Canada handled the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and survived subsequent cataclysms better than some other countries with comparable medical and economic infrastructure. And new research suggests. Published in theCanadian Medical Association Journalon Monday
, the study recognizes Canada's strong work on the success of restricted and sustainable public health measures and vaccination campaigns. ..
A team of researchers in Ontario compared data from February 2020 to February 2022 in 11 countries called the G10 because one subject was included late. They analyzed data from Canada, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. All of these have similar political, economic and medical systems.
"When you look at Canada compared to the G10, the difference is huge," research co-author Dr. Fahad Razak said in a recent interview.
"Looking at our vaccination rates, we have the highest overall G10, the lowest number of infections and the lowest number of deaths."
According to a study, Canada The cumulative rate per person for COVID-19 cases was 82,700 million, but all countries except Japan exceeded 100,000. Canada's COVID-19-related mortality rate is 919 per million, which is also the second lowest after Japan. All other countries had more than 1,000 per million.
Reywat Deonandan, an epidemiologist and associate professor at the University of Ottawa who was not involved in the study, said the study methodology was sound, even when it was difficult to compare infection and death between jurisdictions. Said there is.
"Conclusion: Canada's relatively rigorous approach has reduced infections and mortality in ," Deonandan said in an email.
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"Permanent Level Limits"
If Canada has the same mortality rate, at least 70,000 Canada in the first two years of the pandemic Razak said that people died in the United States, the country with the highest cumulative COVID-19-related deaths.
"That is, most of us probably personally know our grandparents, or friends and family, who live in Canada today, who would have died if they had followed the same trajectory as the United States. That would be, "Razak said.
He pointed out that there were also structural disadvantages to other health systems that had to be overcome nationwide at the start of the pandemic, and could be vaccinated later than most countries. Nevertheless, he said it had relatively positive results for Canada.
"Some hospitals were overwhelmed and had to ambulance or airlift patients to other hospitals," he said. ..
However, he said Canada was different from other developed countries when it chose to implement strict and lasting public health measures. Such measures have sparked fierce opposition in some circles, but Razak said he helped mitigate the overall impact of the pandemic.
"Compared to many other countries, there are strict time limits, but we will withdraw soon," he said. "In the case of Canada, the first two years were almost completely at such high and sustained levels."
Highest percentage of two doses
Razak is Canada The success of the immunization drive has emerged as the most powerful takeaway from the study, praising the authorities for engaging with the public and making the vaccine readily available nationwide.
As of June, more than 80% of eligible Canadians have been fully vaccinated with two doses. Studies show that the proportion of vaccinated populations in other G10 countries is 64-77 percent.
"In Canada, the deployment of these vaccines was magical during the first and second doses," Razak said.
"When talking to colleagues around the world, Canada was the envy of the world in that the population gathered around it. This is a lesson for the world and a very high engagement with rights. A strategy that may occur. "
Dr. Eleanor Fish, a professor of immunology at the University of Toronto who was not involved in the study, said the findings were pandemic in Canada. He said it was in line with her own evaluation.
Like Razak, she said that the high immunization rate of the population played a major role in the country's strong performance.
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Fish also warned that COVID and other respiratory illnesses could pose challenges this fall could strain the healthcare system there is.
"We need to plan it now," Fish said.
Financial burden
This study also found that each country's response to a pandemic left an economic burden, increased government debt in all countries, and Canada had the highest relative increase. Shown that you are recording one.
"We have had these very significant economic consequences, imposing very strict restrictions on individual freedom, leading to quarantine, etc., but controlling the effects of the virus. In terms of that, it was one of the really best results. "Razak said.
" It was worth it. It's not a scientific question. It's a question of values, morals, and policy. "
