Five years after COVID era began, these pandemic habits have stuck around

Today marks 5 years since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. CTV Windsor’s Sanjay Maru gets local reaction.

Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared a pandemic, many habits developed during that unprecedented time continue to shape daily routines and enhance people’s sense of safety and preparedness.

On Mar. 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak of COVID-19 to be a pandemic. The disease killed hundreds in the Windsor area and tens of thousands across Canada.

Working from home became the norm and food delivery apps soared in popularity.

For Kim Stewart, eating at home became a lasting change.

“We buy fresh and prepare meals for the week,” Stewart said. “That’s mainly because my dad’s in long-term care, so we have to be extra careful.”

Lisa Teti said she has become more vigilant about hygiene.

“We wash our hands more, especially with the children,” Lisa said.

“When we’re sick, we’ve learned to cough into our elbows, something we didn’t consistently do before. Masking is also something we still do, particularly on long plane trips.”

Her grandson, Roman, is described as a “COVID baby” since he was born in February 2020.

“We didn’t get to see him for the first eight months of his life,” said Teti. “That was one of the hardest parts of the pandemic for us.”

Ever since the pandemic, Sandra Ruiz said she regularly carries hand sanitizer.

“If someone nearby is sneezing or coughing, I try to offer it to them,” Ruiz said.

At Windsor Regional Hospital, COVID-19 led to lasting organizational changes.

“We have put in different opportunities for our staff to increase their community engagement and their wellness,” said Kristi Cecile, Clinical Vice President at Windsor Regional Hospital.

“We do monthly events for our staff here, really trying to keep people engaged and the community engaged as well.”

The hospital, she added, maintains a masking protocol when staff are within two metres of patients during peak respiratory illness seasons.

The pandemic also exposed infrastructure limitations at the hospital.

A shortage of private rooms initially complicated infection control, prompting quick adaptations to convert semi-private spaces into private ones.

“We had to act rapidly to create airborne isolation rooms and ensure patient safety,” Cecile added.

One lingering change from pandemic times has been vaccine hesitancy.

For some people, the pandemic sowed doubt about vaccine effectiveness, leading to protests and a decline in routine immunizations.

Doctors say that’s a key reason why measles has seen a resurgence in recent months.

“We have to have public trust in public health, and it takes us a lot of effort to keep our rates of vaccine-preventable illnesses low in Canada,” said infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch.

“We have to maintain those efforts.”

A recent Angus Reid poll shows that while just four per cent of parents opposed vaccinating their children in 2019, that number has jumped to 17 per cent in 2024.

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is about 97 per cent effective at preventing measles after two doses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ed Teti said he simply feels a renewed sense of gratitude for being able to experience life after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m just more appreciative to be out on a nice day like today and just be able to enjoy the crowds and be with other people,” he said.