Busy News Day #1 - New Restrictions Announced

 

It kind of feels like my grandson is never going to be able to play in a ball pool again.  It kind of feels like no one's grandchild is ever going to be able to play in a ball pool again.  

New restrictions announced in Manitoba to take affect Tuesday.  The restrictions were announced by Manitoba's Chief Public Health Official Dr. Roussin at 4 pm yesterday.  He was flanked by the Premier and the Health Minister.  It is good to see that, however, does it sound like Dr. Roussin's style to have a presser at 4 pm on a Friday.  I have to say that I am curious about the timing.  The end of the day and the end of the week while people are finishing their work week and on their way home.  It is almost like they didn't want to answer questions.  That does not seem like Dr. Roussin's style.  He seems unabashed, direct, decisive, and takes his role seriously.  I just really hope that he is running the show when it comes to public health.  Our public health really is too important to be political.  This is the time for political parties to unite and speak as one voice.  We don't know what is ahead of us, but, we need to take politics out of it.  

The announcement of the new restrictions was exactly three hours before the puck dropped at centre ice at Canada Life Centre.  15,000 fans, players, and staff crowded into a space downtown.  What will be the future of professional hockey?  The restrictions are set to run until January 11.  That is a lot of time but can't imagine how they will reduce capacity to 50%.  

Just a couple of hours later, some local bonspiels have been cancelled.  As a curling fan, I am very saddened.  I am wondering about my plans to watch the mixed doubles curling trials in Portage La Prairie.  I really needed to go somewhere and cheer.  

Of course, my sadness pales into comparison to those who operate small businesses, particularly local restaurants.  Can they make a living at 50% capacity.  I don't know.  I don't know anything about running a restaurant but whenever we go out or whenever we take out, I make a mental calculation about how much the meal would cost me to make.  And, I don't have any overhead costs per se nor am I paying staff to cook or serve.  (Although there are multiple times that I wish I was paying someone to clean up.)  It just doesn't seem to be that any eatery is getting rich from my business.  Liquor sales will end sooner and we are back to no dancing.  

Although I haven't done it in a long time, now that I can't, I really feel the need to go out and dance like nobody's watching.  I yearn to party like its 1999.  

Some people are pointing the finger at others for the need for new restrictions.  I understand that sentiment, but regardless of how did or didn't do what, it doesn't change that new restrictions will be coming into affect from December 21 - January 11.  It does seem fitting that they will start on the longest night of the year just because of the darkness metaphor.  

I guess somehow we just need to hang in there, follow the recommendations of Public Health, and again, not make plans.  As someone who has been doing my part since this started, it is frustrating.  A new year is coming.  A time for resolutions and goals.  It is hard to set goals when our future is up in the air.  

I guess we can't take for granted what we are allowed to do, and when it returns, we can't take anything for granted.  It is close to two years since we heard of the coronavirus. We are still deep in battle.  Let's just not take anything for granted.  Despite all of our good research on google or twitter, let's just resolve to trust the wisdom of our public health officials.  There is so little that we have control over, let's control our response to the new restrictions and do what they ask for the short term in hopes of more freedom to do what we want in the long tern.