‘I haven’t seen my parents in almost 3 years’: Omicron rampage ruins chance at respite for Calgary doctor

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As Omicron rips across the country, some families are choosing to cancel their holiday trips. Kristy Kilburn speaks to a doctor who will be spending part of her holidays caring for patients instead of flying home to visit loved ones.

By Josh Ritchie

Posted Dec 24, 2021 8:31 am.

Christmas is usually a time to relax and gather with loved ones. But for many people like Dr. Stephanie Cooper, it’s deja vu.

Another year without family, and for her, another year taking care of patients.

“I haven’t seen my parents again in almost three years.”

Cooper is originally from St. Johns, Newfoundland. Her parents still live there. In the past three years, she’s tried visiting multiple times, but COVID ruined it every time.

This Christmas she thought it would be different. She’s tripled vaccinated and when she planned the trip, Omicron wasn’t raging through the country.

“The disappointment is sort of personal, but of course, I think for those professionally in healthcare it’s even more so a blow with the latest circumstances,” said Cooper.

“The sad part is that I have taken almost no vacation over the past year and a half and so, you know, I had this week off and it was not only the idea of going home but also not having a week of working, not having a pager, having that I’m away on my email.”

But that’s no longer the plan. Instead, Cooper will be spending some of her vacation days at Calgary’s Foothills Hospital.

“It’s definitely not what was the plan.”

Cooper is concerned about how fast the Omicron variant is spreading. She says hospitals are not back up to fully functioning and healthcare workers are still experiencing burnout from the fourth wave.

“In the beginning, you know, there was that people would clap hands for healthcare workers and then by the fall, you know, we had people protesting in front of the hospital and telling us we were evil because we promoted vaccination.”

Despite the major letdown this Christmas, Cooper is hopeful she’ll see her parents sometime in 2022.

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