We were just wrapping up a meeting of the editorial staff on Thursday when news broke that B.C. was basically waving a white flag and a middle finger at the same time when it comes to COVID-19.
Lifting mask mandates. Ending the vaccine passport in most settings on April 8. Good grief.
You could hear the air get sucked out of everyone as we all stared blankly at these decisions after two years.
All I kept thinking was how provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry had just handed the “freedom convoy” cult a big, fat win.
The middle finger was aimed at immunocompromised people, the elderly, vulnerable retail staff and anyone else who want protection from this deadly virus that has killed millions of people.
Sure, you can still wear a mask (I definitely will be doing that) but now you are left vulnerable to those who will ditch their masks – including those who are still unvaccinated.
And for what? Because we’re allegedly in a “good place” as Henry said on Thursday. For the record, she’s said that “good place” line before every other COVID-19 wave that’s hit B.C.
It’s tough to swallow that the place we’re in is “good” when testing has basically been abandoned (we’re relying on wastewater testing, I guess) and people are still dying.
I always thought that when numbers were down in the single digits and people were no longer dying then maybe Henry would consider it. I mean wearing a mask is a pretty simple thing to do for most people.
The only ones really crying about these mandates are the folks who literally took over the country’s capital in an illegal occupation.
And now, just a few weeks later, B.C. is just handing them this – a move that will be seen by them as a victory.
I hope people are wrong when they say other variants are coming and a new wave could be on its way.
Why not continue doing everything possible to keep people safe? How many times have we seen health officials and governments pushing to open things up again based on economic factors – only for another wave to hit?
Don’t get me wrong, I want this all over as much as anyone, but this big move to pretty much end restrictions just feels wrong.
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
