Canadian Youth Fed up With Restrictions

"Provinces [are] ... trying to reopen at I think a very prudent pace, slowly opening up bars and restaurants. But everyone recognizes we would expect to get clusters of cases."

"That is concerning [young adults comprising 55 percent of new cases. The young feel they are invincible] and can get away with anything."

Deputy public health officer Howard Njoo

"I just asked people, just hold off on these parties."

"I don't know why everyone wants to party so badly. Enough!"

"We have to keep this in control."

"It's about education. If you see someone doing something, or large groups, break the group up. [The] vast majority -- 98 percent -- of all these young folks are following protocols, procedures, and a couple percent are going a little hog wild."

"Guys, you've got to reign it in, simple as that. Because you may get through it, but maybe your grandparents won't get through it."

Ontario Premier Doug Ford

People wait for a table at a ByWard Market patio on July 12. Ottawa Public Health says young people are driving a recent spike in COVID-19 cases in the city. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

"I think this is a reflection of many people feeling that they're tired of the restrictions. They don't want to be held back anymore from interacting socially with their friends, from doing the things that they enjoy."

Dr.Deena Hinshaw, Alberta chief medical officer

"The math is very straightforward, if we have large numbers of contacts, we'll have large reproduction numbers."

"Back in March, that's what we were anticipating -- dynamic distancing. We would have to turn distancing on and off and on and off until we get a vaccine or [the virus] attenuates and becomes less dangerous."

"The good thing is right now there's a lot of hospital capacity in the country, a lot of ICU capacity."

Dr.David Fisman, infectious disease expert, University of Toronto

"You are gambling with human life here. This is the beginning of the second wave, if we are stupid enough to let it grow."

"It is not simply opening indoor bars and restaurants. It is also the psychological effect of telling people, 'You could be in an indoor bar or restaurant and, therefore, everything now goes again. The reopening signals to people a change in behaviour is OK."

Amir Attaran, professor, school of epidemiology and public health, University of Ottawa

A server wears a mask as she works among the plexiglass dividers at a bar's outdoor patio in the Byward Market in Ottawa, on Sunday, July 12, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

As far as Dr. Attaran is concerned, from his perspective as a public health expert it is fairly useless to coddle people along instead of confronting them with the stark reality of SARS-CoV-2 infections not yet in sufficient remission to breathe that sigh of relief that we've all gone through months of personal sacrifice to accommodate a personal and public need for circumspect behaviour as a defence against an unseen and morbid public enemy, and it's time to let loose because distancing measures have succeeded to a degree in slowing the infection rate.

That relaxed vigilance and the response on the part of the public that it's time to break loose has had a fairly immediate, albeit anticipated result in a sudden upsurge of COVID-19 cases. If he had his way, he would order an immediate return to Stage 2, from the precipitate Stage 3 so recently announced, which has led people to congregate in numbers -- particularly young people -- in bars, restaurants, on beaches, and at private parties. And from those venues the wincing new wave of infections has arisen.

Dr.Attaran reminds anyone who will listen to his expertise that there is a too-high price to pay for a newer, lax attitude persuading people that it's quite all right to celebrate in close personal quarters once again. He advocates harsh punishment for anyone who flouts strict enforcement of public health rules. Only that kind of remorseless public strategy, taking people back to adherence of the safety protocols that proved their value in 'flattening the curve', will work to improve the situation from returning high numbers of infection. 

During the second week of July, the largest proportion of new cases reported -- 22 percent of female cases and 28 percent of male cases -- were in the 20 to 29 age group, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. Data indicate the younger age groups now comprise a higher percentage of overall positives, even as older age group numbers are falling. Up to now, emphasized Dr.Howard Njoo, total positive case numbers were falling, but what is seen as a public health success in diminishing numbers is also a fragile state, easily disrupted.

That is readily seen in the daily case counts across Canada, which had been reduced to 300 earlier in the month and now stand around 460, a considerable increase across the board. Ontario moved most of its regions to Stage 3 of reopening last Friday, and consequently reported 203 new cases and one death on Tuesday, representing the highest number recorded in several weeks. Health Minister Christine Elliott clarified that 47 percent of the cases resulted in people under age 30.

As for Quebec which had reopened earlier than other provinces, despite holding the record for the highest number of COVID cases, 180 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours which several regional health officers attributed to community transmission linked to bars, pools, restaurants and house parties. "There are people who are now sick, who don't now it, and who will pass it on to others", stated Dr.Horacio Arruda, Quebec's chief public health officer.

The weekend saw Alberta report 368 new cases, bringing its active total to 1,109 cases, the highest count since May. The province had recorded 120 new cases prior to the weekend, its first triple-digit daily increase in two-and-a-half months. While the numbers are concerning, said the province's chief medical officer, Dr.Deena Hinshaw, they're not enough to merit another shutdown.

Scientists are warning that more young people are being infected with COVID-19, creating the potential for a severe outbreak. Thousands of people spend time on the beach by Lake Ontario in Toronto on Saturday June 20, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn