The numbers of infections are back up and rising rapidly. Gone are the hopeful days of summer when we might have thought we were wrestling the contagion to the ground.
Ontario has finally started to act. What to do about schools continues to be contentious with fears that they will become sites of spread. But the province has at least reacted to large gatherings and the dangers that they pose: weddings, funerals, parties, etc. Permissible numbers have been reduced to 25 for outdoors and 10 for indoors. Many believe that bars should be restricted if not entirely closed down. Action on them is urgently needed.
Getting people to observe these constraints and, perhaps, even more drastic ones is a critical issue. Questions of compliance with mitigation efforts have been ongoing from the start of restrictions to minimize spread of the virus. A continuing issue is the disproportionate impact on minorities, the homeless and others because of discriminatory enforcement. As the police enforce the laws, they themselves must be policed.
Premier Doug Ford, in that inimitable style of his, threatens tough sanctions and aggressive tactics (as he has before). “We’re coming after you” is his battle cry against those flouting various restrictions. Huge fines are to be levied against transgressors. This no-nonsense approach can work for some but it has limits.
Most individuals obey the law most of the time. Such is the case for COVID-19 restrictions. But how do we get the ones who tilt toward defiance to conform? Just a few violators can spread a lot of contagion. More is needed than Ford’s “threaten and punish.” For one thing, sanctioning individual non-compliance means that the harm has already been done. For another, threats of punishment simply do not deter some would-be violators (think of those misguided/malevolent ones who insist their civil liberties are being violated by requirements to wear a mask.)
Enter “norm entrepreneurs.” The force of laws does come from the threat of sanctions if they are not obeyed. But most laws achieve high levels of compliance because norms (social attitudes about what should be done) are aligned with them. There’s a whole body of literature on norms and their relationship to law. What is needed are highly visible and respected individuals who could promote even greater levels of compliance: norm entrepreneurs.
Ryan Reynolds is a famous and youngish actor from British Columbia. He’s also become a norm entrepreneur, helping to control the spread of the contagion with a public service announcement (PSA) in which he warns of the dangers of the contagion. It has the brilliant tag line: “Don’t kill my Mom.” The PSA is thus directed to young people warning of the harm that can come to them if they become infected and, perhaps even more importantly, the damage they can do to others, especially the vulnerable. The actor Paul Rudd is doing something along the same lines for the “Mask Up America” campaign. There also were some earlier efforts by individual celebrities using their own social media accounts to urge people to support mitigation efforts.
The government should enlist the aid of various notables to promote a message of compliance. Margaret Atwood may persuade some. Drake others. Highly visible individuals in particular communities still others. And so forth.
The Premier’s blunt and threatening style has its place. But it needs to be accompanied by a chorus of prominent voices that seek to persuade that compliance is in everyone’s interest; that falling into line with these revised restrictions is the best way to prevent the imposition of even more drastic ones.
Shakespeare in Richard III speaks of “the winter of our discontent.” We’ll learn anew the meaning of that phrase. The contagion stalks us with invigorated malevolence while the nights grow longer and the days grow colder. The virus must be controlled – lest its havoc be unbounded.
The comments section is closed.
As usual, this is a well thought out article on what to do with the individuals who do not obey the Covid restrictions. It has caused me to rethink my belief that they should be fined or jailed. In many cases this would be just punishment. However, I am old and realize how difficult it must be for younger people living through this terrible time. I do agree that Drake, and other famous artists and authors who have a large number of followers could influence many; Ryan Reynolds is a wonderful example.
I do feel terrible for the homeless and the poor who are bearing a greater brunt of the effects of this dreadful virus.
Thanks for forward this article to me; much appreciated.
Eva
Thanks for the comment.
Yes. The possibility of sanctions is necessary. But if the Drakes and Ryan Reynolds can inspire people to mitigate that is a much better way.
B
Well said. I see all kinds of variations of the norm and sometimes wonder how some can walk around a store with no mask, no sense of direction, nor appropriate distance. If masks are not a law and even then a law that’s enforced, and norms aren’t respected by our community, then we’re all vulnerable to that one knucklehead who thinks he’s free to infect us all….and I don’t mean a certain orange haired president.
Fiona
Thanks for your comment
As one of Canada’s foremost actors you’d be great doing a PSA that I talk about in my article.
Sanctions are a necessary backup. But we need to inspire more to support mitigation efforts
B
1 Rickk
Mitigation efforts do impose burdens. But without effective ones we’d be much worse off: compare our death rates to countries that have not employed them in ways they should have eg Sweden, UK, USA
2 Ed
Great information regarding New Zealand. I’m making a somewhat different point. Not only should the messaging be clear and consistent but who delivers it matters as well. We need more Ryan Reynolds!
W.A. Bogart, I suggest you study New Zealand for a case study of how to communicate to engage citizens. Just today, I heard it has 0 active cases in the country (except some travellers in quarantine). NZ Police sponsored 2 programs:
1. Imagine if we hired Schitt’s Creek actors in March to produce a short video ever 2-3 days on some issue of Covid. NZ hired Wellington Paranormal to do this.
2. Imagine if we started Creative Genius, a program to encourage amateur films makers to produce a short Covid video while people are in lockdown…600 people submitted videos — went were seen by thousands.
This is about the full advertising campaign from New Zealand.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/covid19-wicked-problem-solving-did-your-country-change-ed-bernacki/
This is a sample of Creative Genius about downloading the App. (42 % of kiwis have the app vs 8% of Canadians).
This will help you understand how NZ used a tracking app: Kiwis scan a QR code when they enter a store.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=749095689278434
Silly
Fact 1 – March 2020, ‘to flatten the curve’, we needed to CLOSE Ontario down for 2 weeks to not overwhelm the hospitals with covid patients
Fact 2 – Throughout the next 6 months the hospitals in Ontario were never overwhelmed (ie. curve flattened) with covid patients yet Ontario was still mandated CLOSED
Fact 3 – 384 hospitals in Ontario, as of Sunday, 169 patients in Ontario hospitals seeking treatment for covid 19 – how much flatter can public health ‘authorities’ really think they can make this curve but putting on a mask ? silly rabbit – tricks are for kids
Fact 4 – The average Ontarion’s healthcare is compromised today, prior to covid average GP practice sees ?25 patients per day – now maybe 8 per day, prior to covid average cardiologist sees 12 patients per day – now maybe 3. Think of all the knee, hip replacements postponed and still waiting, all the gallbladders, all the cancer biopsies NOT done for diagnosis, all the coronary disease not diagnosed or treated interventionally, mental care not provided…
Ya, quarantine and mask up the province, that’s the solution…
BTW I have this piece of land in Florida I’m selling for a great deal
If you compare how Ontario (Ford led government) managed Covid compared to other countries, you would see big differences. Ontario was never in a true lockdown. No curfews. Melbourne shut the city when it hit 700 new cases per day; today there is under 10. NZ eliminated covid for the second time. What makes it worse is my observation that we did not learn fast enough from research and case studies from around the world. A huge difference between Ontario, and Canada, and countries like NZ is how they communicate with citizens to change their behaviour. We are doing it poorly. It is easy to critique past actions, what would you suggest we do in the future? If you were Ford, what you would do now?