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LOCAL Tuesday 18 January 2022

Tropic lockdown: My family vacation in quarantine

Continued from Page 8 Concerned friends check in, cer- extra two weeks away and I need test positive (antibodies can stay in
tain I’m in COVID jail (a video tour to get back to work. I consult with your system for up to six months).
Later that afternoon, a van comes of our digs alleviates any fear). a couple of doctors to ensure we Again, he’s not sure. I can tell by
to pick us up. A large security guard Dr. Bakker calls to check in. Two won’t be putting other people on his tone he’s as dumbfounded as I
knocks on the door, hands us N95 public-health nurses stop by on our our flight at risk; they assure me am; he’s just doing his job.
masks and plastic gloves, and second-last day with an official let- that Isaac is no longer contagious. Eight long days after returning
takes our suitcases. We follow him ter of recovery for Isaac. A sepa- Our 16-hour travel odyssey begins. home, I receive an email from
and a bellhop down the hallway, rate public health worker drops off We leave for the airport at noon, Switch Health with our COVID re-
as a hotel employee fumigates be- meds (unrelated to COVID) and land in Newark at 10 p.m. and fi- sults. Isaac has tested positive. To-
hind us. It’s a full-on COVID walk of we chat for a while out front. He nally in Buffalo close to midnight. I ronto Public Health sends an auto-
shame. tells me COVID numbers are go- fill out the ArriveCAN app and wait mated text: “We’re asking you to
Our driver, Alan, is friendly and ing up and they’re running out of in line for an express PCR test at the complete an assessment form to
warm. “It’s going to be OK, bud- places to house people; visitors are Buffalo airport because I’m told help slow the spread of COVID.” I
dy,” he tells Isaac more than once. now welcome to stay put at their my negative PCR test from Aruba reluctantly comply, offering details
I thank him for putting his own hotel/time-share/Airbnb so long as won’t cut it at customs. We get to of our quarantine plan. Hours later,
health at risk to drive us to this se- they isolate (insurance covers the the Canadian border and show they call to alert me of Isaac’s posi-
cret location. “We’re all in this to- cost). I tell him how I lucky I feel to our documents, are told to pull tive COVID test; we must discuss a
gether,” he says wistfully. have been placed in this beautiful over to discuss a quarantine plan. quarantine plan! “Isaac first tested
Another WhatsApp comes in. This home and he explains that all gov- A customs agent knocks on the car positive 16 days ago,” I explain. The
time it’s from the property manag- ernment-appointed accommoda- window and tells me to expect a agent sounds genuinely surprised.
er of our new digs. She’s sorry we tions meet this high level of com- call on my cell. I’m confused but “My manager will call you over the
have to meet under these condi- fort and luxury. In fact, he can’t don’t dare ask questions; this man weekend,” she says. This woman is
tions — her daughter just tested understand why someone would is not interested in talking. no doubt one of thousands of tired
positive, so she understands the be “punished,” or treated poorly, Twenty minutes later, a call comes and overworked public-health
stress — but is here to make our for contracting COVID. “We’re all in from Ottawa Public Health. An workers, repeating guidelines from
stay as enjoyable as possible. She, human,” he says, then asks if I need agent tells me the border is short- yesterday that are no longer rele-
too, sends me a thorough list of more groceries or wine. staffed and that he’s “the first line vant, seeming to shrug their shoul-
nearby restaurants and the name of defence.” He asks me dozens of ders at the logic of it all (or lack
of another grocery delivery guy. At How to get home. questions about where we’ll quar- thereof). I don’t blame them but
this point, I feel like I’m either being My only source of stress — and it’s antine, if we’ll have access to food rather the labyrinth of confusing
pranked or perhaps have unknow- a big one — is figuring out how to and medicine. He then tells me rules and quasi-regulations set out
ingly paid for VIP service some- get home. Our week of quaran- the clock has reset: I’m to quar- by the province. It has destroyed
where along my blindly-filling-out- tine is about to end but we cannot antine at home for 14 days, Isaac whatever sense of community we
forms journey. board a plane to Canada until at for 10, upon entry. I ask why, given once had.
least 14 days have passed since that I’ve tested negative and that
We finally arrive at our “designated Isaac tested positive. The CDC, we’ve already spent seven days Here’s what I’ve learned:
isolation location.” meanwhile, has changed U.S. in quarantine (for those keeping In Canada, citizens are made to
It’s not an apartment but rather a quarantine to five days. Following track, that’ll be 21 days total for feel like criminals for travelling. If
spacious and modern two-storey many phone calls and much re- non-COVID me). He laughs at the they contract COVID while home
townhouse in a gated community. search, I find a loophole: fly from absurdity of it all. or abroad, it’s nearly impossible to
There’s a full kitchen, washing ma- Aruba to Buffalo via Newark and Incidentally, newspapers are re- know who to call for clear answers
chine and dryer, Wi-Fi, Netflix. My drive across the border from there. porting that same day that Can- as the rules seem to change ev-
king bed has a firm mattress, crisp If you’re a Canadian citizen, you ada is following CDC guidelines ery day. In Aruba, visitors are con-
white sheets and nearly a dozen cannot be turned away at the bor- and has lowered its quarantine pe- nected to public-health workers,
pillows. Have I mentioned the back der (you may, however, be subject riod to five days. The Ottawa Pub- doctors and nurses who are knowl-
patio with barbecue? I lose Isaac to a $5,000 fine). At the end of the lic Health man admits there’s lots edgeable and eager to help. This
for a few minutes but eventually day, there’s nothing illegal about of confusion within public health little island takes a compassionate
find him in the kitchen, hunched taking this route. about the new rules. Finally, he and common-sense approach to
over a welcome basket of Frito- My other option is to spend an- says that an agent will return to keeping its visitors — and residents
Lays and Snickers. “I’m living my other week in Aruba until the 14 my car with two PCR tests each for — feeling safe. They’ve proven that
best life,” he says, deadpan, and days have passed, but I’m worried Isaac and me, to be self-adminis- in the fight against COVID, human-
disappears to his bedroom to I’ll contract COVID while waiting tered on days 1 and 8. I ask why ity wins. When numbers are down
watch basketball on TV. it out (numbers are rising quickly). they’d waste two covetable tests and it’s once again safe to travel,
The next five days are a breeze. Also, I haven’t budgeted for an on Isaac, given that we know he’ll my family cannot wait to return.q