Simon-Olivier Lorange
Press
–
We see it first at the airport. Our neighbors to the south require all travelers arriving in their territory by air to provide a negative COVID-19 test. And since November 8, date of the reopening of the land border, proof of vaccination is required.
I have just returned from my second visit to the United States in a month, both by plane. No customs officer, neither in Vancouver nor in Toronto, asked me for any document. So I could have been unvaccinated and untested, even infected with COVID-19, and crossed the border without anyone detecting it. Colleagues from other media were however checked, but not all.
Go for the entrance. Once there, good luck finding out what to expect.
Last May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a federal public health authority, announced that double-vaccinated people could attend indoor public places without a mask. However, faced with the resurgence of cases, the organization changed its recommendation in July and now suggests wearing a mask in areas with a high degree of transmission.
The majority of states have decided not to follow suit. Among the exceptions, that of Washington, place of my first stop of the season.
In Seattle, health measures were reminiscent of those in Quebec. In town, restaurants and bars required proof of vaccination, and all indoor public places required masks to be worn. This included the Climate Pledge Arena, home of the Kraken, where all spectators and workers – including journalists – were masked and had to show proof of vaccination to enter the building.
Moving South to San Jose, Calif.: Cut and Paste from Seattle. Nothing exotic, then.
Alarming figures
Then came my second trip of the season, to Detroit, where the Canadiens played on Saturday night.
It is simply day and night. At times, it makes you wonder if there is still a pandemic in Michigan. However, the figures say the opposite. The state is among the worst in the country in terms of daily cases and hospitalizations (in absolute terms and on average per 100,000 population). Only 54% of the population is vaccinated.
In Wayne County, where Detroit is located, community transmission is described as “high” by the CDC. The associated red color covers the entire state map on the agency’s website.
However, the local authorities chose the suggestion. Unvaccinated people are “recommended” to wear the mask indoors, but do not impose it.
Whether at a hotel, restaurant, store, or arena, the guideline is the same: If you’re experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19, stay home. If you are not vaccinated, wear a mask. But we won’t ask you to provide us with proof of anything.
Upon entering a licensed establishment in the city of rock, representatives of Press and you Journal of Montreal were surprised to be the only two people from the place who had kept their masks on to go to their table.
Same observation at Little Caesars Arena, home of the Red Wings. The players, coaches and employees of the local team moved freely between the locker room and the common areas without masks. And in the compound, masked spectators were the exception rather than the rule. We understand them a little: without obligation, the temptation is obvious.
For games with the Pistons, an NBA team that plays their games in the same location, spectators seated in the very first rows – within 15 feet of the court – are asked to wear a mask and be vaccinated. However, the other 20,000 people can do as they see fit.
After 20 months of individual and collective efforts, is it… destabilizing?
Getting back on the road through the NHL, of course, comes with the rediscovery of a routine that has long been put on hold. The distance from our loved ones, the wait and stopovers at the airport, the obligation to put cream in your coffee … But the culture shock linked to COVID-19, we did not have it so much saw it coming.
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Related
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Simon-Olivier Lorange
Press
–
We see it first at the airport. Our neighbors to the south require all travelers arriving in their territory by air to provide a negative COVID-19 test. And since November 8, date of the reopening of the land border, proof of vaccination is required.
I have just returned from my second visit to the United States in a month, both by plane. No customs officer, neither in Vancouver nor in Toronto, asked me for any document. So I could have been unvaccinated and untested, even infected with COVID-19, and crossed the border without anyone detecting it. Colleagues from other media were however checked, but not all.
Go for the entrance. Once there, good luck finding out what to expect.
Last May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a federal public health authority, announced that double-vaccinated people could attend indoor public places without a mask. However, faced with the resurgence of cases, the organization changed its recommendation in July and now suggests wearing a mask in areas with a high degree of transmission.
The majority of states have decided not to follow suit. Among the exceptions, that of Washington, place of my first stop of the season.
In Seattle, health measures were reminiscent of those in Quebec. In town, restaurants and bars required proof of vaccination, and all indoor public places required masks to be worn. This included the Climate Pledge Arena, home of the Kraken, where all spectators and workers – including journalists – were masked and had to show proof of vaccination to enter the building.
Moving South to San Jose, Calif.: Cut and Paste from Seattle. Nothing exotic, then.
Alarming figures
Then came my second trip of the season, to Detroit, where the Canadiens played on Saturday night.
It is simply day and night. At times, it makes you wonder if there is still a pandemic in Michigan. However, the figures say the opposite. The state is among the worst in the country in terms of daily cases and hospitalizations (in absolute terms and on average per 100,000 population). Only 54% of the population is vaccinated.
In Wayne County, where Detroit is located, community transmission is described as “high” by the CDC. The associated red color covers the entire state map on the agency’s website.
However, the local authorities chose the suggestion. Unvaccinated people are “recommended” to wear the mask indoors, but do not impose it.
Whether at a hotel, restaurant, store, or arena, the guideline is the same: If you’re experiencing symptoms related to COVID-19, stay home. If you are not vaccinated, wear a mask. But we won’t ask you to provide us with proof of anything.
Upon entering a licensed establishment in the city of rock, representatives of Press and you Journal of Montreal were surprised to be the only two people from the place who had kept their masks on to go to their table.
Same observation at Little Caesars Arena, home of the Red Wings. The players, coaches and employees of the local team moved freely between the locker room and the common areas without masks. And in the compound, masked spectators were the exception rather than the rule. We understand them a little: without obligation, the temptation is obvious.
For games with the Pistons, an NBA team that plays their games in the same location, spectators seated in the very first rows – within 15 feet of the court – are asked to wear a mask and be vaccinated. However, the other 20,000 people can do as they see fit.
After 20 months of individual and collective efforts, is it… destabilizing?
Getting back on the road through the NHL, of course, comes with the rediscovery of a routine that has long been put on hold. The distance from our loved ones, the wait and stopovers at the airport, the obligation to put cream in your coffee … But the culture shock linked to COVID-19, we did not have it so much saw it coming.
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