We are well into the second wave of COVID-19 in Canada. Each province, and territory, has been struggling to contain it with varying levels of success.

Canada reported just over 7,000 cases on Nov. 23—a record high, so far. We have even heard reports of Nunavut having outbreaks in a couple of their communities.

As those in the trades already know, this hasn’t stopped the amount of work coming in. We all still have bills to pay and that means getting our work done.

There has been some good that has come out of all this. It has been interesting learning about new types of technology that might help us in the fight against COVID-19. This can be found in all aspects of the industry—heating, plumbing, refrigeration, etc. Everyone seems to be doing their part to help flatten/shorten the curve.

We might soon find ourselves with a potential vaccination—or three. This will be an important role in the fight, as it won’t leave the burden all to one country or company. Rather, we will have three times the amount of effort into figuring out a safe solution.

Our esteemed refrigeration expert, Greg Scrivener, chose to write in our November/December issue about how the refrigeration industry will play a role in vaccinations, specifically how they will be kept cool and thus still actually work against the virus. It wasn’t exactly something that I had thought about for our industry but seems so obvious now having read through the article a few times.

It should come as no surprise then that our industry will be playing a part in the time to come. The trades make an impact on every single person—whether they realize it or not.

It is up to us to continue social distancing (when possible), wearing our masks, and ensuring our loved ones are safe.

I am interested in hearing about how your company has been affected by the pandemic, how you have been personally been dealing with the pandemic, and any technology you have come across that fights off COVID-19. Please email leah@plumbingandhvac.ca to share your experiences.

This will be my final column for 2020. I hope all of our readers have a great Holiday season and a Happy New Year. Hopefully 2021 will prove to be a better year. Fingers crossed!