Credit: Government of B.C.

By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: It will be very easy to blow the Four Step COVID recovery plan

May 26, 2021 | 4:42 AM

KAMLOOPS — THE BIG COVID ANNOUNCEMENT yesterday has brought a lot less cheering than I expected.

After all, restrictions are going to ease up considerably, with the “circuit breaker” gone immediately, and others relaxed in the coming weeks and over the summer.

But a surprising number of people think it’s too early. They worry about easing up as we enter the vacation season, fearing a new surge if people become too confident.

And there’s the rub. In some ways, this pandemic is like a big tennis match. Commentators often talk about the inability of some players to get across the finish line when they’re ahead.

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They might be winning five games to four in a tied set, and serving at 40 love, only to fall apart and allow the opponent to break and then go ahead and claim victory.

Why does that happen? It’s because they start thinking too much about what it would be like to hoist that trophy and take home the big paycheque. Instead of sticking to their game plan, they get ahead of themselves. They rush, and they tighten up.

At this moment, we’re all on the brink of victory but we can’t take our eyes off the ball, to mix sports metaphors. If we start thinking we’ve already won, we’ll blow it.

Dr. Bonnie Henry made the very important point yesterday that social distancing and wearing masks may well become a way of life, not something we’ll be finished with when the vaccines have saved us from oblivion.

Because after COVID, there will be other new viruses to deal with. So maybe those who are hesitant to celebrate just yet are right.

And, by the way, if you were hoping B.C.’s new Four Step plan means Kamloops can celebrate Canada Day the way we used to, sorry — I confirmed last night with organizer Ray Dhaliwal that, like last year, Canada Day celebrations are still a no go this year.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a former mayor of Kamloops and a retired newspaper editor. He is a regular contributor to CFJC, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a director on the Thompson-Nicola Regional District board. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.