Early on in the pandemic, the hope of better days following the first wave offered a light at the end of the tunnel for some Canadians, says Dr. Jackie Kinley. But in the midst of a second wave — alongside the threat of more dangerous COVID-19 variants — that hope is waning. "What we're starting to see is people are being worn down," said Kinley, a Halifax-based psychologist and resilience expert , who warns the pandemic could have a lasting impact on Canadians' mental health. "I really see people now feeling more numb, more detached, more demoralized." WATCH | How Sheila White, 97, stays active and connected to her community during the pandemic