Granville Street in Vancouver, October 31 (Image Credit: Global BC)

By Daniela Ginta

They way I see it

GINTA: Halloween night is a poor excuse to forget social responsibilities

Nov 2, 2020 | 10:38 AM

WALKING THE DOG EARLY SUNDAY morning made me smile. There were a few ingenious candy chutes in the neighbourhood — a good reminder of the times we’re in but also of the care many chose to put into delivering treats to kids while keeping the risk low.

At the opposite end of that are the parties that took place on Saturday night, in Kamloops included. I cringe when I think how that will influence the COVID-19 numbers in the weeks ahead. Videos of large crowds in downtown Vancouver that emerged on social media since Halloween night made many wonder whether we’re facing a lockdown in the near future because people behave irresponsibly.

I’ve heard people mention ‘government control’ when they refer to masks and social distancing measures. If only. We’ve hardly had anything to complain about and as I mentioned before, we have had it pretty good in British Columbia.

Masks were not mandatory for the longest time and the fact that now most stores ask us to wear them has nothing to do with us being controlled. We’re being asked to do our part in keeping the virus under control.

Two weeks from now we’ll be seeing the consequences of the Halloween crowd gatherings and should Dr. Bonnie Henry and her team impose stricter measures, many will scream bloody murder.

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Before we launch into ‘people have the right to have fun,’ and bah humbug, let’s consider the many ramifications of such parties. The virus that was shown to be spreading so easily will surface in more than just the attending crowd. People who go to parties one night go other places the next day and then to work or school come Monday. By the time the positive cases start appearing, tracing is a nightmare.

Plus, crowds such as the ones in Vancouver where police officers also have to be present means they are also put at unnecessary risk. And so are healthcare professionals, nurses and doctors.

We like to think of Halloween as a kid-friendly early night of trick-or-treating but over the years it has morphed into a booze fest for many. In the present context, and more so in the last couple of weeks with numbers creeping up, partying just doesn’t seem right.

Selfishness is an unwelcome and undesired feature of adulthood under the best of times. Nowadays it equates to social irresponsibility to a highest degree because other people’s lives are at risk.

When people choose to do something risky on their own there’s not much friends and family can do other than bring up the better judgment arguments. However, when one’s action creates a whole lot of problems and increases the risk for others, that becomes an act of social irresponsibility. Much like when one knows the risks of drinking and driving but does it anyway.

Celebratory times during the pandemic have a bitter edge to them, everyone agrees. But what we do this year and the measures that we apply — for now willingly — will dictate whether we will get to enjoy next year’s celebrations – parties, festivals, concerts and parades included.

We should never throw fun times in the trash can, but selfish fun we can for sure do without this year.

It’s been a trying time for everyone, and we all miss the way things used to be. All of us want to see this crisis behind us but with irresponsible behaviour comes the spectre of a lockdown and how unfair that would be for everyone who has kept on the safe side of life, hoping to flatten the curve.

Here’s hoping that we will move towards the year’s end with some lessons learned for the benefit of everyone.

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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.