The holiday plans of many Canadians have been in limbo since the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
For example, Meegan Scheffer was hoping to see two of her three children again on Christmas. Their plane tickets are booked, but she fears that the variant will force her to postpone the trip again.
“I have not yet taken out the decorations because I wanted to wait for them to install them all together,” she says. Last year, I didn’t even climb the tree. Would I be without a tree again and without my children at Christmas? ”
Nazeem Muhajarine, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan, says it may be necessary to scale down the festivities due to concerns about the Omicron variant.
It is still too early to fully understand the new mutation. Prof. Muhajarine remains hopeful of saving the holiday spirit. He encourages people to see how the situation unfolds before canceling the celebrations.
“It is prudent to have a more measured approach, he agrees. But you can wait until Christmas or New Years’ Day approaches before you complete your plans. ”
Some researchers have suggested that the new variant would be more contagious than its predecessors, but Prof Muhajarine says it will be weeks before you know the behavior of the variant, especially if it is more dangerous or more resistant.
While the variant has caused a sharp rise in COVID-19 cases in South Africa, it is still too early to predict its spread in Canada, since the vaccination rate is higher in our country, he adds.
One thing is certain: uncertainty makes it difficult for those planning to spend their vacations abroad. Canada and several other countries have taken more severe restrictive measures at their borders, says Prof. Muhajarine.
Visiting relatives and friends in Canada is a safer bet. He recommends that visitors undergo rapid antigenic tests before arrival and before departure as a precaution.
Prof. Muhajarine invites the population to prepare to redo their plan, depending on what the provinces decide to deal with the current wave of COVID-19.
New Brunswick already announced on Sunday the entry into force of phase 1 of the winter action plan. If indoor gatherings of 20 people or less are allowed, it is recommended that unvaccinated people stay in their homes.
Quebec intends to announce its intentions this week, but Prime Minister François Legault had the hope of increasing to 20 or 25 people the limit number of participants in an indoor rally. But will the recent increase in the number of cases really give him a choice?
Prof. Muhajarine prefers more intimate encounters. He recommends having fewer than ten guests and requiring them to be vaccinated.
“This is how we can make sure we have a safe and secure little Christmas this year. Hopefully things will be different next year. ”
Steve Joordens, a psychology professor at the University of Toronto Scarborough, is concerned that the Omicron variant is pushing people into depression.
“We thought we had the chance to celebrate a normal Christmas this year. If we are deprived of it, it will be returned the iron in the wound, he said. You start to have depressive feelings. We have the impression that we cannot change anything. It is really maddening. ”