TORONTO – A small but significant step toward a return to pre-pandemic normality in Canada. This is confirmed by the new guidelines announced by the federal authorities for all people immunized against Covid-19, that is, who received the two doses of vaccine and who waited another two weeks after the recall injection. In the new protocols, there is no generalized ‘free all’. On the contrary, a long list of situations is listed in which those who have been vaccinated will have obvious advantages over those who have not yet done so.

These are, for the most part, rules and indications that relate to daily life. We start – emphasize the federal health authorities – from small family and friends meetings, such as a barbecue or dinner in company: in this case those who are completely vaccinated may not wear the protective mask and will not have to follow the indications of maintaining social distance. Permits, therefore, the much-sighed hugs and handshakes for immunized, while for those who have received only one dose of vaccine and are still waiting for the second is advised to continue following the guidelines in force previously: mask then and physical distance of at least two meters.

Health authorities, however, have once again pointed out that common sense is the key: in an indoor place, the risk of transmissibility is always much higher than in outdoor spaces. We therefore always need an attitude of caution and prudence when the environment is not well ventilated and when there are too many people in a small space.

For immunized, moreover, away from the mask and social distancing also in other types of outdoor gatherings, such as at a football match or during a wedding, while the guidelines of the first for all others apply.

In a concert – read the federal government’s guidelines – especially if very crowded, immunized people who have previous medical conditions should continue to wear the mask even if they are totally vaccinated, especially in the event that it is impossible to keep the distance and the event is held in an indoor space. The same applies to places of worship and gymnasiums, where health authorities are calling for those most at risk – elderly people with previous illnesses – to wear masks, particularly if the premises are not sufficiently ventilated.

‘’If you’re fully vaccinated there’s a lot that you can do now with a lowered risk,” said chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam Friday, adding people still need to “think twice” about going into crowded indoor areas.

In short, the emergency is not completely over, but with the daily increase of vaccinated and immunized, the space left to the risk of contagion is increasingly reduced. There is still a long way to go before we can return to normality prior to Covid-19, but there are many reasons to be optimistic. The national immunization campaign is proceeding in forced stages.

According to today’s data from covid19tracker.ca, up to this point, as many as 25,511,945 Canadians have received at least the first dose of vaccine, while 9,841,486 have received both doses or about 25% of the population.