Let’s support one another in this difficult time

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 30/12/2021 (1047 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I wish to start by wishing everyone the very best of the holiday season, hoping that 2022 brings much happiness, health, prosperity and much needed travel when appropriate.

The Province of Manitoba introduced new health restrictions which came into effect on Dec. 21, 2021. These restrictions are in place until Jan. 11, 2022 with further review as circumstances dictate. The Omicron variant now in every province in Canada has forced the hands of every provincial government to enact enhanced restrictions at this critical time as the transmissibility rate of this strain spreads much quicker than the previous Delta variant. 

Although many residents anticipated a relatively normal holiday season, the additional restrictions have placed us where we were at this time last year (although larger family gatherings are allowed this season).

The new restrictions and uncertainty of how they will affect us, as well as when this will all end, impacts our mental health and wellbeing. If you are feeling overwhelmed, there are resources available to help including:

• www.betterhelp.com 

• www.sharedhealthmb.ca

• www.wrha.mb.ca/mental-health/community-services/

I encourage all who are eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations to get their jabs, including booster shots. While there are many documented instances of breakthrough cases of vaccinated individuals contracting COVID, most of these cases are less severe than those in unvaccinated individuals. The less severe the case, the less impact it has on our health-care systems. 

We must also consider there are many other critical illnesses which require front-line medical care. At the very least, if you have questions about how the vaccine might affect you, speak with your physician to make an informed decision.

I want to take time to acknowledge once again our front-line workers in all sectors, but specifically acknowledging our health-care professionals and support staff. In the face of this pandemic, you have demonstrated the oath of your profession — to treat the ill to the best of your ability, while preserving their privacy. 

While we still have miles to go before we can put this pandemic in the rear view mirror, let’s do our best to support one another through this very difficult and uncertain time.