After a few broken rules over Easter leave 20 loved ones ill, Quebec man warns other to...

[ASFN Admin]

Sébastien Duclos and his family have learned the hard way that even those living in rural Quebec risk much more than a hefty fine if they violate public health rules. A short Easter gathering has left about 20 of relatives sick with COVID-19 and several of them, including his wife, ended up in hospital with severe cases of the potentially fatal disease. This, after an exhausting year of following the rules. "There have been no hugs for a year, no kisses and we keep our distance all the time," said Duclos, who lives in Saint-Narcisse-de-Beaurivage, Que., a town of about 1,000 residents south of Quebec City. He's been careful at work and at home but as the pandemic wore on and winter melted away into spring, his guard began slipping, he said. He's a welder for a mechanic and it's hard to keep his mask on all day, he said. So he had been leaving it loose or taking it off altogether. And when Easter rolled around, Duclos and his family decided to have a short gathering. His sister and husband, a man he works with, dropped by with the kids to share a beer, exchange gifts and hunt for chocolate. "We thought that our family bubble was foolproof. They were there for 45 minutes," said Duclos. He said he was worrying more about police knocking on his door than catching COVID-19. 55-year-old aunt in intensive care The next day, he headed off to work and his aunt stopped by to visit with his wife. The two women kept their distance and stayed outside, but weren't wearing masks, he said. A short time later, almost everybody started showing symptoms. It's not clear how the virus entered the family circle or when transmission took place, but as is often the case with COVID-19, it spread fast and left some much sicker than others in its wake. Among them was his 55-year-old aunt who spent seven days in intensive care. "It was critical the first few days," Duclos said. "We didn't know what was going to happen. It was a disaster that could have been avoided." Warning others to follow the rules Now his family is on the mend, but the guilt still gnaws at him. "I feel so bad," he told Radio-Canada. "I feel like a drunk guy who drove his car and hit someone. I feel like an irresponsible person." But along with that guilt came his own battle with a disease he now knows is nothing to scoff at. "I was very sick. I'm a guy who works 80-100 hours, I don't have time to be sick. But when this thing hits, it hits hard. It's not just a little flu," said Duclos. Duclos is back on his guard these days, keeping his mask tight to his face and speaking publicly about his experience in an effort to warn others about the importance of following health guidelines — especially with variants on the rise. He said he doesn't want others to have to go through what he's been through. "If we're not careful, it will never stop," said Duclos. "Nobody can tell me it's just a little flu, an H1N1, an R2D2. It's not that."

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