Embracing the new normal: ‘This is what people have been waiting for’

City’s pandemic response leader says physical distancing is more important than ever to avoid a return to lockdown

What Hamiltonians need most right now is to go to a beach, get a haircut or enjoy a meal out on a restaurant patio, says Paul Johnson, the director of Hamilton’s Emergency Operations Centre who is leading the city’s pandemic response.

“More than anything else, that is what I hear from people,” he says. “‘I need to see people, I need to be out, I need to experience some of the things I used to do.’ ”

On Friday, Hamilton and Halton will enter the second phase of reopening after three months of residents being stuck at home following this area’s first case of COVID-19 on March 11.

“This is what people have been waiting for,” says Johnson. “So I would just implore Hamiltonians to remember that the only way we keep doing more of the things we want to do is to ensure we follow those good, strong rules.”

It is more important than ever to stay two metres or six feet apart from anyone who is not in your bubble.

Also known as a social circle, it can’t be larger than 10 people, including those you live with, and you can’t be in more than one bubble.

“Physical distancing is still the most important rule to follow,” said Health Minister Christine

Elliott.

Wash your hands frequently and keep gatherings outside with no more than 10 people. It’s also recommended to wear a non-medical mask when going out. Stay home if you have any symptoms, no matter how mild.

“If you are going to go out, remember the rules that will keep you safe as possible,” said Johnson.

“Those aren’t hard to remember and they’re not hard to employ.”

Premier Doug Ford ruled out making masks mandatory on Tuesday, saying it would be impossible to police.

“I highly, highly recommend when you go out, wear a face mask of some sort,” said Ford. “It’s as simple as that.”

The stakes are high considering Hamilton got its number of new infections down to two on Tuesday — for a total of 771 confirmed and probable cases. Halton had three new cases to bring its total to 790.

“What is happening now is what needs to happen for our physical health, our mental health, our community’s health and our economic health,” Johnson said about the reopenings. “We need to start doing more things.”

But as Justin Trudeau said Tuesday, “I’m not going to sugar coat it, we still have a long journey ahead.”

In the past week, the prime minister has emphasized how tenuous flattening the curve can be, pointing out an emerging pattern in “country after country” of cases rising again when the economy restarts.

“After months of hard work people are finding themselves right back where they started,” he said June 12. “Canada must learn from these lessons.”

Canada’s chief public health officer says it “may only take one new case of COVID-19 to spark an outbreak or ... change our trajectory.”

“The hard truth is that COVID-19 is still very much with us,” said Dr. Theresa Tam. “There is no room for complacency.”

The repercussions of being too lax are a return to lockdown.

“We don’t want to do that,” said Johnson. “This is about moving forward not moving backward.”

A lot of keeping safe in the new normal is common sense.

“If you go somewhere and it just seems that you picked the place everybody wants to go and it seems like too many people, go somewhere else,” said Johnson. “Come back another day.”

He emphasizes there is no way to be 100 per cent safe as residents venture out for the first time amid a long list of reopenings.

“You do need to think about what you are comfortable doing,” said Johnson.

“You’ll have to make those individual decisions. It’s really important people think about their own situation.”

The city will be opening beaches on Friday, but splash pads will take longer to get ready. So far 45 of 69 splash pads have been inspected.

“We’re trying to get splash pads going as quickly as we can,” said Johnson. “Not all will open at the same time.”

City pools won’t open until end of June to mid-July because lifeguards have to relearn how to do their jobs with new COVID-19 restrictions. The list of which pools will open this year will be released Wednesday.

“We’re really looking at the pools that have some size to them ... so that we can get the most people we can because it will be a greatly reduced number of individuals,” said Johnson.

He said he’s had to “reset the expectation” for sports teams, emphasizing that training is all that’s allowed in Stage 2.

“It’s not scrimmages, it’s not games, it’s not pickup,” he said. “You can’t play. You can just train.”

Johnson himself has already booked an appointment with his barber.

“I’ve certainly been hearing enthusiasm to get going,” Johnson said about Hamilton’s businesses.

“The real challenge is going to be numbers and whether it’s viable. It’s that delicate balance of whether financially this can work.”