kids to be able to go back to  sports. 

Even with rules in place, wealthy snowbirds are brazenly bragging to media how they are circumventing the federal rules of having to quarantine (March 19, Hamilton Spectator).

The prevailing attitude is: Covid-19 much ado about nothing. People are going to die anyway. Why bother if this is going to ruin lives, or make mine less enjoyable? Those who have been in the majority and have not been touched by Covid… good on you. You have been blessed and fortunate. However, if it means wearing a mask or not traveling which is the reason for the new variants, do you want to take that Russian roulette risk that you or someone you love won’t contract it. Maybe no symptoms but you are a carrier. Like it or not, these restrictions are there for a reason. 

In hindsight, everything in Canada everything except for essentials should have been shut down until we could get a grasp on it. Don’t believe, check out what they did in Australia and New Zealand. They are down to minimal blips of cases. They will be vaccinated soon and their population will be just fine.

Fluke? No. Look at Sweden and their initial “no worry” attitude and see where the mortality numbers are there. The attitude of people are going to die anyway… just say that again and see how callous that sounds.

Sadly, if we keep having this trying not to offend anyone/i.e. please everybody and others not following the rules because they want to live their life regularly, we will not remember what regular was and won’t again for a long time. 

Just keep driving as fast as you can through life and hopefully you won’t get hit by those passing rocks. Maybe that rock will glance off the windshield and you won’t notice. Maybe you might get a crack or maybe it will hit that windshield in such a way it causes an ugly shatter. You never know…

Ryan Dahlman is managing editor of Prairie Post West and Prairie Post East.

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