Rob Murray: I’m speaking with Dr. Kendra Barrick, board member with the Bow Valley Primary Care Network. We’re going to be talking today about the concept of COVID fatigue. How would you define this?

Dr. Kendra Barrick: This is a new pop culture term. Essentially we’re getting so sick of hearing “COVID this” and “COVID that” on every media outlet. We start to tune out because all we hear is COVID, and we become complacent.

RM: So how can we combat COVID fatigue?

KB: We have to give ourselves breaks from COVID in a safe way. Not always looking at social media. Turning off our phones and enjoying the simple things in life such as nature. The other thing is that we just have to bring it back down to those basic, consistent precautions that we know have evidence to prevent spread. We need to be wearing masks when we can’t physically distance, and now that that bylaws are in place we have to do that in public places. Additionally, we also need to wash our hands, use hand sanitizer, and most importantly avoid being out in public when we’re not feeling well.

RM: Dr. Deena Hinshaw was saying something along the lines of the curve is no longer flat. We are seeing a rise in cases recently. Do you think that’s a results of COVID fatigue? People are just getting tired and they’re just going, “yeah, whatever”?

KB: The first thing is we know that, by relaxing those very strict precautions that we had, we were expecting to see more cases, so that is not a surprise. Our healthcare system is still nowhere near its maximum capacity. We shouldn’t be getting hung up on numbers and what is the cause, but more so how can we prevent that from worsening.

RM: What are some of the dangers of COVID fatigue then?

KB: We know that COVID is going to be here for a while and we’re concerned about a potential second wave. We’re seeing more and more articles showing that this might be a longer spread because we did so well at preventing the spread in that first wave. Why we are concerned is because people might start to perform more risky behaviors that could increase the spread. Instead of avoiding tuning out all the information out there, it’s important to filter the sources that are the most appropriate and most accurate. A really good example is the Alberta Health Services website, and those interactive maps to see where cases are.

RM: Another great resource is the Bow Valley Primary Care Network website. There are still many clinics here in the Bow Valley that are offering local testing options?

KB: There are. We have had some struggles with shortages of swabs and an increased need for testing, so clinics currently are really focusing on assessing those symptomatic patients. That’s anyone who does that self-questionnaire and screens positive in the sense that they do need a swab. We’re definitely still having all of those clinics in Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, and in Morley, however there is a limitation on asymptomatic screening.

RM: Something we kind of touched on a little earlier as well, and resources you have on the website, has to do with the mental health aspect. COVID fatigue, I would say, fits into that framework. People are not only tired of hearing about COVID, it’s kind of worn them out physically and mentally as well. There are places people can get help for that sort of thing locally, aren’t there?

KB: There are. COVID affects everyone differently, and in ways that we can’t even imagine. We aren’t innately prepared to deal with a pandemic, so definitely we’re seeing a surge in mental health concerns, domestic abuse, anxiety, and depression. There are tons of resources in the Bow Valley that can help. First of all, I’d like to highlight our Access Mental Health team, which is a self-referral process, and those resources are available on the website. Additionally, at the hospital starting at two o’clock each day, there is a counselor on call for any urgent mental health needs. Your clinics are also a safe place. If you’re not feeling safe at home, or if you need to talk to someone, give us a call ideally and we’ll try our best to get you all set up with the resources that you need.

RM: I’m actually curious about the other side as well when it comes to COVID fatigue, for the medical professionals in the Bow Valley. How are you handling this?

KB: That’s very kind of you to look out for us. It’s been a challenge and we’re very fortunate to have a close knit group of medical professionals, and we have regular education sessions and opportunities for wellness as a medical community. We try to encourage each other to spend time with our families and loved ones, as well as taking some not very extravagant but more local holidays to make sure that we turn our brains off and turn our cell phones off so we don’t get fatigued from COVID.

Filed under: Banff, Bow Valley PCN, Canmore, covid-19