Alberta, for its part, has led the way in Canada, becoming the first province to make the people of Alberta pay for their COVID-19 vaccinations. Experts caution that Long COVID may impact as many as one in five infected kids. We’re hugely disappointed by this decision, given the immediate and passed-down health implications it has for families all across the province. Starting soon, Albertans will have to pay $110 per shot for COVID vaccines, impacting both adults and children as young as six months, who will be ineligible for free vaccinations.
The province’s new policy has already garnered international attention from health authorities and health experts. Really, Health Canada won’t be challenging Alberta’s move, and let the province go ahead with its one-of-a-kind approach to pandemic control. Alberta’s decision is more than a loss for Canada’s nascent national strategy – it has implications far beyond. This strategy has given us universal vaccines at no charge – the norm across Canada since the start of the pandemic.
Implications for Public Health
To say that charging for COVID vaccines is a big deal would be an understatement, especially when you consider recently published research in JAMA Pediatrics. The study estimates that nearly 20% of children who contract COVID-19 may experience Long COVID symptoms, including fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and other lasting health issues. It’s Alberta residents who are now facing much greater cost barriers to vaccination. Therefore, alarm is increasing over possible surges in infections and the lasting cardiac effects of the virus on kids.
Public health authorities like the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) continue to strongly promote routine COVID vaccinations. This recommendation is especially aimed at high-risk populations like older adults 65 years and older, healthcare personnel, and pregnant women. Alberta’s unilateral move leaves the province’s most vulnerable populations in a difficult and dangerous position. The access they do have to vaccines is at risk due to their ability to afford it.
This daunting financial burden only serves to exacerbate health inequities, especially among families at or below the federal poverty level. Parents are often reluctant to vaccinate their children due to the associated costs. Such reluctance may heighten the odds of developing Long COVID symptoms among pediatric patients.
Controversial Legislative Changes
In addition to Alberta’s vaccine policy, Ontario is attempting to pass very controversial legislative changes that add to the confusion around public health transparency. A new government bill would make online inspection reports of long-term care homes disappear three years after they are posted. Today’s announcement comes after a horrific summer. At least 4,300 residents died in Ontario LTC homes between 2020 and 2022.
Critics say restricting access to these reports harms accountability and public trust in long-term care facilities. The transparency omission would limit families’ ability to make informed choices between different care options for their loved ones. Hundreds of thousands of residents remain in the shadow of a full recovery from the pandemic. They deserve to be informed consumers but urgently need accessible, accurate information about long-term care.
As Alberta implements its new vaccine policy, Ontario is making moves to amend long-term care regulations. Experts warn that as these transitions occur, we need to keep our public health guard up. They urge against complacency as provinces continue to adjust to the changing environment of COVID-19 and its long-term effects on communities.
Challenges Beyond Vaccination
Besides vaccine accessibility and legislative changes, Canadian men’s health is a largely neglected topic. Canada has yet to develop a national men’s health strategy.
References
Alarming Statistics
Almost 50% of Canadian men don’t live to see their 75th birthday, and many of these deaths are avoidable. In a national survey, only 48% of men reported feeling completely listened to on their first visit by their medical provider. This last finding is particularly concerning as it highlights tremendous gaps in communication and care.
The health system’s shortcomings go further than just the health of men. Recent developments in the pharmaceutical sector, where select companies can bypass traditional approval timelines and receive decisions in as little as one month, raise questions about equitable access to treatments and medications.
Policy conversations around healthcare strategies continue to grow. It’s time for policymakers to be proactive about understanding the effects of their decisions on public health. Men’s health, vaccination access and long-term care transparency require immediate action. We need a collaborative redistribution if we are to provide equitable healthcare to every Canadian, regardless of their postal code.
