Central Newfoundland business owners struggling with pandemic fatigue under another lockdown

The newest coronavirus variant to appear in Newfoundland and Labrador has depressing consequences for business owners in Newfoundland's central region, who nowface not onlylockdown measuresbut pandemic fatigue from customers.

Deborah Bourden, co-owner of the Anchor Inn in Twillingate,fielded a barrage of cancellations on the brink of the long weekend, as the province's chief medical officer moved the nearby Lewisporte region to Alert Level 4 on Friday.

"It wasn't the weekend we had hoped for," Bourden said. Many guests who did arrive, she added, checked out early, eyeing the rising caseload.

As of Wednesday, 48 people have fallen ill in a cluster that picked up steam near Lewisportelast week. Public health officials confirmed the outbreak is fuelled by variant B1617, the more-transmissible strain responsible for wreaking havoc in India.

Given the kick to their bottom line, the hotel decided to "hit reset," she said, and shut down entirely until early June.

It's not the first time COVID-19 took a bit out of Bourden'sbusiness. Last year, after a three-month lockdownand dismal tourism season, the Anchor Inn generated just 15 per cent the revenue it had in 2019.

Bourden isn't alone in feeling the pinch. Nicole Keats, who owns the Newfoundland Tea Company in Gander, says her weary customers aren't as eager to order takeout this time around.

She suspects that 15 months into the pandemic, people have less disposable income and patience for fine dining on their living room couch. After all, it's barbecue season, she points out.

"I'm just tired. We're all tired," said a frustrated Keats. She's lost track of how many times the virus, and resulting public health orders, has shut down her small restaurant.

"Every pivot is like reimagining and redoing your business every single time. It's exhausting.At some point we're going to have to look at, at what point is it worth being open?"

Rising vaccination, but no plan to lift travel ban

Keats worries about the "constant instability" hanging over her summer season. At any second, she explains, the investment of time and money it takes to restart after a lockdown might be simply wiped away by yet another outbreak.

She points to vaccines as the sole glimmer of hope. Newfoundland and Labrador could see 75 per cent of the eligible population vaccinated with at least one dose in the coming weeks, Health Minister John Haggie said Wednesday.

Reaching that number would help businesses like Keats's reach sustainability, she said.

"Everyone needs to get vaccinated," she said. "We need one more push, hopefully, and we can try to maybe get back to normal."

There's no word yet on when the region in central Newfoundland will return to Alert Level 2, but widespread testing in Lewisporte this week hasn't signalled rampant community spread, according to Haggie.

Premier Andrew Fureyon Wednesday expressed optimism that the recent restrictions could contain the outbreak quickly.

Bourden's own approach mirrors Furey's outlook. Shetries to view her operating challenges as more of a journey than a struggle, staying chipper about the summer ahead.

But she, too, can't help but look ahead to when tourists finally return, despite the resounding lack of promises or plans from the provincial government on how it might allow recreational entry to Newfoundland and Labrador once more.

"People will travel again. I think there's a pent-up demand," she said.

"The industry will come back."

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