CPHO Report - From Risk to Resilience: An equity approach to COVID-19

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, has released the annual report, From Risk to Resilience: An equity approach to COVID-19 on the State of Public Health in Canada 2020. The 2020 report examines how the first wave of the pandemic affected Canadians in different ways. It examines how health and social inequities that existed before the first wave put some Canadians at higher risk of contracting, spreading, and/or developing complications from COVID-19. The research also shows how these inequities caused some Canadians to be disproportionately affected by COVID-19 prevention and mitigation measures. 

The report describes the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on Canadians from January 2020 to the end of August 2020. It highlights that some groups such as seniors, workers who provide essential services, racialized populations, people living with disabilities and women have been more greatly impacted by COVID-19 than other Canadians.

The report also demonstrates the need to take a holistic approach that addresses the interconnections between risk factors, the environment, and social and economic factors.

 The lessons of COVID-19 present an opportunity and an urgency to ensure that our pandemic efforts explicitly include a health equity approach to attend to the social factors such as employment, housing and access to health and social services.  These social actions can help to protect the health of Canadians.

 The CPHO’s annual report highlights some of the actions that governments, the private sector, community organizations, and individuals can take to address the systemic barriers to health and well-being.

Enclosing is a link to a stakeholder kit, which provides customizable messages than can be shared on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. You can access the kit here.

“No one is protected from COVID-19 until everyone is protected”. 

-Dr. Theresa Tam, 2020