We are at a fork in the road and what we do over the holidays will determine which path we take when it comes to the transmission of COVID-19. That was the message from a group of Saskatoon community leaders urging everyone to follow the provincial restrictions to stay safe and keep the numbers down.

Mayor Charlie Clark says the best gift we can give our loved ones is their health. He understands keeping to one household when many are celebrating Christmas is tough and he realizes people are struggling with this and looking for ways to get around the gathering rules. Clark explains that the reason the province has made the decision to restrict household gatherings is because that’s where much of the transmission of the virus is coming from right now.

Medical Health Officer, Dr. Jasmine Hasselback, says Saskatoon has seen some ugly increases in COVID activity, but recently there have been signs of hope with the numbers steadying, although there is still pressure on the health care system. She believes if everyone commits to the restrictions, we could come through the holidays with a continued levelling off or even a dip. Dr. Hasselback says without that commitment, we are at risk for further growth of the virus, more people getting sick, more people dying and more pressure on our health care system.

Very Reverend Scott Pittendrigh of St. John’s Cathedral says the foundation of all major world religions is compassion, where the message is basically do unto others what you would have them do unto you. He hopes everyone will take that into consideration when making their holiday celebration plans this year and he emphasizes that although gatherings will be small, Christmas is not cancelled.

Reverend Nobuku Iwai of Grosvenor Park United Church says Christmas is always hard for some people, but this year, there will be more people feeling that way. She suggests planning for a short time to cry and then moving on to a favourite activity.

The Executive Director of the International Women of Saskatoon, Ijeoma Nwamuo, notes that moving to a new country on its own is very challenging, and even moreso during a pandemic. They are noticing more mental health issues and financial hardships, and this holiday season the fear of isolation is even greater because many immigrants are used to a communal lifestyle.  She says, “The more we can all think of ourselves as a community and support our neighbours, the better off we will be.”