7.8 C
Niagara Falls
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
COVID-19: Letter: Not following reopening rules could lead to unmitigated disaster

Dear editor:

The recently reported incidences of visitors to Old Town during the pandemic shutdown is a precursor or harbinger of what's to come as Ontario opens up its economy and millions of tourists descend on the Greater Niagara Region.

How we transition and navigate to the new post COVID-19 norm will be critical to mitigate the spread of the virus as  proven to result from overcrowding. 

To date, absent any case data from the Region of Niagara, which Lord Mayor Betty Disero has repeatably requested without success, we have to assume we have been spared a heavy caseload and subsequent deaths.

Residents, and in particular our senior population, are dreading the massive influx of tourists into Old Town. Sadly, they fear the worst is still to come as NOTL could be a potential COVID-19 hotspot.

As our elected officials wrestle with a staged reopening post COVID-19 what will  it look like? Life will experience unimaginable changes, much more than society's after 9/11. References will be made to life before COVID-19 much the same as  life before the Second World War, computers, etc.

Will council be forced by the events of the day to finally address the parking or lack thereof, which we have read about for years? Will Queen Street be closed to traffic with out-of-town parking to open up social distancing? Will the wearing of masks be mandatory etc.? 

The challenges are enormous, wide-reaching and lifestyle changing long term. Our officials must be spending many sleepless nights as they attempt to thread the needle to implement a plan that will no doubt be fraught with unpredictable consequences.

We all must be more vigilant and strictly adhere to the guidelines of government and local officials.

Of course, as the lord mayor previously stated, “We cannot legislate for stupidity.”  We still witness far too many bad actors in our community, like the returning vacationers we read about re: the incidence with the woman and her husband at Shoppers Drug Mart.

Not to follow the guidelines and force a second shutdown is unimaginable and would be an unmitigated disaster.

Samuel  Young

NOTL

 

 

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