One day, it’s 34 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The next, 74 people are infected with the dreaded virus.
Then it’s 129 cases.
This isn’t a recounting of the early days of coronavirus appearing in the NWT, this was just earlier this week.
Just when some of us thought we were out of the woods due to a promising vaccination rate and summer events in full swing – BAM – the virus rears its ugly head once again, aided and abetted by these stubborn variants, particularly delta.
This outbreak marks the fourth wave in the territory as exposure warnings pop up like mosquitoes at Folk on the Rocks.
The rapid spread could make some people feel panicky – get vaccinated, is the best advice from medical professionals. Others may be experiencing extreme frustration as the world around us seemingly shuts down again: handgames postponed indefinitely, Tłı̨chǫ 100th anniversary treaty celebrations moved online instead of in-person, the GNWT telling its employees not to travel unless absolutely essential and best only if staffers with Moderna or Pfizer coursing through their veins pay visits elsewhere.
We must remember that those who are vaccinated are less likely to suffer severe side effects from COVID-19. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that, although the vaccine isn’t 100 per cent foolproof.
So, agonizingly, we must also remember the fundamentals that had become ubiquitous in our lives for the past 17 months: wear a mask, practise social distancing, avoid crowds, wash and sanitize hands frequently and monitor your health closely.
We so badly wanted to be through with those sometimes irksome “rules,” but they served us well during the first, second and third waves.
So do your part, take a deep breath within that mask and soldier on. We’re still at war against the virus for a while longer.
With vigilance and vaccines, we will prevail.