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Tuesday 18 January 2022

Tropic lockdown: My family vacation in quarantine

By Shawna Cohen already paid for flights and “Succession” on my iPad.
Days before Omicron a time-share — more im- Most important, Isaac con-
makes national headlines, portant, we need it for our tinues to be asymptomatic
I book my family of four mental health. I try on old — a huge relief. The follow-
a last-minute getaway to swimsuits and purchase ing morning, my husband
Aruba. Life is returning to the perfect beach read and older son fly home. We
normal; we can finally dine (“Mary Jane” by Jessica are all due to check out of
indoors and the hair salon is Anya Blau). our time-share that day,
no longer considered a Pe- We arrive and have five but the front desk staff are
tri dish of bacteria. The kids blissful days on the beach. reassuring: “Stay as long as
are back in school. Face- Morning walks before you need,” they tell me.
to-face meetings aren’t breakfast. Afternoons play- “We’ll give you a ‘distress
taboo. People are wearing ing football in the warm rate,’ which is the lowest
pants! Caribbean Sea and stroll- rate possible. Can I drop
ing along the shoreline to anything off? Are you hun-
There’s the guilt factor, too. meet friends. Dinners are gry?”
Our kids, ages 16 and 12, always al fresco. My boys Finally, 36 hours after the
have missed so many mile- are off their screens for positive test result, I get a
stones, so much normalcy, hours at a time — no nego- call from Aruba’s depart-
that we’re compensating tiation required. ment of public health.
for lost time. The last time The lovely woman on the
my youngest had a full year Then, on day six, my young- phone asks if we’re OK, tells
of school, he was in Grade er son, Isaac, tests positive me how sorry she is that
4. He’s now in junior high. for COVID. our vacation has been cut
My oldest feels robbed of I’m worried about his health, short. I feel like I’m speak-
his high school years, and ring to COVID, of course. been strong believers in first and foremost, but also ing to a family member.
rightfully so. What if one of us gets sick masks and vaccines since how we’ll get home and She informs me that a “pri-
“It’s too much of a risk,” my there? Is this the responsible day one. Our entire family if we’ll catch it from him. vate concierge” will be in
husband tells me in mid- time to be travelling? Truth has followed the rules. Af- I’m also concerned about touch to arrange reloca-
December, just days be- be told, I’d grappled with ter much deliberation, we where we’ll be required tion, as well as a doctor,
fore departure. He’s refer- the same decision. We’ve decide to go for it. We’ve to quarantine. I’m imagin- but I should reach out if
ing Toronto’s government- there’s anything I need be-
approved quarantine ho- fore then. Because Isaac is
tels of months past, where asymptomatic, our quar-
air travellers were required antine will last for seven
to isolate, to the tune of days rather than 10.
$3,000, while awaiting neg- Moments later, a message
ative COVID test results. from “Private Concierge
Reports were dire: waiting Nicole” pops up on my
up to a full day for ined- WhatsApp. She informs me
ible food, no access to lug- she has a two-bedroom
gage, lack of diapers for apartment available and
children. Some claimed it’s what time would we like
where you’d go to get CO- to be picked up? Is 2 p.m.
VID (outbreaks were com- convenient? The accom-
mon). A New York Times modation and transfer are
reporter likened it to doing included in Aruba Visitors
time at a “Canadian Alca- Insurance, she tells us, then
traz.” sends links to restaurants
Google can’t calm my that deliver in the area. She
nerves. There’s little in- even shares the name of a
formation about where grocery delivery guy. I am
COVID-positive visitors go. slowly falling in love with Ni-
“Guests will be transport- cole.
ed to a designated isola- The phone rings. It’s Dr.
tion location,” reads the Bakker, from MedCare,
Aruba Tourism Authority who asks how Isaac’s feel-
website. Discussion groups ing and just as important,
on TripAdvisor are equally “How are you? No, really,
vague. how are YOU?” I want to lie
The next 24-plus hours are on the couch and tell her
spent in isolation. We order about my childhood. She
in meals and hang out on gives me her number and
the balcony. Things could says to call or text any time.
be worse: I’ve got snacks
and the third season of Continued on Page 9