An expert panel of doctors and researchers says Canada needs to learn from the COVID-19 pandemic and take action before the next health emergency occurs.
One of the six experts, Dr. Fahad Razak, said most scientists believe it is “only a matter of time” before a global health crisis strikes again.
The panel’s report, entitled “The Time to Act Now,” states that disease surveillance, hospitalization data and research findings need to be communicated more effectively between provinces, territories and the federal government.
Razak, an internal medicine specialist at St. Michael in Toronto, said it was critical to disseminate developing health information more quickly to the public to build trust and combat the spread of disinformation.
The report says Canada also needs to address disparities among people most impacted during emergencies, including racialized people, Indigenous people, the homeless and nursing home residents.
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It said more investment was needed in research into how to better prioritize and support these groups, including addressing basic health needs.
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Canada also needs to set up one permanent scientific advisory group – as has been done in the UK – rather than trying to combine that expertise in the middle of an epidemic, said Razak, who is Ontario’s COVID-19 scientific director. Science Advisory Table.
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“There are many things you can do in the midst of a crisis. “People are desperate, infrastructure doesn’t function well during a crisis,” he said in an interview on Tuesday.
“A lot of what we see globally when we compare (pandemic) responses shows that preparedness is a very important part.”
The report said “the absence of an emergency protocol for science advice in Canada is causing significant delays” and that better coordination is needed “within and across levels of government.”
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Having scientific advisory groups at the federal and provincial levels communicating separately “resulted in varying streams of advice,” said the report, released on Friday.
The report of the independent expert panel was requested by Health Canada.
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Razak said there are several aspects of Canada’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic that Canada can be proud of, including the use of wastewater monitoring to detect how much of the virus is in the community.
“We are one of the pioneering countries and we are certainly developing it on a scale that is beyond what many other countries have been able to achieve,” he said.
But some provinces, including Ontario, have now scaled back their wastewater monitoring programs significantly, leaving many communities with “virtually no data,” Razak said.
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Canada’s Lessons from COVID-19: Time to Prepare for Disease X!
Well, well, well! It seems Canada has finally decided to take off those winter boots and put on their thinking caps. An expert panel made up of doctors and researchers has delivered a rallying cry – “The Time to Act Now” – urging the Great White North to get its act together before another global health crisis comes knocking at the door. You know, like that annoying neighbor who keeps borrowing sugar and never returns it.
Dr. Fahad Razak, one of the six experts on the panel, warns that it’s “only a matter of time” before we face another health emergency. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? You can almost hear the ominous music playing in the background. Next thing you know, a mysterious virus will pop out from behind the couch while wearing a party hat, saying “Surprise! It’s Disease X!”
The report emphasizes the need for better communication between provinces, territories, and the federal government. It feels like a game of broken telephone, doesn’t it? One province thinks the plan is to open up the theaters, while another believes we’re still in full lockdown mode. Spoiler alert: they both get it wrong!
Dr. Razak rightly points out the importance of sharing health information with the public quickly, especially to combat the vile hydra of disinformation. It’s like trying to put out a fire with gasoline; if you don’t act fast, it just gets worse. And let’s face it, misinformation spreads faster than rumors about who that new couple is in the office.
But wait, there’s more! The report stresses that Canada needs to address disparities that affected various communities, especially marginalized groups during the pandemic. Racialized people, Indigenous communities, the homeless, and nursing home residents were hit the hardest. What’s that old saying? “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” And it looks like Canada’s healthcare system had a couple of rusty links during this crisis.
The panel also calls for a permanent scientific advisory group, much like that “wise old man” we all want but can never seem to find in the middle of a crisis. You know, one that doesn’t require a Google search and an hour of scrolling through WebMD to back it up!
Razak mentions that managing a crisis with piecemeal advice leads to confusion, with scientific advisory groups sending out signals that might as well be in Morse code. Imagine getting guidance from someone who thinks they’re helping, but really, they’re just making it worse. It’s like asking your mate for directions, only to end up lost in the middle of nowhere. Spoiler: there are no cell towers in ‘No where!’.
On a brighter note, at least Canada can give itself a pat on the back for pioneering wastewater monitoring. Yes, we’re measuring how much of the virus is swirling around in the sewers. A reminder that every flush counts! But alas, provinces like Ontario are scaling back these programs, leaving many communities swimming in the dark. Talk about taking a step back while the rest of the world is strutting forward!
So, folks, the message from the expert panel is clear: prepare for the inevitable, bolster the healthcare system, and clean up communication channels faster than an OCD perfectionist at a cluttered garage sale. Let’s be ready, because the re-runs of that health emergency drama series could be coming soon to a theatre near us, and nobody wants to pay for a ticket to that!
