After nearly two years of up-and-down restrictions in Ontario related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the latest lockdown finds people in Collingwood dealing differently based on their home situation.
Harold Zukerman will be celebrating his 96th birthday on Jan. 23.
He said he will be spending the day in his Collingwood home alone watching TV, reading and writing poetry, as he has spent most days throughout the last 21 months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Zukerman is one of many Collingwood residents who find themselves impacted by the latest Ford government announcement on Jan. 3. As part of that announcement, as of Jan. 5, social gathering limits have been lowered, gyms and indoor dining have been closed, and schools have been moved to virtual learning.
Prior to the pandemic, Zukerman was an active volunteer at the Collingwood YMCA teaching senior fitness classes, and at the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital serving meals, helping patients with exercises or reading to them.
When the pandemic started, the volunteering that kept Zukerman busy dried up due to ever-changing public health measures. About a year into the pandemic, he said the daily monotony started to get to him and he experienced a bout of depression.
“For the first year or so, I was OK with myself, but then, I started feeling depressed. But then, wouldn’t you know it, I got a call from the hospital that Bay Haven (Care Community) needed volunteers and asked if I’d be interested, and I jumped at it,” said Zukerman. “It gave me a purpose. It’s important that a person feels they have a purpose.”
About two weeks ago, Zukerman said Bay Haven informed him they would be stopping volunteers coming into the home due to an active outbreak. The outbreak is still listed as active according to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
While he waits for things to reopen, he said he enjoys phone calls from his daughter and granddaughter regularly, who live in Toronto. He is fully vaccinated, including his booster shot, and attends a weekly dinner with his stepson at his home. Despite his age, he said he doesn’t feel scared when he leaves his home to run errands, like shopping for groceries.
“I go shopping. I wear my mask. I keep my distance. I sanitize my hands. I do everything I’m supposed to do,” he said, adding that friendly neighbours also help him by dropping off things from time to time. “I feel pretty good.”
Kids move to virtual learning – again
Marlene Pinkerton has two children; her youngest is in kindergarten and her oldest is in Grade 6.
“We did home-school today and it was fun,” said Pinkerton. “I am so happy we're home.”
Pinkerton herself is immune-compromised. The Collingwood mom is self-employed, as the owner of the Collingwood Acupuncture Clinic. She has closed her practice as of today until restrictions are lifted, which she said will mean a loss for the business. Her husband is a Grade 4 teacher and is also relieved to be home amid rising case counts, especially in schools.
“Doug Ford did the right thing,” said Pinkerton.
Another Collingwood mom took matters into her own hands, unable to wait for late-hour announcements from the province.
Melissa Russo took a proactive step for her son's school year. Her youngest was eligible to enter kindergarten in September, but she made the call to keep him in daycare. Russo’s nine-year-old daughter attends Mountain View Elementary School.
“I’m a single mom, and I work from home,” said Russo. “I’m paying out-of-pocket for daycare, even though he could be in public school, because I was afraid of a closure and being unable to work. I can’t work with a four-year-old at home.”
“I’m really happy I made that decision because I’m able to work and keep my job. Being effective at work is really important because we’re all replaceable,” she said.
With Russo and her daughter both working remotely, Russo said her house is a busy one. She also points to her daughter being a competitive swimmer – an activity that has also been mostly put on hold.
“Learning from home might be an overstatement. She was on the computer for an hour today with her school. She’s been playing games, watching videos and chatting with friends. She’s had no real interaction with anyone her age today,” she said.
Russo said the restrictions put in place Wednesday being announced on Monday highlights the need for the government to work on their communication skills. She also shared concerns that the impacts aren’t being looked at holistically, in that the focus is on physical health impacts of COVID-19 over mental health impacts of shutdowns and lockdowns.
She would like to know what exactly schools will be doing differently in two weeks from now that will prevent the spread of COVID-19 from continuing.
“Parents need to be able to plan. I’m in a great position, even as a single parent,” she said. “I paid to have that peace of mind. Imagine if I didn’t work from home. I would be in big trouble right now.”
Finding a social (media) network
Daphne Randall, 49, moved to Collingwood in July 2020. She moved to the area from Toronto to be closer to her aging parents, and to explore a change in scenery as she works from home as a freelance editor.
“Sometimes I wonder why I moved to such a small place when I’m single with no kids, during a pandemic,” she said, with a laugh. “At the same time, within three months of moving here I lost my dog of 16 years. For me... it’s very challenging to make friends when clubs and such are cut back.”
Randall reached out to the community through a plethora of social media community groups to try to find places to volunteer, or social groups that were still active throughout the pandemic.
She found many local non-profits held off on on-boarding new volunteers during the pandemic, but managed to find a new kind of kinship through her social media network.
“I started getting direct messages from people,” said Randall. “I’ve had requests from people who are, themselves, in difficult situations who are reaching out to strangers asking for help.”
Randall said she’s received requests to help with child care or dog walking, which she said she’s happy to help with as a way to meet people and lend a hand in the community. She said she’s been offered payment, but has refused.
“I found it really interesting,” she said, noting she has met some people but still feels something is missing. “I don’t have any social activities. I’m not feeling personally fulfilled enough. I’m missing that kind of connection.”
Randall said she’s not committed to staying in Collingwood, and is exploring other job opportunities that could take her out of town.
“It’s more expensive than Toronto. There, I had an apartment three times the size than what I ended up with here for the same money. The opportunities are limited here on ways to save money on things like food,” she said.
The power of positivity
John Malloy, 64, lives in Collingwood, and is retired. His household consists of himself and his foster son. He considers himself active in fitness and on social media.
Before the pandemic, Malloy said he was active in local pickleball leagues. He withdrew due to safety concerns.
“Now, I’ve continued with walking. I mask when I’m out with other people,” said Malloy. “I’m still going to be skiing up at Blue Mountain.”
He said he specifically avoid big-box stores and has made it a point to shop locally as often as possible, which also helps him to avoid large crowds.
“We have to protect our front-line (workers),” he said. “We should also support our YMCA. I’m a member, and use the tools they have available like the Y@Home program. Let’s support our friends who need support, because when they don’t have income, that creates all kinds of problems.”
Malloy said he works hard to try to stay positive. He is active on Collingwood community social media pages and points to meditation as being helpful in maintaining his mental health.
“Stick with the positive message, and give some credit to our community,” he said.
When it comes to how he’d prefer to see Ontario move forward after the current restrictions are eased, Malloy has his sights set wider.
“I’d like to see a country-wide, unified plan where we’re all on the same page,” he said.
