Mandryk: Omicron frustrations getting to everybody

By Murray Mandryk

The longer this pandemic goes on, the more frustration grows … and, sadly, the more deeply divided we seem to be getting.

One supposes this was inevitable. No one thought there would be two years of this.

Nevertheless, the best way for all of us to get through this is a thoughtful, reasoned approach.

That’s something we’re not seeing right now.

Some of the problems begin with those who now basically believe the pandemic is over or at least that is nearing the end and morphing into a fifth wave that sees Omicron variant producing a disturbing rise in cases but with cases producing less harmful outcomes.

They point to a smaller number of hospitalizations than even in the fourth wave, notwithstanding the reality that known cases have tripled and quadrupled.

Premier Scott Moe and his Saskatchewan Party government have interpreted this to mean that there’s less reason to worry about the current high infection accompanying the Omicron variant.

Some even take this one step further to mean now is a safe time to remove all restrictions in Saskatchewan, even though other provinces who were hit with the high infection rates slightly earlier than Saskatchewan saw a need to re-introducing measures to prevent transmissions through large gatherings.

Many are even re-introducing the idea that Omicron is simply creating “herd immunity” in what they see as COVID-19 morphing into what amounts to a cold.

This approach is frustrating and maybe even potentially dangerous.

Sure, it would be nice if this was the case, but that’s not necessarily what we are being told by those who are knowledgeable.

Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Saqib Shahab has been rather blunt in his assessment that while the Omicron variant is not as devastating as the Delta variant, it remains rather dangerous. Shahab has repeatedly suggested people keep their own gatherings to a few people, notwithstanding the reluctance of the Sask. Party government to reinstitute crowd-size limits in public places or social-distancing requirements.

Moreover, doctors explain that hospitalizations are what they call “lagging indicators,” meaning they come a few weeks after a surge in the numbers of people who have contacted the virus. With the sheer volume of Omicron cases, more hospitalizations are inevitable.

As troubling, the higher percentage of people getting sick with Omicron applies equally to health care workers, which now puts further strain on a health system that is already facing a backlog of surgeries.

All this has frustrated a growing number of critics of Moe and the Sask. Party government who fear that we are taking a huge gamble by not imposing similar restrictions like other provinces.

At an update news conference Wednesday, Moe justified not adding restrictions by arguing they are not bringing down case rates elsewhere.

But the biggest news out of the press conference was that maybe Saskatchewan has to start planning to increase its hospitalization surge capacity because Omicron is far more contagious.

And while the Premier is asking Saskatchewan people to “double-down” their efforts — later clarifying that that means more people getting vaccinated because the unvaccinated are still the bulk of problem — there were no added measures to encourage the unvaccinated to get vaccinated and certainly no added measures to stop the spread.

The frustration of many is justifiable.

However, what’s less justifiable is some people’s frustrated reactions.

Some are now arguing that what needs to be done is something similar to what the Quebec government has proposed — taxing those who wilfully aren’t getting the vaccines. A few have gone as far as suggesting they pay their own hospital bills.

Wisely, Moe rejected such nonsense. It would defy the Canada Health Act and the public health premise of user-pay. And would one legally enforce it?

Right now, we all need to be reasonable — something admittedly hard to do in these frustrating times.