Posted by: Kieran
Old stats, but...
In 2019, an estimated 220.400 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer and 82,100 will die from cancer.
So let's say 2020 will be roughly the same diagnostic number - how many of those findings will have been delayed and will result in death because of COVID restrictions.
Let's be conservative and say 10% (a 3 month delay can be a difference between stage 1 or stage 4). So that's an extra 13,830.
COVID has killed how many this year in Canada? So far - 11, 494
Then throw on top all of the other missed deaths.
This IMO is why this whole thing is messed up. I think in a few years time we look back at 2020 and say WTF were we thinking.
This is an overly simplistic analysis and quite honestly it only serves to counter your other arguments. This virus is all through our hospitals so conducting testing and surgeries as though it is all normal puts all of those people at risk (and many of them are high risk). The virus is also taking up beds, and doctors and nurses both by taking their time and by making them sick, so it is not like doctors have many choices. I think they overreacted at the beginning (with the help of hindsight) but they have been doing all they can to conduct business as usual since then. My wife had a mammogram just a couple weeks ago.
COVID isn't taking centre stage by choice. When people have to be in the hospital or ICU for long periods of time with an infectious disease it takes a lot of the medical systems resources to handle it which means other things suffer and we have no choice in the matter. Do you suggest they are sent home?
If you think it is messed up, wear a mask. The best thing we can do for cancer patients is not spread the virus (remember, it's not about you). Do you think people are going to get that small painless lump looked at when COVID is rampant at the local hospital. It is the same with the shutdown. Sweden has shown us that you can't just say "leave it all open" and expect that a few more people will die and that is it. People stop going out, they stop getting needed medical treatment, and our hospitals get over worked which leads to more deaths and suffering.