Some immunocompromised Canadians face anxious future with lifting of COVID-19 restrictions – CBC

Many provinces plan to scrap measures including vaccine passports, mask requirements

Feb 17, 2022

Joel Bhikoo has multiple sclerosis, needs an IV infusion of medication every six months and for the most part has been isolating himself since the COVID-19 pandemic hit nearly two years ago.

The Drumheller, Alta., resident is immunocompromised and said he has had to be “extremely careful” to avoid getting infected, a situation that has also led to some psychological counselling to deal with the isolation.

But with his province’s announcement that it would be lifting some COVID-19 restrictions, he said he feels that despite acting responsibly, he’s now being treated as a “second-class citizen.”

“I enjoyed going out for lunch with my brother once a week. And we can’t even do that because I don’t know if the person in the next table is carrying COVID,” he said.

“And now people that aren’t immunized are being able to do things and [it’s] putting me into jail again.”

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/immunocompromised-canadians-restrictions-covid-19-1.6347743