OTTAWA -- The biggest lesson Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam says she learned from the experience with COVID-19 a year into the pandemic is that: 鈥渨e failed the most vulnerable.鈥
鈥淚 think the tragedy and the massive lesson learned for everyone in Canada is that we were at every level, not able to protect our seniors, particularly those in long-term care homes,鈥 Tam said in an interview on CTV鈥檚 Question Period. 鈥淓ven worse is that in that second wave, as we warned of the resurgence, there was a repeat of the huge impact on that population.鈥
As of March 11鈥攖he one year mark since COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic鈥攎ore than 22,000 Canadians had died after contracting the virus, which over the last 12 months hit Canada鈥檚 seniors the hardest, with outbreaks experienced in care homes across the country, as well as in workplaces or communities where people are in close quarters.
鈥淭hat will be forever etched in our collective memory, is how we failed the most vulnerable people in our society. Not just seniors, racialized populations, women, and people in congregate鈥 housing, so that is the biggest lesson learned, for sure,鈥 she said.
Tam said that it is a positive indication that now seniors and other vulnerable groups are being prioritized for vaccination. However, systemic changes still need to be implemented to ensure the vulnerabilities the virus has exposed, are addressed.
Her reflections echo the key takeaways from the Public Health Agency鈥檚 2020 annual report, in which she called for 鈥渟tructural change鈥 across health, social, and economic sectors in the wake of COVID-19.
The report highlighted the disproportionate health impacts experienced by workers who provide essential services, racialized populations, people living with disabilities or mental illnesses, and women.
It also includes recommendations on how to improve the country鈥檚 pandemic preparedness, response, and recovery.
The report says among the changes Canada needs to make in light of COVID-19 are improving employment conditions and conditions inside long-term care homes; increasing access to housing; and enhancing Canadians鈥 ability to access social and health services. These are calls for change that governments have acknowledged but months after the report was issued, are largely still left unanswered.
