Coronavirus: Saskatoon mother-daughter duo crafting Easter baskets for frontline workers’ kids

With many public gathering restrictions still in place in Saskatchewan amid COVID-19, Easter celebrations may be put on hold.

One Saskatoon family, however, is trying to make the holiday feel more festive for the children of front-line workers.

Erika Bakker and her seven-year-old daughter, Louise Bakker, are making Easter baskets.

“So many nurses and first responders and bus drivers are all right in the thick of it right now, and their kids are going to miss Easter,” Erika Bakker said.

“I was trying to think so something we could do to kind of brighten their day.”

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The family is making 11 baskets in total. They’re going to kids as young as 15 months up to 12 years old.

Inside the baskets are stuffed toys, crafts, treats and other age-specific activities the children might like.

Two baskets are for the children of a single father working at Walmart, Erika Bakker said.

“Every day he has to go out and deal with all of these people and he’s constantly scared that he’s going to get sick,” she said.

Bakker said she wanted to help the variety of people on the front lines, including janitors, bus drivers and retail workers, who continue to play a role in maintaining services during the pandemic.

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.

Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

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