People charged with enforcing the dozens of new rules implemented over the last year are bearing the brunt of pandemic fatigue.
In a third wave of COVID-19 spread, which is proving to be more virulent than the first or second waves, the rules are only as good as the enforcement around them.
Dr. Charles Gardner, medical officer of health for the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, has pushed a talk-first, fine-after model for most of the pandemic and continues to subscribe to it one year in.
“We’ve certainly had a lot of calls seeking clarification with regards to the restrictions,” said Gardner. “When we’ve had complaints about businesses, we’ve approached them and taken the progressive approach of education first and then enforcement.”
If a fine under the Reopening Ontario Act isn’t enough, the health unit leans on other enforcement agencies for support.
“We work with partners including the police and bylaw enforcement officers in order to assist as necessary and seek legal counsel as necessary for any situations that remain problematic,” he said.
Health unit enforcement officers have laid 23 charges against businesses in Simcoe County and Muskoka since Jan. 15, 2021 for violations of the Reopening Ontario Act, with fines ranging from $750 to $1,000 for each business.
The 23 charges do not include any tickets or fines issued by police, bylaw officers or provincial enforcement officers against other businesses or individuals in the area.
Municipal bylaw officers, police and health unit enforcement officers are also struggling to deal with an increasing number of protests, which include large groups defying public health measures and gathering in opposition to stay-at-home orders and lockdowns.
In Barrie, for example, a couple hundred people have been gathering at a downtown public space every Saturday to protest public health measures.
Though police have been involved, and there are several cases of people violating emergency orders, the groups still gather and few charges are laid.
Dr. Gardner said enforcement of provincial and local health unit orders is nearly impossible at protests like this with hundreds of participants.
“It can be very difficult considering the pandemic fatigue that everybody has and the amount of disenchantment that many people now feel with the restrictions,” he said. “I would say it’s inherently challenging to discourage that kind of behaviour at this time.”
Though there are instances of altercations over pandemic rules and closures, the local medical officer of health said the harassment he’s experienced has been over the rollout of vaccines.
“Personally, I’ve only received a very limited number of direct contacts myself in this regard and actually most of the communication that I directly receive has been more on the topic of access to immunization,” said Gardner.
It appears the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is not the only one taking flak for the Ontario plan for vaccinating people against COVID-19.
York Region council announced it would be stepping up policing at vaccination sites because of “very, very rude residents,” and a rise in the use of abusive language and harassment toward York Region staff.
The Grey Bruce Health Unit’s interim director of operations and program development, Ian Reich, penned an open letter to residents about the harassment staff at the health unit are facing, particularly in connection with vaccination rollouts.
“I have to manage, on a daily basis, multiple incidences with my staff in which they are sworn at, belittled, harassed and bullied to the point of tears,” Reich wrote in his letter. “It disheartens me... that these abusive calls are growing exponentially with the impatience of getting the vaccine.”
He acknowledged there are positive comments and individuals who are supportive of the health unit staff and the vaccine rollout. But others are overcome with pandemic-related fatigue.
“The folks calling using this language are just frustrated… and their emotions get the best of them at times,” noted Reich. “Most, if not all, are unaware of their tone and language they are using. But we all need to become aware. We all need to be more cordial with each other.”
