As COVID-19 restrictions begin to lift, it is important to remember that everyone will be walking towards recovery at their own pace, for their own reasons. Let’s be kind and considerate to others as they navigate what feels right to them.

As with everything related to the pandemic, things change quickly, often due to more information becoming available. People’s feelings and comfort levels will also continue to change. That does not mean they were wrong for feeling how they felt initially or that they are wrong for how they feel now. It simply means their perspective has changed, and that’s okay. There is no one right way to navigate the changing world around us.

In the following weeks and months, you will see many different options when it comes to masking, for example. You are likely to see individuals continue to wear masks, some all of the time and some, perhaps, just in specific situations. You will also see those who are deciding not to wear a mask at all. All of these scenarios are okay if they are following the rules specific to the environment, remembering that some high-risk areas still require masking. Individuals are encouraged to make the decision that feels best to them and their family and be understanding of the decisions of others.

Businesses will also have the option to continue to ask visitors to wear masks or show proof of vaccination. This is their choice and one that should be respected. They will have different reasons for their decisions, and those reasons should be met with kindness and compassion. Every business, just like every person, has experienced the pandemic differently and it is these experiences that influence their choices moving forward.

It has been a long two years and it is because of everyone choosing to come together that we are able to take some important steps forward. Moving into this next phase, let’s remember that we are still all in this together.