Sask. people celebrate silver linings, look forward as province marks 2 years of COVID-19

Some Saskatchewan people are excited for the chance to expand their experiences with adventure and connection for the first time since the pandemic began.

It's been two years since the first COVID-19 case was announced in Saskatchewan on Mar. 12, 2020. Although the provincial government has dropped all public health measures, the pandemic isn't over.

But vaccines have been widely available for months and the risk for fully-vaccinated people is low. This means more people are feeling comfortable about engaging in activities they have refrained from — or been prevented from — doing during the pandemic.

Sonali Currie can't wait to meet new people after facing immense isolation.

"One thing that I'm looking forward to is a lot of coffee meet and greets.… having those networks, having those connections professionally, even personally meeting with friends," she said, noting she's also excited about group fitness classes.

"I feel very happy after a Zumba class in-person, so nothing can beat that." 

Currie said she will cherish these everyday experiences. She moved to Regina from Kolkata, India, in pursuit of a Master's degree at the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy in 2019. She had just begun to connect with other people when the pandemic hit. She lost her job, classes went online and extra-curricular activity stopped. 

Currie worried for her finances and her family back home. She was all alone.  

"I was actually questioning my decision to be here, far away from my place where I was so familiar and I knew people." 

She didn't give up, and now Currie feels mentally stronger and is wrapping up her final semester. Before she begins her job hunt, she wants to travel. 

"That is, of course, another element I'm looking forward to, whether in the province or across Canada."

She's not alone in her desire to hit the road. 

Megan Nash used to play more than 100 live-shows a year in pre-pandemic times, but that lifestyle became impossible as gathering was deemed unsafe. Instead of life on the road, they were forced into life at home — a tough transition for the artist. 

"Not only do I miss the audience and meeting people, I love live shows too. They remind me of all the good in the world," they said. "That energy in a room. It's just incomparable. You can't replace that with a digital set up."