Nobody wants to be here right now.
Still the grips of Covid-19, a grim report Tuesday revealed that the virus has killed a 10th territorial resident.
Seven of those 10 victims were unvaccinated, two were partially vaccinated while one was fully vaccinated, according to the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO).
The figures just keep coming, almost as relentless as the virus itself.
Of the 59 people in the NWT who have been hospitalized since the pandemic began, 68 per cent didn’t have two fully effective doses of vaccine.
But there are also positive indicators. The number of active Covid-19 cases in the NWT dipped to 194 on Wednesday, marking the first time that the case count fell below 200 since Sept. 15. That number was as high as 460 on Oct. 7, which was downright alarming.
In Yellowknife, Ndilǫ and Dettah, the number of active case stood at 78 on Tuesday, down from 91 on Monday.
At least things have been showing signs of moving in the right direction.
So we cling to hope that we will see continued progress, even though we’re crestfallen that vaccines, although highly effective, haven’t dealt a serious blow to Covid-19, largely due to the Delta and other powerful variants. Booster doses of vaccine are now available to NWT residents aged 18 and over, so there’s that counter-punch.
Schools reopened Monday after six weeks of closure due to the Covid outbreak. Friends and families were able to reunite after a lockdown.
Those steps brought relief, but still, we wait. We anxiously watch for signs of even better days ahead.
For film fans, today could be one of those days. The Capitol Theatre reopens, albeit with oodles of public health protocols that must be followed. Proof of vaccination and photo ID will be required for adult movie-goers. Masks must be worn, among many other rules. But the payoff is Bond, James Bond for devotees of the action/adventure genre while those who love a good horrorshow (like we’re not already living one) will get to enjoy the latest installment of the Halloween franchise.
Meanwhile, many sports organizations are champing at the bit to get back in action. Several groups – rec hockey, old-timers hockey, soccer, volleyball and soccer among them – are either seeking or have been granted permission to have more than 25 people at indoor events, limits set by the OCPHO.
It’s looking promising that Yk1 school gyms will be accessible again by Nov. 8, at least for groups with an exemption from the OCPHO.
More good news: the two rinks and the gymnasium within the Multiplex will be counted separately in terms of the number of people they can accommodate.
“There are still Covid exposures happening, so it is important to continue with some protective public health measures,” chief public health officer Dr. Kami Kandola said as she announced the easing of public health restrictions last week. “The NWT is making progress in our fight against Covid-19 in our communities.”
Henry Spencer, a Canadian computer programmer and space enthusiast, once said, “Progress requires setbacks; the only sure way to avoid failure is not to try.”
We’ve endured our share of setbacks. We have been trying to abide by all these safety protocols – well, at least most of us have – for the good of the whole.
We could really use a James Bond right about now to get us out of this mess. In absence of that, may common sense and patience continue to prevail.