It was an announcement that many were expecting, but no one really wanted to hear: the declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. The announcement was made exactly one year ago today.  

Since then, life across the globe has seen changes. Here in Saskatchewan, like many other jurisdictions, public health measures were put into effect in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. People around the world, including here in the southeast, lost friends and family to the virus. Sports leagues halted play. People learned to embrace new technologies. Life adapted to what many dubbed “the new normal”.  

“In some respects, it’s hard to believe it’s been a year,” said Weyburn-Big Muddy MLA Dustin Duncan. “The last year, in some ways dragged on, and other ways it’s gone by pretty quickly. I think it’s just a lot of emotions for everybody.” 

Since the first cases of COVID-19 were detected in Saskatchewan, there have been a total of 30,029 confirmed cases. There have been 28,244 recoveries, and 401 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 have passed away. In southeast Saskatchewan, there have been 1,151 cases, with 1,089 people recovering, and 35 deaths linked to COVID-19.  

While the world changed to cope with the pandemic, people adapted, including right here in the Weyburn area. The way a number of people stepped up over the course of the past 12 months to help out, demonstrating compassion and outreach, has Duncan proud of the people he represents in the Saskatchewan legislature. 

The efforts made by people to adapt to the situation really speaks to the character of the city of Weyburn added Mayor Marcel Roy.  

“That really shows, kind of, if you want to call it the pioneer spirit and what kind of people that we have here,” Roy told Discover Weyburn. Using the adage ‘putting the shoulder to the stone’, he summed up what he thought was the best way to describe the resiliency of the people of the city. 

“I think that kind of attests to why, we down in this territory, just took it in stride and said ‘well, it’s just one more thing we have to deal with, so we’re going to deal with it,’” Roy added. 

As the provincial government continues the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, many people are looking ahead to what the future holds, and whether it will be a return to how things were before the pandemic hit. Both men are optimistic for the future. 

“I think everybody’s looking forward to going back to what normal is going to look like going forward, and I think it’s going to be pretty close to what we’re used to,” said Duncan. The sentiment was echoed by Roy. 

“There is light at the end of the tunnel,” Roy said. “We are going to be moving out of this very quickly - quicker than I think what a lot of people think is going to happen – and I’m very optimistic and very happy to see that.  

Complete interview with Dustin Duncan: 

 

Complete interview with Marcel Roy: