Pandemic fatigue

COVID-19 has radically changed the everyday lives of Canadians. Many of them revamped their outlook on life and gained respect for their country. However, it's not all rosy: The Angus Reid Institute conducted a study in the first half of 2022 that found the Canadian population frustrated and weary of the lingering pandemic. One in three Canadians reported suffering from mental health problems.

Thirty-five percent of those surveyed said they see persistent depression and anxiety in their social circle, and the vast majority believe that pandemic restrictions have made the situation much worse and made recovery more difficult. These same trends are also noted in those who have addictions and alcoholism among their loved ones.

The emergence of the Omicron strain has dealt a serious blow to the mental health of Canadians, perhaps more than the outbreak of the disease in 2020. Not only did its spread coincide with the holiday season, causing many to rethink their plans, it also extended the timing of the pandemic, making many wonder when the end will come. Half of Canadians don't believe 2022 will be the last year of the covid epic.

Meanwhile, doctors are sounding the alarm: As the pandemic dragged on, substance use increased. According to new data from Statistics Canada, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of overdose deaths and alcohol-related deaths among Canadians under 65 increased significantly due to prolonged lockdowns and isolation.

A new July study by Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) shows that things are partially getting better. Overall, respondents' anxiety levels are down 21% and depression rates have dropped slightly.

The MHRC is optimistic: "This is a positive sign of improved mental health for Canadians, but we still have ways to reach (and hopefully surpass) pre-pandemic levels.

However, those who previously reported experiencing high anxiety and depressive episodes began to experience symptoms more frequently. Statistics attribute this to an unwillingness or inability to seek professional help: only one in ten Canadians sought psychological support last year.

The situation with alcohol remains difficult: 5% of Canadians show signs of alcohol dependence, and one in ten of them report that they cannot quit drinking if they start at least once a month.

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A recent LifeWorks report is alarming: According to the report, 56% of parents notice a decline in their children's mental health and development. It reports that 27% of parents see their children worrying about the future, 24% notice a decline in social development, and 23% say academic performance is deteriorating.

Moreover, anxiety levels among children 15 and older were found to be higher than the national average for all age groups, and children ages 10 to 14 experienced the worst effects of the pandemic on their mental health.

Steven Liptrap, president and CEO of LifeWorks, believes that close attention needs to be paid to the childhood problem, which inevitably affects a large portion of the adult population:

"Children's mental health has been severely affected by contingencies and isolation in the wake of the pandemic. Not surprisingly, the resulting impact on parents and families is severe.

All of this couldn't help but affect residents' engagement with the news of the rising incidence of the disease. The Angus Reid Institute reports that public support for measures related to COVID-19 is waning in Quebec and other parts of Canada. Dr. Christopher Labos, a Montreal-based cardiologist with a degree in epidemiology, says

"I think people are tired, people are frustrated."

Dr. Labos explained that the population has difficulty adapting to long-term health measures, such as periodic mask-wearing in crowded areas, because it usually takes time to get used to new social rules and precautions.

He compared pandemic restrictions to not smoking indoors, wearing a seat belt in a car and wearing a helmet when riding a bicycle, something that "takes years of sustained effort" to implement.

When it comes to vaccination, there has been a steady decline in public interest. In Quebec, for example, as of August 17, only 56% of residents aged 5 years and older had received the third dose of the vaccine, a number that has barely changed in several months. The government says the low rate of revaccination use is due to the fact that millions of Quebecers have already had the new strain and consider themselves sufficiently protected. However, experts believe that the problem is rather a general fatigue of the problem and insufficient promotion of the booster among the population.

Jason Harley, assistant professor of surgery at McGill University, believes that Canadians have changed their attitude toward danger and have stopped listening to public health advice:

"A lot of it has to do with exhaustion from the pandemic. It's been more than two years of people living with incredible levels of anxiety, dealing with it day after day, sometimes hour after hour, so it's normal and reflexive that people are looking for ways to feel better."

The announced vaccination of children under 5 years of age has also not been received unequivocally, contrary to predictions. The University of Alberta conducted a study and found that the younger the children, the less likely Canadian parents were to want to vaccinate them against COVID-19. Shannon MacDonald, associate professor of nursing at the University of Alaska, confirms this finding: Canadians are more willing to vaccinate themselves than to vaccinate their children. Parents who don't plan to immunize their child or are undecided report concerns about the safety of the vaccine, the speed of its development, and the fact that it's new.

The Canadian authorities continue to insist on revaccination of the population, assuring that they do not plan to return the strict restrictions. There are also questions about the monkeypox outbreak: immunizations are still voluntary and among specific groups of the population, but no one can give accurate predictions about the further spread of the disease. One thing is certain: Canadian mental health experts recommend listening to yourself, taking care of your psyche and not hesitating to contact professionals.