It’s been a year since Greg and Rose Yerex came back home, after – in many respects – being Norfolk’s first canary in a coal mine when it comes to COVID-19.
Their time aboard the Diamond Princess in Japan, where a large COVID-19 outbreak occurred, is well known to the community.
Many watched for updates on the situation as – at the time – there had been no cases locally and the story of the couple and their friend Kate Bedding connected the community to a very real situation that was starting to spread across the world.
Rose talked to us about coming back to the area, saying it was an odd experience seeing the world slowly adapt to the reality of COVID-19 that they lived through.
She also found it odd seeing some of the reactions to COVID-19, with people pushing back against ideas like masks and vaccines – something she still can’t quite wrap her head around.
When it comes to the cruise itself, Rose says most people know that story very well.
They were stuck in the cabin for days as cases continued to climb on the boat.
Just as they were set to return home, after receiving several negative tests, they both ended up testing positive.
They were sent to a hospital and were not allowed to leave until they received their two negative test results.
What Rose says many people do not know is what followed those two negative test results as getting the couple back into Canada, and back to Port Dover, was a journey all on its own.
When it comes to the current state of things, Rose says while she and Greg may have received a crash course in COVID-19 they are now in the same boat as everyone else.
She said the thing that helped her get through those scary moments on the boat is also the thing that helps her out today, looking at the positive and trying to smile and laugh as much as possible even in the darkest situations.