As COVID-19 restrictions lift in Saskatchewan, some people may experience heightened angst and worry, according to mental health experts.
“They may have anxieties about the pace with which the strategies are being dialled down, since the pandemic has had surprises in the past,” said Scott Patten, a professor of psychiatry and community health at the University of Calgary.
“For other people, that's something that doesn't cause very much anxiety and they react differently.”
With each person reacting differently to the ease of restrictions, some businesses are choosing to continue to mandate masks — including at Saskatoon salon, Shear Excellence.
“We have some clients who are very leery of getting their hair done going public. So we want to accommodate those people right to be as gentle as getting out of this pandemic as possible,” said Murray Bryck, a hairdresser at Shear Excellence.
On Tuesday, the province announced it will remove the proof of vaccination policy and mandatory masking.
Tracy Zambory, the president of the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses, said the end of the public health order is causing stress on the front lines.
“It’s really a lot for registered nurses to take and their mental health is suffering,” Zambory said.
“It's not sustainable to feel the intense pressure, the constant flow of people into the healthcare system with no stop. All of the protections that would stem the tide have been taken away.”
Therapist Terri Peterson said it’s important for people to remember emotions can be heightened during times of uncertainty.
“Some people are feeling like the restrictions being lifted is too soon. Some people are feeling like it could have come a long time ago. We become more extreme when we're less regulated and less certain,” said Peterson, a clinical counseling team lead at the Student Wellness Center at the University of Saskatchewan.
“It’s important people have compassion for themselves and others.”
Saskatchewan is set to lift the proof of vaccination or negative test result rule on Monday.
Face masks will no longer be mandated by the province at the end of the month.
