At last, hope is on the horizon

COVID-19 vaccinations are being conducted across Canada. (Weyo/Adobe Stock)

The light at the end of the pandemic tunnel is growing brighter by the day.

Vaccinations are rolling out across the country and Canadians are lining up to beat COVID-19.

In Yukon, pandemic restrictions have now eased to the point where restaurants can return to full capacity, amongst other freedoms for fully vaccinated citizens.

A variety of provincial reopening plans have also been announced in recent days, including the eventual removal of mask mandates.

It’s been a long 15 months that saw 25,000 deaths across the country and nearly 3.5 million worldwide, but at last, hope is again on the horizon.

Canada hits grim milestone of 25,000 COVID-19 deaths, 14 months into pandemic

It’s been an incredibly tough stretch for political leaders, affected families, and essential workplaces and we look forward to sharing stories of OH&S excellence in our July/August issue, where we will unveil 2021’s Top 10 Under 40, OH&S Professional of the Year, Community Leader and Lifetime Achievement winners.

For now, though, employers need to continue slogging through any COVID-19 fatigue into the upcoming summer. Mask mandates, pandemic safety protocols and physical distancing measures remain standard practice in workplace settings.

Staying vigilant against COVID-19 at the workplace

Our cover story takes a deep dive into the struggle to maintain compliance into a second year of coronavirus, as experts agree that diligence and thoroughness are critical to a successful victory over COVID-19.

Sticking to the fundamentals, practising proper physical distancing and hygiene, and wearing PPE will go a long way towards that goal.

From a government perspective, maintaining the current rate of vaccination alongside public health and workplace safety measures is the ticket to ensuring Canada’s eventual reopening.

Community transmission of COVID-19 continues in many areas across Canada, and new variants of concern have been identified and are circulating.

Living through a pandemic

Official federal government advice is to strictly use multiple personal preventive practices, regardless of your vaccination status.

As efforts continue across Canada to increase overall vaccine coverage, public health measures remain the foundation of the pandemic response.

In the fall, more restrictions will be lifted if 75 per cent of those eligible for vaccines have received two doses, according to the federal government.

With Canadians rolling up their sleeves and vaccination plans progressing, better days are ahead for a pandemic-weary nation.

I, for one, am looking forward to leaving this global crisis behind and moving on to post-pandemic analysis such as improvements in emergency management, preparations for future natural disasters, and ushering in the future of work.

Let’s all do our part to ensure the COVID-19 pandemic is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

This editorial was published in the May/June 2021 issue of OHS Canada.