Greens call for a long-term national strategy for managing COVID-19
Ottawa, ON – The COVID-19 pandemic, a crisis that has taken more than 6 million lives, including nearly 47,000 Canadians, is showing no sign of waning. Cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are on the rise in Canada.
“Even ‘mild’ cases increase the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attacks and strokes and increase the risk of Long COVID,” said Dr. Jennifer Purdy, Green Party of Canada Health Critic. “Regardless of age group, research shows a person may be vulnerable to other viral illnesses for up to eight months following COVID infection due to its devastating impact on the immune system. Vaccination reduces but does not eliminate these risks.”
“There are several variants of concern appearing here in Canada, and doctors anticipate an increase in caseloads leading into the winter, ” said Dr. Farrukh Chishtie, Emergency Preparedness co-critic for the Green Party of Canada. “Besides acute cases, we are also facing an increasing number of Long COVID cases, for which identification, health, and financial support remains inadequately addressed, exacerbating the large-scale inequities many already face.”
”We must carry out basic epidemiological studies for Long COVID so that everyone is getting the resources and care they need, with particular attention given to the most societally vulnerable, including people with disabilities, seniors, and Indigenous people.” said Green Party of Canada interim Leader, Dr. Amita Kuttner. “We are committed to working with the government and all political parties to safeguard the lives and well-being of all Canadians and urge the government to accept the latest research.”
The Green Party of Canada calls on the government to:
- Accept the latest COVID-19 evidence and rapidly change course, including re-evaluation of lifting mask mandates on federally regulated trains and aircraft
- Increase funding for health research relating to the impact and treatment of long COVID
- Review and operationalize the pandemic response plan for a new variant or virus
- Fast track Bill C-22 to provide much-needed financial support to people with disabilities
- Introduce a guaranteed livable income to protect essential workers
- Provide further assistance to small businesses impacted by decreased economic activity
- Work with provincial, territorial, and First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments on a long-term national strategy for acute and chronic care related to COVID-19
Dr. Jennifer Purdy, Green Party of Canada Heath Critic
Dr. Farrukh Chishtie, Green Party of Canada Emergency Preparedness Co-Critic
Dr. Amita Kuttner, Green Party of Canada Interim Leader
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