We believed that the worst was over, that after our first pandemic winter under curfew, spring had returned for good. We talked about the Roaring Twenties, 2021 version, we imagined ourselves in the midst of big parties, draped in a rediscovered naivety. It is rather a wall that Quebec is hitting to seal this year in seesaw. While some see this new confinement as a step backwards to this endless winter, others approach this period with pragmatism and resilience.
Samir Muldeen was leaving his home for the first time on Thursday after contracting COVID-19. Crossed near Place Simon-Valois, in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve district, the man, his hands full of groceries, said he kept his spirits… despite everything.
“We already have the masks, the vaccines, the rapid tests. The curfew is the last resort, ”he says philosophically, saying he understands that the government needs to protect the hospital capacity of the province. But sooner or later we will have to ask deeper questions about how our health system is managed, he believes. “This crisis demonstrates the fragility of our health system and its lack of resilience. “
A fragility that is difficult to explain Alexandra Corriveau-Blouin, who pulled her daughter Emma in a sled in the park Lalancette Thursday noon. “It’s a slap in the face to see all the taxes we pay, and that the health system is not able to treat us at the moment. “
The one who works on the front line in a socio-community resource says that she was not completely surprised by this new wave. ” I expected that. I hadn’t made any plans for the holiday season. “
For all that, are morale high? ” I dunno… […] I don’t see the need to do this again [le confinement]. We have two doses of vaccine, soon to be three. We can’t all start to isolate ourselves again. It must stop. “
With both feet in the snow, the woman said those around her who recently contracted the virus have all suffered from mild symptoms. ” The results [du confinement] are infinitely more serious than the consequences of the virus on the body, ”she said, citing among other things the issues of domestic violence and mental health. “It’s a period when you have to have a lot of resilience and ask yourself what you want [en tant que société]. “
Although he says he does not suffer too much from confinement, Samir Muldeen also believes that the government should leave more leeway to individuals. “You have to trust people. If the government decides to be paternal, that takes people off their responsibilities. More vulnerable people can take individual responsibility for paying more attention [pour que moins de restrictions soient imposées à tous]. “
A little further on, Guillaume Blais said he still adhered to the measures put in place by the government, almost two years after the first restrictions were imposed. “My morale is still good,” he blurted out. The holidays have been more difficult due to the rules that changed at the last minute, but the situation is changing quickly. “
Curfews are one weapon that can come in handy in subduing Omicron, he believes. “Last winter, the curfew had a positive impact, so it could still help us. The man can nevertheless count on the presence of his dog Louise, a great black dane, to offer him a few moments of freedom in the evening. “I didn’t have it with me last year yet. “
With her two dogs on a leash, a lady who was walking in Lalancette Park, but who did not want to identify herself, also supported the tightening of sanitary measures. “I’m in favor if that can get rid of the virus and make people get vaccinated.” “
Even the curfew does not distress him too much. “I have no problem with that. I’m not very social, so it doesn’t change my habits to be confined or not. I accept what’s going on, and that’s it. “
Stress and anxiety
However, some people are experiencing this new chapter in the management of the pandemic with more difficulties, which Prime Minister François Legault recognized during his press briefing on Thursday evening. “There are people in the next few days who are going to be stressed, anxious, sad. […] We are going to live very hard days, it is more important than ever to take care of each other, ”he said.
“The climate is extremely gloomy, agrees the DD Christine Grou, psychologist and president of the Ordre des psychologues du Québec. We expected to be out of the woods and have more free and festive evenings for the end of the year. But that didn’t happen, and people feel like they are living on Groundhog Day. “
Pandemic fatigue, now well established, also distorts perceptions, she believes. “It puts in people’s heads that whatever we do [les restrictions sanitaires et la vaccination]We are still confined and the news is bad. But it would be a lot worse if we hadn’t done all of this. “
Christine Grou says she is convinced that the government is taking more account of the mental health of Quebecers than at the start of the pandemic. “This is why decisions are not easy to take,” she emphasizes. “We know that mental health has been damaged by the pandemic and that mental health difficulties will last a lot longer than the virus. “
Take care of yourself
The psychologist offers some tips for taking care of yourself during this tumultuous period, to say the least. First of all, it’s okay to not feel good and to feel depressed and anxious, she says, but you shouldn’t let yourself be overwhelmed by these feelings. “We must try to regain power over our lives by asking ourselves, within the leeway we have, what can I do, me, to make my day go as well as possible ? “
Outdoor physical activity can be a great ally, she says. “It allows the brain to oxygenate itself, to calm down and to rest. It is very good for relieving acute stress and relaxing. As well as continuing to nurture friendships and family ties. “There is a difference between being confined and being isolated, insists Christine Grou. We must continue to talk to people who do us good. “
You shouldn’t be overwhelmed by the news either, she said. “You don’t have to be watching the news all day. And above all, remember that “whatever happens in the next few weeks, it’s going to be temporary, and what’s ahead of us is a lot brighter than what we’ve been through behind.” “