COVID-19 has changed the way Canadians interact with their healthcare team. While some impacts were immediate, like the increased pressure placed on our health care workers, one consequence that has largely fallen under the radar is the disruption of routine care and vaccinations.
Regular care routines help doctors catch diseases in early stages, when they can be much easier to treat. A lapse in routine care can allow some detectable diseases to go unnoticed until they are in later and potentially more serious stages. Physicians are now encouraging patients to come back to routine care and prioritize potentially life-saving care practices.
Dr. Gretty Deutsch, Vice President, Medical Affairs & Country Medical Director at Merck Canada, provides her perspective on the importance of maintaining a consistent care routine.
— Dr. Gretty Deutsch, Vice President, Medical Affairs & Country Medical Director at Merck Canada
Nearly half of Canadians are expected to receive a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime.1 For these patients, missing routine cancer screenings could have significant health impact.
Provinces across the country have seen declines in new cancer diagnoses since the onset of the pandemic, which means some cancers may be going undetected.2
The good news is that many cancer services that were paused or postponed at the onset of the pandemic are now available again. It’s time to check in with your doctor to ensure you’re up to date with your routine screening schedule, including mammograms for early detection of breast cancer, stool tests for early detection of colorectal cancer and Pap tests for early detection of cervical cancer.7
Vaccinations are another essential care practice impacted by the pandemic. When schools closed their doors in 2020, school-based vaccination programs were disrupted, and many primary care visits were cancelled or postponed. Some adults may not even realize they have missed a routine vaccination for themselves or their child.8
Vaccines can help protect children and adults from illnesses like herpes zoster, pneumococcal diseases and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection.9,10 A decrease in vaccination levels, for example, could mean more cases of shingles, pneumonia and cervical cancer, in future years.10,11
— Dr. Gretty Deutsch, Vice President, Medical Affairs & Country Medical Director at Merck Canada
Endnotes
1Brenner DR, Weir HK, Demers AA, et al. Projected estimates of cancer in Canada in 2020. CMAJ. 2020;192(9):E199-E205.
2Duong D. Doctors warn of late diagnoses as cancer screening backlog grows. CMAJ. 2021;193(22):E811-E812.
3Duong D. Doctors warn of late diagnoses as cancer screening backlog grows. CMAJ. 2021;193(22):E811-E812.
4Duong D. Doctors warn of late diagnoses as cancer screening backlog grows. CMAJ. 2021;193(22):E811-E812.
5Hanna TP et al. Mortality due to cancer treatment delay: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ 2020;371:m4087.
6COVID-19 response. Canadian Cancer Society. Available at: https://cancer.ca/en/get-involved/advocacy/what-we-are-doing/covid-19-response. Accessed on September 23, 2021.
7COVID-19 response. Canadian Cancer Society. Available at: https://cancer.ca/en/get-involved/advocacy/what-we-are-doing/covid-19-response. Accessed on September 23, 2021.
8Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada. 1 in 4. Available at: https://www.oneinfour.ca/. Accessed on October 26, 2021.
9Neighbourhood Pharmacy Association of Canada. 1 in 4. Available at: https://www.oneinfour.ca/. Accessed on October 26, 2021.
10Canadian Immunization Guide. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/canadian-immunization-guide.html. Accessed on November 10, 2021.
11Public Health Agency of Canada. National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). Interim guidance on continuity of immunization programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/immunization/national-advisory-committee-on-immunization-naci/interim-guidance-immunization-programs-during-covid-19-pandemic.html. Accessed on November 4, 2021.
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