Pandemic Update

I like to check in every few months to give an update on how the pandemic is where we live (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) since it seems to vary so widely depending on your jurisdiction.  Can I just say again that who thought we would be "flattening the curve" within those three weeks in March 2020, and we are still here two years later with COVID remaining such a big part of our daily lives?! 

Ontario is back in a "modified" Stage 2 which means no indoor dining, no gyms, indoor capacity limits, remote work, and no indoor sports/lessons (for us that means virtual piano and no swimming).  School was also moved to virtual for the first two weeks in January.  The kids were supposed to go back on Monday but we've had two snow days this week instead.  

Before Christmas (and the arrival of Omicron), I was over Covid!  I was ready to socialize, travel, and go back to normal (with masks inside if that's what it took).  We had our Christmas party and my parents visited from Nova Scotia.  We were even planning to go to Hawaii.  Then case counts were skyrocketing and it required a bit more vigilance.  Our trip was postponed for us, so we didn't have a choice of whether to go or not, but I still wanted to go.  It seemed as though many other people were travelling so I was willing to take my chances.  

Now that school is going back and the still have their weekly ski lessons, then I don't feel as though our lives are too disrupted by the current situation. I like to go out to eat at restaurants, but we don't do that too much in the winter anyway, so I'm not that bothered.  I do wish we could go inside the ski chalet, but we manage.  I know I am lucky because I don't work in a hospital or need to access health care on a regular basis so I don't really see the burnout that others are facing.  With the case numbers not being reported anymore and being at home with the kids anyway, I feel very isolated to what is happening in other parts of the world. 

 For the first time since the pandemic began I know several people that have contracted Covid in the last month.  We have remained healthy so far.  I've heard different things, like we are all going to get Covid, we just need to make sure we don't get it all at once.  And also that we don't all have to get it if we can implement the right health measures. We are all as vaccinated as you can get at our house and I don't know what else we can really do.  We wear our masks and spend most of our time with people outside. I've been avoiding the subway but I'm going to go on it this week. 

With everyone going back to school as of today, we will just have to watch for symptoms.  We have a few antigen tests leftover from the kits they gave to the kids before Christmas.  We used a few around the time when our parents were coming to visit and a couple of times when we felt a little off.  I've heard that antigen tests aren't always reliable, but we have always tested negative and any small symptoms have gone away quickly so I don't think we have actually been infected. 

At this point, I'm not sure what I'm hoping for, I feel as though we are in a bit of holding pattern.  We have a trip to Jamaica planned for next month so I guess I'm just hoping we remain healthy to get on the plane (there and back).  If it works out that we can go, then it will be a much needed and appreciated break for all of us.  We also have a ski trip planned for March Break to Quebec. We will drive there and are renting an AirBnb so as long as we are symptom free then we should be able to get there and back no problem.  By that time, Spring will be here and Spring has always proven to be a shift in attitudes and health measures (for the better), and we carry on.