EDITORIAL: What is Canada’s COVID-19 objective?

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Canadians residing in a number of provinces are currently engaged in debates over whether there needs to be a second lockdown and, if there is one, what it should look like.

The conversation is being had with a sense of urgency as confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been slowly but surely increasing over the past few weeks.

It’s a matter that can’t be properly settled though until we first answer another one: What is Canada’s COVID-19 objective?

When the pandemic first began, we heard a lot about the need to “flatten the curve” and “stop the spread of COVID-19” from authoritative voices such as Dr. Theresa Tam.

We have flattened the curve. The medical system in Canada is nowhere near being overwhelmed. It should also be noted that it never actually came close to being overwhelmed back in April and May.

We haven’t stopped the spread of COVID-19. We came close. Now it’s going up again.

Things are different now. The people who are testing positive are mostly in younger age cohorts. The elderly, who are more likely to die from it, make up a smaller percentage of new confirmed cases.

Meanwhile, the medical sector has learned a great deal about how to treat and care for COVID-19 patients. Their miraculous work deserves our praise.

All of these differences need to be factored into conversations about a second wave and what it is that we’re now trying to achieve.

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A recent feature in The New York Times has the intriguing headline “Even as Cases Rise, Europe Is Learning to Live With the Coronavirus.”

It explains how leaders in countries including France and Italy have concluded that their current objective is to get back to normal as much as possible while mitigating the worst outcomes of COVID-19.

Yes, they are wearing masks, practising enhanced hygiene and conducting contact tracing. What they’re not doing though is considering major lockdowns. They consider that now behind them.

This approach makes sense. We think a similar attitude should be held here in Canada. As it stands, that is not though what politicians here are thinking.

Although, to be fair, we don’t know what they’re thinking. They haven’t communicated their COVID-19 objectives.

They should.