St. John’s successes blueprint for HRM

A sudden massive surge in COVID-19 cases, including many from the highly infectious B.1.1.7 U.K. variant. An Atlantic Canadian city under emergency lockdown. Authorities desperately trying to regain control of a potentially disastrous scenario.

That was St. John’s in early February of this year.

At the worst of the spike, 244 new cases were recorded in five days. Health officials feared a runaway infectious situation.

Within a month, however, health officials in Newfoundland and Labrador happily reported the outbreak had been contained. New daily cases returned to the low single digits. Crisis had been averted.

How? Vigilance, patience and kindness. Vigilance, as authorities urged anyone with even a single symptom, or possible contact with other cases, to get tested.

Patience, as Premier Andrew Furey asked the public in a Feb. 12 briefing — despite everyone’s acknowledged pandemic fatigue — to “dig deeper” and work together to stop the latest outbreak in its tracks.

“It’s up to all of us to fight our way back,” Furey said.

And, finally, kindness. Turning on one another only sows division, at exactly a time when unity is desperately needed.

Newfoundlanders, understanding they were all in this together, largely complied. It worked.

TESTING VITAL

Now, Nova Scotia — specifically the Halifax region — is facing a similar crisis.

But with vigilance, patience and kindness, Nova Scotians can also get through this.

In recent days, daily COVID-19 cases in Nova Scotia have surged to levels not seen in this province since the pandemic began.

In response, the provincial government has wisely announced sweeping new lockdown measures for Halifax Regional Municipality and surrounding communities, including barring non-essential travel in and out of HRM and limiting most gatherings to five people maximum.

All students in schools across the province must now wear masks.

As in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia is attempting to choke off opportunities for the coronavirus to spread, while maximizing testing.

Nova Scotia strongly urges even those without symptoms to be tested, particularly anyone with large numbers of contacts due to work or social activities. Pop-up rapid testing sites have been added to existing locations.

Testing is vital to get a handle on the virus’s spread. Because some people can have COVID19 yet not show symptoms, it’s important to identify them so they don’t unknowingly infect others, some of whom may become severely ill.

“We’ve done this before and we can do it again,” Premier Iain Rankin said Friday.

Of course, there’s understandable public frustration and even anger, amid pandemic fatigue, about the return to lockdown.

Those who haven’t followed guidelines for self-isolation and social distancing have unquestionably contributed to the current crisis.

Before lashing out, however, remember the vast majority of the thousands cleared to travel in and out of our region do obey the rules. They’re as frustrated as anyone about the few who put everyone at risk.

If we work together — and continue to vaccinate as many as possible — we can still reinflate the Atlantic Bubble.