A Long 4 Years: Ontario’s The Story of COVID-19, and What It Means To Be a Canadian.

The beginning (at least for Ontario).
A WHO country office within China picked up a statement by a municipal health commission on December 31, 2019, on a case of viral pneumonia, COVID-19. This wasn’t the first time the virus was caught, as instances like these occur when clusters of similar cases and symptoms are discovered in different regions by new professionals. On January 25, 2020, Canada found its first and second case— a couple heading back from the country. The third case, an university student in London, Ontario, was also the first recovery of the virus, testing negative less than 2 weeks after initial diagnosis. On February 26, a woman traveling from Iran caught the virus and spread it to her husband, marking the first human transmission in Canada. Not so soon after, in March, the virus took its first life, a 77-year-old man in Barrie.

Rising pressure.
After this, in an event that seemed catastrophic at the time, the number of cases rapidly grew. From a mere 250 cases in the province of Ontario on March 19, to 10 010 cases and 514 deaths on April 18, and eventually totalling 20 238 cases on May 10. In response to the looming threat of the infection, especially by a virus of this size, the government of Ontario took action within public settings to attempt and quell the spread.

Closure.
On March 12, schools in Ontario were closed for 2 weeks after March break. At this time, only 59 cases were present in Ontario. As the numbers of cases started to climb, it eventually led to the closure of schools until some time in May. Later in the month, a state of emergency was called in Ontario, with all outdoor amenities to be closed until later in April. Unfortunately, the state of emergency was extended again and again, month after month. All of this led up to the final reveal on May 19, where students alike figured out the truth— they were not returning to school in person this year. COVID-19 recovery for cities, though in the planning stages, wasn’t going to be implemented soon enough to continue the school year. Even when finally implemented in June, would exclude most large cities from going to the next stages of reopening due to their sheer case count. In July, it was recommended to school boards across Ontario to open up earlier in order to restart in-person education within the province. This however came to no avail. Many children were stuck to online schooling for an entire year with parents fearing the virus infecting their children. In the background of all of this, the fear, the anger, and the never ending cacophony of online schooling, a change was coming.

Vaccines and hope.
2021 is just around the corner, and the reality of COVID-19 hit everyone. In the background, however, companies like Pfizer and later Astrazeneca worked and tested potential vaccines. On December 9, 2020, with authorization from Health Canada, a vaccine was approved for use nearing the virus's 1 month anniversary. The Pfizer-BioNTech, able to be used for those 16 years old and above, was shipped and received in the country only days later. Thus, a national immunization program for Canada was set in motion. It resembled one of the largest programs the country has ever seen.

The good, the bad, and the resilience.
In 2020, a lot happened in the country of Canada. Population growth dropped 0.4% and life expectancy dropped 0.6 years, the lowest seen in the last decades of Canadian history. Although negative things were still to come, with groceries and gas prices skyrocketing, a lot of positive changes were to come too. Employment rates among visible minority groups rose during 2021, with the employment of Indigenous people in Canada up 10% that December. The struggles and cries of thousands were finally realized with the findings of unmarked graves in Kamloops. As for vaccines, in 2021, 66.99% of the total population were partially vaccinated,alongside 27.16% being fully vaccinated. In 2022, the percentages rose to 85.41% being partially vaccinated and 82.08% fully.
The pandemic marked a time of sorrow, but also one of reflection. It helped to reflect what the Canadian identity is, and what makes a person truly Canadian. Through this shared experience, as tragic as it was, brought a sense of community across the country, sharing in their newfound pandemic struggles. For many, it means to be resilient, to stay strong even when others around them could no longer. For some, it means staying resilient, even when their lives felt like it flipped upside down and that they couldn’t see friends anymore. For many, it means staying resilient, taking care of those around them at risk. The current class of 2024 had their first year of high school, a wonderful-terrible experience, ruined by this virus. Even through all of it, all of the pain, all of the fear, and all of the constant reopenings and lockdowns— they stayed resilient. Although their futures may be unknown for now, what is known is the perseverance and strength they showed these past years will stay with them for the time to come into adulthood.