So. I’ve been pretty mute on the COVID front lately. It’s a topic that’s become pretty harsh as of late. We all want it done, especially our provincial government, hence the relabeling to endemic. Those who follow me know that I’m a big picture person, so here’s my take.
Our rising numbers are real, and predictable. We speak of how infection rates are decoupled from hospitalizations. That’s not true. It’s a numbers game, though the proportion of infections that require hospital admission is far less, without mitigation it is still significant.
Tertiary hospitals, the ones with advanced services, accept patients from all over the province. Our heterogeneous rural vaccination rate is a problem. Local outbreaks cause morbidity and high resource use. They require advanced transport and use ICU beds.
Rural resources have been stripped pretty bare by our government. It’s not just COVID that we are seeing, but late presentations of chronic manageable diseases and cancer. Potentially taking out our surgical services with a 4th wave is a huge issue.
As predicted, burnout has reared its head. In the lull without the moral pressure of “seeing it through” we are bleeding nurses and support staff. The bed closures you hear are real, and more concerning is the recruitment in this hostile environment will be very challenging.
We did well staffing the previous waves, but I fear it will be a supreme challenge to staff for a 4th wave. We’ve used up our reserves and good will.
We have seen continuing challenges. The heat wave hammered us, and the smoke has exacerbated chronic breathing conditions, but I have never seen overdoses and self harm rates like I am right now. I honestly have been admitting people who have lost the will to live.
These problems are the exacerbation of greater social injustices. These mountains are beyond one person’s ability to climb, but mitigating a 4th wave will help. At this point we can do several simple things to make things better.
Accept that we’re not done with COVID. It’s not herpes but we will be dealing with it for at least another year. No, I don’t think there will be an escape variant, but there’s enough unvaccinated out there to keep it propagating for a while.
Accept that even though you live in an area with low local activity and hence risk, that’s not the case for all of Alberta. Masking mandates work, and should be provincially reinstated. Delta is super infectious way before symptoms and testing detect it. Consistency matters.
Calm the hell down and be nice. There are some pretty clear triggers out there. Long COVID and airborne spread are contentious for a reason. The internet hates nuance, and we can get pretty siloed here. In the end public health has to be implemented in the real world.
Some good news? Vaccine trials for kids are underway and hopefully we will be seeing results by fall. That’s huge for endemic spread. Yes, all the vaccines for adults have done a spectacular job and controlling this disease. I salute everyone who has put their best arm forward.
Finally, when this is done, let’s get back to the bigger picture. Climate effects health, income disparity is ridiculous, mental health is health, addictions are not moral failings, and private health care is a means to profit off the sick. Vote accordingly. 🙂
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