Introduction
Despite the continued rapid spread of coronavirus infection worldwide, some countries have decided to take the path of gradual lifting of restrictions. Omicron remains the dominant strain in the world; it is found in almost all countries. The opinion that this strain is capable of turning a coronavirus infection into a seasonal disease is still spreading on the Internet. In Canada, the restrictions are still viable, which severely burdens the residents’ lives. Although Canada is a medically advanced country seeking to lift restrictions on the coronavirus, it has not yet developed a plan to eliminate the disease.
Summary
Mitigating coronavirus limitations has become a major problem for numerous states because the virus is still active in some parts. The article published in National Post View tells that the country’s government has been quite unsuccessful in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 and currently continues to impose strict restrictions (“NP View,” 2022). Governmental regulations will not contribute to the destruction of the infection but will lose the ability to control its spread since immunizations have the greatest advantage in preventing hospitalization and reducing mortality. The author claimed that individuals or business units should voluntarily decide if their employees should wear masks or not. In general, representatives of the state should face the real situation and develop countermeasures to eliminate restrictions, and not just keep imposing them because the population is suffering greatly.
Response One
Nonetheless, the author barely spoke about the protective measures in case the limitations are removed. The idea of lifting them seems far more important to get residents back to normal life (“NP View,” 2022). However, this puts a significant strain on governmental resources meaning that the state would have to spend additional resources on fighting the infection repeatedly. In the CBC News article, the authors discussed the possibility of new strains’ emergence and the government’s unpreparedness to respond proactively (Miller, 2022). The testing should be kept as a means of establishing the precise number of COVID-19 cases until the pandemic slows down (Miller, 2022). Hence, it would be better to keep lifting the restrictions, even though, in some way, it is a tyranny, but it is helpful since the virus can evolve at any moment. In general, while there are no preventive measures, it is senseless to cancel the restrictions.
Response Two
Regardless that some provinces have begun to remove most of the limitations, it seems that a balance is needed between protecting the health of residents and absolute freedom. It is still vital to provide necessary resources for restoring the country’s economy because the pandemic has caused great losses to the government. In the National Post View, the author sees residents’ liberty as the priority to fight for (“NP View,” 2022). Meanwhile, others consider that a certain level of it can only be reached when the immunization rates are high (Global News, 2022). Increasing the level of vaccination in the community, along with clear government countermeasures and appropriate policies, is a priority (Payne, 2021). Therefore, lifting the limitations is not the primary measure of providing freedom to the residents.
Conclusion
In summary, Canada seeks to eliminate any COVID-19 restrictions, but it is by no means ready to bear the consequences of this decision. If the number of cases is growing, is there a sense to lift the limitations? What are the possible measures to raise immunization awareness in the country? In general, the government must find a compromise on how to start canceling the constraints and reduce infection rates.
References
Global News. (2022). COVID-19: Weighing the risks and rewards of lifting pandemic restrictions [Video]. YouTube.
Miller, A. (2022). Canada’s abandoning of COVID-19 testing leaves us vulnerable to future variants, experts say. CBC News.
NP View: It’s time for COVID restrictions to come to an end. (2022). National Post View.
Payne, E. (2021). Saying the pandemic is not over yet, immunization expert urges caution. Ottawa Citizen.