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Despite reports from Health Canada about COVID-19 outbreaks rising, and the death of 112 Canadians in the past two weeks from the virus, some regard it no more or less dangerous than the common flu. An average of 3,500 people die from the flu every year according to Statistics Canada, while 60,690 Canadians have died from COVID since Statistics Canada started tracking numbers in August 2020.
Using wastewater surveillance, scientists were able to determine the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID) from infected individuals through the testing of community wastewater. Although typically a duty of the federal government, Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones said there was a need for additional testing during the height of the pandemic. “We are returning to what I would call a normal state of affairs,” she said at a press conference at Mount Sinai Hospital on July 24, 2024.
“Three, four years ago, I guess we probably couldn’t imagine getting here,” said James Tiessen, associate professor at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), “but I think COVID has become normal, just like the flu.”
The viral disease was declared a global pandemic in March 2020, restricting Canadians through measures like social distancing, masking and intermittent lockdowns for two years to reduce its spread. Most restrictions were lifted throughout 2022, with the WHO finally declaring the public health emergency over in May 2023.
Epidemiologist and emeritus professor at TMU Timothy Sly said COVID-19 is becoming an endemic virus. “It’s either there in a constant way all the time or is seasonally endemic,” he said, “it can be moderated through a vaccine.”
As of Sept. 1, 2024, there are no COVID vaccines currently available in the province. A withdrawal was issued by Health Canada to update the vaccine formulation for combating newer strains of the virus.
“It’s to keep up with the variants, exactly the same as we do with influenza,” said Sly, comparing the COVID-19 vaccine to the yearly flu shot. “The original COVID vaccine is almost useless.”
Toronto resident Sarah Morrish agrees that COVID has become similar to the flu, so she’s no longer worried about it. “I’m more concerned about other things now … microplastics, things happening overseas, drinking water,” she said.
Nevertheless, Tiessen highlighted that what differentiates COVID from other flu-like illnesses is a matter of concern, which is the chance for long COVID.
“I think that the threat of long COVID is something that we really have to keep in mind because it’s really hard to diagnose,” he said “it kind of comes down to some symptoms not being attributable to anything.”
With that said, Tiessen doesn’t see the province taking extreme measures like going into lockdown again, even amidst outbreaks.
“I don’t think there will be a tolerance for the degree of shutdown that we had before,” he said, “I don’t think the public would stand for it.”
Reporter at On The Record
