After 5 years, the long shadow of COVID-19 still lingers among Quebec youth
Teens reflect on what it was like to suddenly be attending school virtually
It's been five years since Quebec Premier François Legault declared a public health emergency in response to the rapidly escalating COVID-19 pandemic, sparking a sweeping transformation of day-to-day life across the entire province.
While Quebec's strict measures likely helped control the virus in the short term and avoid an even greater loss of lives, the long-term economic and social impacts were significant.
Among those profoundly affected were kids who were suddenly transitioned to homeschooling and were isolated from their friends. It's a time Winnie Nathan won't soon forget.
The LaurenHill Academy Grade 10 student said she didn't much enjoy staying home all the time during the pandemic.
"I like talking to people face to face," she said. "I can't call people, I can't text people usually. And so not being able to talk to my friends during that time was very difficult for me."
Plus, she's no homebody. She likes leaving the house, and so "not being able to go to school and go to a different place was really rough," she said.
Looking back, she said it's almost like having a bit of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from the ordeal, which went on for a couple of years.
"We now have this experience that was incredibly difficult for everyone and now we're living with the aftereffects and the consequences," she said.
"During that time it was really stressful and I think that I'm more scared of getting sick and spreading illness now. It's something that I'm much more concerned about than before and it's left a lot of uncertainty."
Pushups in front of a webcam
Lacey Kelly is in Grade 6 at Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau Elementary School, and she still remembers taking gym class at home during the pandemic.
"We had to do pushups in front of the camera, and it was just a little bit awkward," she said.
She also remembers having to sanitize everything and keep a safe distance from others.
"That was difficult because I really like to hug my friends and to be around them," Kelly recalled. "So it was difficult to have to isolate myself from them."
Beata Granter is in Grade 6 at the same school as Kelly. She remembers being around eight years old, stuck at home.
"It was definitely not the best time because you were kind of trapped in your house and you couldn't really go out," Granter said. "And we had online school, so it definitely wasn't the best."
Juniper Derghazian goes to school with Kelly and Granter. Derghazian remembers all the struggles with logging into Zoom and trying to learn virtually.
"I think it's much better that we're in school than on Zoom calls because that was very hard for me," Derghazian said.
Helping youth understand controversial health measures
Moire Stevenson, a child clinical psychologist in Quebec, said she got a large number of requests for services throughout the pandemic, and those requests were for help with serious cases.
The pandemic was associated with a rise in pediatric hospitalizations for mental-health issues such as anxiety, self-harm and eating disorders across Canada.
Montreal researchers with a Canada-wide research platform called POPCORN, which looked into direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic on children, concluded that in future pandemics, policymakers should support young people who are particularly vulnerable during public health restrictions.
Stevenson said parents can also play a role in helping their teens, especially in a world that seems more divided than ever.
"So what we need to do is help teenagers understand," she said.
For high schooler Jamal Coleman, there was an important lesson in the pandemic and that was to get out and "cherish the times you spend with the people you care about."
"If you have the opportunity to go and spend time with them in person, then go to a movie theatre, go to a library, go to La Ronde, just spend time with them."
Written by Isaac Olson, with files from Gloria Henriquez