TORONTO -- As new COVID-19 cases in Canada follow a downward trend, a national association of physicians is warning Canadians not to let their guard down.
The Canadian Medical Association has released before a potential resurgence of the novel coronavirus, including clear messaging, effective testing and an immense medical backlog.
Whether there will be a dramatic surge akin to a 鈥渨ave鈥 remains to be seen. Instead, CMA President Sandy Buchman thinks Canada might see 鈥渓ittle bumps here and there鈥 like we鈥檙e at the top of a ski hill.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a hill full of moguls. We need to find our way through the moguls, the bumps that are bound to occur,鈥 he told CTVNews.ca over the phone on Wednesday.
Canada will be best equipped to navigate those bumps if the critical issues identified by the CMA are addressed, he said.
COMPLACENCY AND MESSAGING
Canadians must continue to adhere to public health measures, including physical distancing that has proven to help flatten the curve of coronavirus infections across the country. It could be a challenge with COVID-19 鈥渇atigue鈥 settling in as much of the country closes out its 17th week of widespread restrictions.
鈥淲e can鈥檛 let up,鈥 said Buchman. 鈥淲e have to continue to be vigilant about the public health measures. If we鈥檙e not doing that we can suffer another lockdown and way more restrictions.鈥
To ensure public health measures are clear and feasible, the messaging from health authorities should be consistent, said Buchman. But this has been an issue since the pandemic began and it became clear that people were confused by guidance being issues, particularly as it related to face coverings.
鈥淚t鈥檚 clearer lately with regards to mask wearing,鈥 said Buchman, noting numerous jurisdictions that have started to enforce mandatory face coverings in indoor public spaces.
But messaging around contact tracing, which can help identify and contain new infections, has proven to be a new challenge for public health officials.
TRACING AND TESTING
In June, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that a new voluntary mobile app for contact tracing would be tested in Ontario and arrive for use in July. Last week, the provincial government announced that the app 鈥, but officials were working with federal partners to release the it 鈥渟hortly.鈥
This is the kind of messaging snafu that Buchman said authorities need to iron out before further outbreaks of the virus take hold.
鈥淚t is now July 9. We haven鈥檛 heard anything,鈥 he said of the app. 鈥淲e should be getting clear consistent messaging and why the delay."
In addition to improved contact tracing across the country, the CMA recommends that 鈥減roactive strategic testing鈥 be expanded across essential worker groups and other susceptible populations.
FRONT-LINE WORKERS AND MARGINALIZED PEOPLE
While production of personal protective equipment (PPE) has mitigated an earlier crisis, the health and wellness of front-line workers remains a concern.
鈥淕overnments need to do more to recognize the unique risks and financial hardships experienced by our frontline health-care workers,鈥 the CMA said in a news release Thursday.
Canada has also 鈥渇ailed dramatically鈥 in protecting vulnerable groups that have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic so far, the CMA said, including marginalized populations and residents of long-term care facilities, where most of the Canadian deaths have occurred.
鈥楴ON-ESSENTIAL鈥 BACKLOG
Early in the pandemic, surgeries, procedures and consults deemed 鈥渘on-essential鈥 were cancelled and postponed to maintain physical distancing and to better equip hospitals for an influx of cases. An immense backlog of cases has piled up over recent months that health officials have said could take years to clear.
鈥淎s health services begin to resume, health systems will be left to grapple with a significant spike in already lengthy waiting times,鈥 the CMA wrote in its news release.
Despite the prospect of new outbreaks, Buchman says he鈥檚 optimistic as long as Canada begins to attend to the issues the CMA has outlined.
鈥淟et鈥檚 do it now,鈥 he said. 鈥淟et鈥檚 just ensure that we鈥檙e on this path and we can get through it.鈥
