Sask. is in the 4th quarter of the fight against COVID-19. We need Rider Nation to be our '13th man'

This Opinion piece is byDr. Susan Shaw,the chief medical officer for the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

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One year ago I asked Rider Nation to be our "13th man" in the fight against COVID.

I used a football analogy not to trivialize the virus, but to convey the need to come together as one Saskatchewan team.

A year later, we are dealing with a craftier opponent. Like a coach making half-time adjustments, the virus has gotten smarter and adapted to better evade our defences.

Variants of concern are an example. Variants can transmit faster and put more people in hospital with more severe disease than the original strain. We are seeing more young peoplein hospital with more severe conditions an incredibly concerning trend.

So much remains unknown about the potential long-term consequences of COVID-19 infections.Many people who survive COVID-19 are worryingly left with ongoing symptoms including difficulty concentrating, aches, overwhelming fatigue and shortness of breath.

LISTEN: Dr. Susan Shaw appeared on Saskatoon Morning Thursday. She described what it's like working with COVID-19 patients in the ICU.

The good news is that our immunization campaign is proceeding as fast and safely as possible with vaccines that are proven highly effective against COVID. So at risk of torturing the football analogy, I am cautiously optimistic these vaccines put us in the fourth quarter driving for a touchdown to end the pandemic.

The only question now: will we remain diligent and disciplined as we move down the football field or will we fumble at the goal lineby letting our guard down?

Like opponents in a football game, COVID doesn't care that we're tired. I may be cautiously optimistic that an end to the pandemic is in sight, but being in the fourth quarter makes the stakes higher, not lower. The situationcalls for more discipline, not less.

The final push to defeat COVID is not about reinventing the playbook, but about doubling down and executing on those strategies we know work. Limit your bubble to your household only. Stay at home whenever possible. Wash your hands regularly. Abide by the public health orders. Wear a mask in public. Get your vaccine when it's your turn. Help us make that final push across the goal line.

This is where the football metaphor ends. When a football game ends, opposing teams shake hands, some even hug. Unfortunately, many in Saskatchewan will not be afforded this opportunity. For far too many families, the pandemic has taken the life of someone they love. For more and more people, the variants circulating in Saskatchewan will send them to hospital with potentially life-threatening and life-changing consequences.

Taking the necessary precautions isn't about winning a game, it's about saving lives and ensuring that more people have the opportunity to hug their loved ones when this pandemic is all over. But while this isn't a game, given what we know about variants and the long term impact of COVID, coming together as Rider Nation to defeat COVID is more important now than ever.

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