Fight against COVID-19 hasn’t been easy, and it’s not over yet

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented situation around the world, and it has caused challenges here at home as well. Thousands of Canadians have been infected, and tragically, many Canadians have lost their lives due to the virus. I think of the nurses, doctors, caregivers, first-responders, and other Canadians working in essential services who are at a greater risk every day simply for doing their jobs. They are making sacrifices to keep our hospitals running and our grocery stores stocked, and I want to thank them for their work and for their courage. We know how much this pandemic has disrupted the daily lives of Canadians. Our familiar routines have been upended, we aren’t able to visit our loved ones and working from home can be challenging. I know many Canadians are anxiously wondering when things will return to normal—I am too—but it’s going to take all of us following public health advice to get there. We are learning more about COVID-19 every day, and our government’s response will continue to be based on the latest science, evidence, and collaboration. We are immensely grateful to have the leadership of Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, and the guidance of the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), guiding our actions at this crucial time. From the outset, PHAC has provided public health advice for Canadians to follow in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and flatten the epidemic curve. Staying home, practising physical distancing, washing your hands, and coughing into your sleeve will help save lives and stop more Canadians from becoming infected. The fight against COVID-19 requires a continued and concerted effort from all of us. In early March, we announced the COVID-19 Response Fund, which helped Canada respond quickly to emerging challenges related to COVID-19 across the country. The Response Fund includes more than $500-million for the provinces and territories to respond to increased demand on their health-care systems, and is helping support preparation and mitigation efforts in Indigenous and northern communities. The Response Fund will also help Canadian researchers as they learn more about potential vaccines and treatments for COVID-19. For those who have lost their jobs or who are unable to work due to COVID, we introduced the Canada Emergency Response Benefit to provide Canadians with up to $2,000 per month. We’re also working with the provinces and territories on a proposal to increase salaries of workers deemed essential in the fight against COVID-19, who make less than $2,500 a month. To help small businesses struggling with a decline in income due to COVID-19, we’re ensuring they have access to credit as well as wage subsidies to help them support their employees. We know how important testing is in flattening the curve and identifying cases across the country. That’s why we’ve expedited the approval of new COVID-19 tests and helped the provinces and territories enhance their testing capabilities. Canada has one of the highest per capita testing rates in the world, and to date, nearly 600,000 people have been tested across the country, with more tests happening every day. We are also actively working to ensure that hospitals and front-line workers have the personal protective equipment (PPE) that they need, like masks, gloves, face shields and gowns. We’re working with provinces and territories to make sure that health-care facilities have the supplies they need, and many supplies have already been distributed with more on the way every week. There has also been an unprecedented mobilization from industry partners, who are rapidly re-tooling to manufacture essential items like ventilators and hand sanitizer. One great example is in my home province of Nova Scotia, where Stanfield’s is altering its manufacturing capabilities to produce medical gowns. Lastly, we know that many Canadians are struggling with mental wellness while staying isolated, and I encourage all Canadians to use our online mental health support resources. Wellness Together Canada connects Canadians to helpful resources as well as peer support workers, social workers, psychologists and other professionals for confidential chat sessions or phone calls. The fight against COVID-19 hasn’t been easy, and it’s not over yet. It’s going to take all of us to get through this. The disruptions we’re facing in our everyday lives are due to measures that will save lives and stop the spread of this virus. By following the best public health advice, and continuing to focus on science and evidence, we can flatten the curve and save lives. Liberal MP Darren Fisher, who represents Dartmouth-Cole Harbour, N.S., is the parliamentary secretary to the federal minister of health. The Hill Times

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Fight against COVID-19 hasn’t been easy, and it’s not over yet

It’s going to take all of us to get through this.

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