Yes, younger people are leading COVID-19 infections. But it’s not because we’re party-going rule breakers

Here we go again.

Over a year into the global pandemic, our province has rocketed into a third wave of the COVID-19 virus - one that data has shown to be more contagious, more likely to result in hospitalization and more deadly than its predecessors.

The new shutdown announced Thursday by Ontario Premier Doug Ford looks a lot like the measures that came before it. The case numbers continue to climb, with the province's Science Table reporting this wave is disproportionately impacting younger Ontarians and those on the front lines.

I find it almost incomprehensible," said Mackenzie Sinclair, 27, of the province's pandemic response so far. The government says to stay home, but they're not giving us paid sick days, and they're telling us to stay home but also to support small businesses ... it's a lot of conflicting information."

Like Sinclair, I can't help but feel frustrated.

I, like so many others, have been cautious. For months we've played by the rules, hoping to curb spread, get vaccinated, and get back to normal. None of that feels like it matters anymore, as cases grow and ICUs fill up despite people's best efforts. Yes, people went to patios. They were allowed to by the government's own framework and encouraged to support small businesses.

Younger people are leading infection rates, as we have in other stages of the pandemic. There's a reason for this: Many are working the essential jobs that cannot be shuttered with a lockdown. Now, they're facing a version of the virus that puts them at higher risk.

At the same time, there is no provincially-funded paid sick leave. Many do not have the means to justify taking a day off work without pay. Some work on contract, and work is scarce, meaning they take opportunities where available.

It's unfair and unreasonable to paint young people as party-going, rule-breaking superspreaders. Rule breakers exist - of course they do - but they exist in all age brackets.

As the primary caregiver to her grandmother in long-term care, Sinclair has been abiding by the rules since measures were implemented last March. She told me she felt those in the middle generation" - people that might have both children and older family members they care for - are experiencing messaging burnout due to the often confusing information shared by the province.

The confusing measures and length of the pandemic mean that Sinclair is more engaged than ever. I have never felt so strongly about politics as I do right now," she said, noting she's watched the majority of the Ontario government's press conferences. The messaging, however, is abrasive and unencouraging, she said.

Front-line worker Neesha de Souza referred to the province's lockdown measures as a select business closure." As a clinic worker, de Souza has firsthand experience in how stringent and careful public-health measures can impact spread. Her workplace has not had an outbreak of the virus.

The response in Ontario is lacking, de Souza said, noting her friends in Australia are living normal lives and can attend the types of social gatherings that have been banned here for over a year.

The province has clear examples around the globe of things that have worked," she said. We're still struggling to ... get any businesses open, or move forward, or get vaccinated. I think it's embarrassing."

Frustration is growing about a pandemic response in this province that has left parents, essential workers and caregivers scrambling to make adjustments while the government hints at measures that may or may not come before the virus spirals out of control. Amy Stuart, 45, told the Star she's fundamentally discouraged and angry" about the response.

While she is trying to take a nuanced approach to understanding the pandemic response, Stuart said the province's response seems deeply reactionary" and falls behind the suggestions of doctors, epidemiologists and educators.

The reaction time seems to be so delayed. I don't understand (how) they're not planning these things months in advance," she said.

As a mother with three children, Stuart pointed out it's difficult to truly mitigate spread when her children are in school and her circle is necessarily bigger than she'd like. One of the children is in a class with 33 others. Between them, the children have 90 classmates. If my family contracted COVID, our close contact list would be upwards of 100 families." Stuart and her husband are now debating pulling their children from in-person classes.

Stuart said that individual responsibility is not the only important thing in the pandemic. Protections such as paid sick leave need to be made available so that people can truly isolate when sick, she said.

Branden Mayer, 29, agreed that the response has felt reactionary and delayed. Mayer has a heart issue, and his partner is also high risk, he explained. We have to be incredibly careful. But we've noticed that every time things open back up and then close again, people take it less seriously - as you'd expect."

He pointed to inconsistent messaging from the province as a factor that may be confusing at this stage in the pandemic. Inconsistency muddies the waters," meaning people are confused, fatigued and frustrated, Mayer said.

But hey, here we go again.

Jenna Moon is a breaking news reporter for the Star and is based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @_jennamoon