COVID-19 fatigue & frustration sets in for Maritimers as cases climb, variant spreads

SYDNEY, N.S. -

COVID-19 fatigue set in much earlier in the pandemic, but now with cases surging and Omicron spreading, it’s even more trying and tiresome to many Maritimers.

“I'm holding my phone, my 17-year-old is sitting next to me and we both just looked at each other and I was just like oh god, like again here we go,” said Amanda Carroll, a Sydney resident, who was reacting to Nova Scotia's top doctor announcing new COVID-19 restrictions on Monday.

As the rules were laid out, many were left wondering what this Christmas will look like.

“We had plans for larger family gatherings and we were excited that we were going to have a Christmas that would be more normal this year and to hear the announcement about Christmas gatherings that was another blow,” added Carroll.

It's been one blow after another, few harder hit than the entertainment business and arts community, who were just starting to get back on their feet.

“We had a couple of sold out shows that were coming and a new year’s gig that was 20 tickets shy of being sold out and those have to be kyboshed.” said Jenn Sheppard, a Cape Breton performer.

The feeling of frustration and COVID-19 fatigue is at an all-time high for Sheppard and many others.

“A lot of people will be like we just have to do what they're telling us to do and then there is a whole other camp of people who are saying, but when do we graduate to the notion that we might have to live with this. We can't just all stay locked up in our houses again.” She said.

Omicron is spreading quickly, but so far only mild symptoms are being reported.

Still there's a sense of panic, as COVID-19 cases continue to rise.

“Often these kinds of measures are necessary, so it doesn't get even worse, but it's really understandable for us to be disappointed. A lot of us are burnt out, worn out by being through the pandemic.” Says Psychologist Dr. Dayna Lee-Baggley.

Lee-Baggley says it's really important to honour our losses, as a result of the pandemic.

“We've all lost a lot of things in the pandemic. Some of them are big things like people, but some are little things like the holidays you didn't get to have, weddings that got cancelled and we often down play that a bit.” 

Lee-Baggley says there is data showing that when people can be more psychologically flexible, they will cope better with the pandemic.

But for many, they feel they can only take so much.

“It gets frustrating because you have people that are following all of these protocols, and we're doing what we're supposed to be doing, and we're still just losing the battle.” said Carroll

A battle that will continue into the holidays, whether we like it or not.