KITCHENER -- A year after the Ontario government first declared a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a picture is providing a snapshot of the hope some are beginning to feel now that the immunization campaign is ramping up.
On Feb. 27, Lindsey Feltis, a shelter worker at Kitchener’s Safe Haven Youth Service, received her first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and captured the moment with a selfie – holding her vaccine receipt and beaming smile.
“The energy in the whole place was just so optimistic and positive and resilient and I was beaming the whole day,” said Feltis, describing the scene at the Grand River Hospital clinic in mid-town Kitchener.
The image led to an unexpected emotional lift for herself and her family.
“I was very surprised by how emotional that picture made me,” said Patti McKague, Lindsey’s mom. “We think about COVID and we read about COIVD but, I think my heart kind of got it when she sent that picture.”
That hope seems to be in short supply after a year of restrictive public health measures put in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus, according to an Ipsos survey.
The survey published by the polling company on Feb. 25 shows just 15 per cent of people surveyed believe the coronavirus outbreak has been contained and will soon be over, while 61 per cent see COVID-19 as a "high" or "very high" risk – a 44 per cent increase from a year ago.
Ontario’s expansion of its priority group under Phase One of the vaccine rollout provided that emotional boost to ward off the pessimism for Feltis.
“We got an email that was like, ‘Really good news!’” said Feltis.
It was especially good news for Feltis, who not only worked at the youth shelter but, also at the Pearce Williams Camp and Retreat which helped to quarantine migrant workers during the first wave of the pandemic.
Feltis says despite the pandemic, backing away from her work with vulnerable groups never crossed her mind – and now the vaccine has only strengthened that resolve.
“Any thoughts in my head that would have made me nervous were quickly silenced by the good that I could do,” said Feltis.
After getting her first dose, the second shot was scheduled for April 2, but has since been rescheduled as public health guidelines extended the time between doses to 16 weeks.
“I am so grateful and I can’t wait for more people to have that experience because it was truly palpable, you could feel it in the whole room,” said Feltis.
As more people receive their first dose, McKague says more people will begin to feel more hopeful
“Every needle in every arm is getting all of us one step closer to a time when the restrictions will be eased, if not lifted, but in that moment, when I saw that picture of Lindsey – it had hit home that that had happened for her already,” said McKague.
Feltis adds she has felt no symptoms after getting her shot and complimented staff at the clinic for running a well-organized operation.
“My appointment was at 9:15 a.m. They ask you to get there no longer than 10 minutes before, which for a chronically early person, that was hard for me but, I totally get it,” said Feltis.
While Feltis is grateful to have received her first vaccine dose, she won’t be in a rush to get back to life-as-we-knew-it.
“You won’t see me without a mask or hugging everyone anytime soon,” said Feltis.
