In March 2020, a woman in her 50s tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a cruise, marking Alberta's early encounter with a virus that would reshape the province's healthcare landscape. Today, the ripple effects of COVID-19 are still felt, as waitlists for critical medical services swell, and long-term symptoms persist among survivors. The pandemic has not only led to a significant increase in the demand for healthcare services but has also made it challenging for patients to secure timely care, with cardiologist waitlists now stretching close to two years.
Long COVID remains a pressing concern, with 19% of Canadians who contracted SARS-CoV-2 reporting prolonged symptoms lasting three or more months in 2023. In Alberta, up to 10% of individuals continue to experience lingering effects post-infection, and approximately 2% are incapacitated to the point where they cannot return to work or school. This has sparked debates about resource allocation and healthcare strategies in the province.
The Lingering Threat of Long COVID
Long COVID has emerged as a complex and persistent issue, making diagnosis increasingly difficult due to limited testing availability. The closure of Alberta Health Services' long COVID outpatient program in 2023 has further complicated matters for patients seeking help. Dr. Grace Lam has highlighted the challenges in accurately assessing the number of Albertans suffering from long COVID or developing new symptoms.
"It makes it really quite challenging to pin down how many Albertans are still suffering with this or are newly developing this at this point." – Dr. Grace Lam
The symptoms of long COVID often mirror those of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), adding to the complexity of diagnosis and treatment. As clinical trials explore potential treatments, most patients manage their symptoms at home with support from primary care providers or Health Link.
The Ongoing Battle with Infectious Diseases
Prior to the pandemic, influenza was the foremost cause of death due to infectious diseases in Canada. However, COVID-19 has dramatically shifted this landscape. In 2022 alone, the virus claimed more than four times as many lives as the flu in Alberta.
"Last year alone, COVID killed more than four times as many Albertans as flu." – Craig Jenne
Since the onset of the pandemic, a total of 6,691 Albertans have succumbed to COVID-19. The virus continues to pose a significant threat, particularly to those with underlying health conditions and older populations.
"It continues to be a significant threat to people that have underlying health conditions, older and — to a certain extent — younger Albertans." – Craig Jenne
Despite the end of the pandemic phase, experts caution that COVID-19 is transitioning into an endemic phase, necessitating annual management efforts.
"The pandemic has ended but, unfortunately, the endemic stage has now begun. And this is a virus that we're going to have to deal with basically every year moving forward." – Dr. Satish Raj
Societal Impacts and Future Outlook
The societal impact of COVID-19 extends beyond health concerns, affecting individuals' abilities to participate in work and educational activities. As of June 2023, approximately 100,000 Canadian adults have been unable to return to work or school due to lingering symptoms.
"As of June 2023, about 100,000 Canadian adults have been unable to return to work or school because of their symptoms," – (report from Statistics Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada)
The long-term implications of this are profound, with calls for increased resources and support for those affected by long COVID.
"We're not necessarily showing a commitment to providing the resources to help them to continue to be part of society." – Raj
Experts like Dr. Satish Raj emphasize that while pandemics are not unprecedented, the scale and societal impact of COVID-19 have been unparalleled.
"What was different about COVID wasn't that this type of thing had never happened before, but that it had never happened before on the scale, societally, as it happened with COVID," – Dr. Satish Raj
