To be vaccinated sooner than later, is a need Canadians require

Posted on February 18, 2021 by admin

Oh, Canada we give our arms to thee — to be vaccinated against a pandemic that has crippled our way of life fromcoast-to-coast. There is supposed to be light at the end of the tunnel, right?

It seems somebody somewhere dropped the ball in Canada in regards to the securing and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines for Canadians being somewhat rolled out haphazardly across the nation. Who is to blame? How did this happen? Why are Canadians waiting on vaccines? When will the majority of Canadians be vaccinated against this menace to our society? It’s not as simple as that. It’s most definitely a daunting task to vaccinate an entire population. There are so many intricate cogs to this system — many working parts to this dysfunctional machine meant to deliver highly-anticipated vaccines to the masses.

These scientific marvels, if you will and/or depending on who you talk to, are said to be enroute. The question on the minds of most Canadians is — is there an official Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) for Canadians to be vaccinated in 2021? Sure, the vulnerable in society are getting their doses and front-line workers and the like — which is great news and is encouraging.

Provincial governments are relentlessly pursuing answers to when more vaccines will be coming to each of their respective provinces. Provincial leaders point to the lack of leadership and point fingers at their federal counterparts, while the Official Opposition keeps poking the bear, wanting answers to when the rest of Canada receives their, for some, life-saving lifeline. The not-so funny thing is — Canada has a minority government. That means, all parties are responsible for this monumental campaign currently underway across Canada. That also means, everybody in the sandbox needs to play nice, collaborate, make sacrifices and compromises and hope for a quick delivery and response in this crisis. Canadian politicians need to put their politics aside for the betterment of human kind. It’s not rocket science, but why then, is there a hold-up in Ottawa? Vaccinating a country is one of those once in a 100 years cycle. A lot of Canadians have never experienced anything like this — an unrelenting pandemic, that holds no prejudices.

It’s tiresome, scary as heck, and for once — everyone in Canada is on the same playing field, for the most part. Canadians have stepped-up to the plate to take on this sinister plague, that has devastated industries, killed family members and friends and has left us completely vulnerable to its horror.

Waiting impatiently for a vaccine has made many Canadians unruly, quick to judge, frightened, unsure and wanting answers from the powers that be — why aren’t vaccines flowing through the country at a quicker pace? Good things come to those that wait! Unfortunately, many Canadians may not be able to wait, as they are in a compromised position or are just about out of business or need to feel their country is looking out for their best interests. Is it? Canadians have become restless and for good reason.

For the time being, Canadians need to continue to be proactive, while taking the steps necessary to kick COVID to the curb. Mask wearing, hand sanitizing, social distancing, washing hands, saying no to large gatherings, etc. will help Canadians remain vigilant — while waiting for a vaccine (which is hopefully on its way to Alberta and elsewhere in the coming weeks).

Canadians are strong and persevere. Why should this scenario be any different? We collectively can fight this pandemic by sticking together when the going gets tough, being open to the idea policy-makers and decision makers might just not have all the answers during this troubling time. Hopefully, they are doing the best they can with what they are being facedwith. It is our duty to make sure politicians are working at this, to the best of their abilities. Canadians can reach out to their local MPs and MLAs to poke and prod and demand answers or timelines. Canadians can write Letters to the Editor to their local newspapers to express theirconcerns. And, hopefully Canadians will be vaccinated (if one so chooses) before the summer or early fall.

This editorial originated in the Taber Times