Winter is simply starting and numbers of COVID-19 instances are rising throughout Canada, with even the Atlantic bubble bursting. So we have to do extra.
As Canadians proceed to live with social restrictions and isolation and begin settling in for a winter of the identical, I consider that our public well being officers and governments must appropriate course on a few of their communications, and create a further public well being marketing campaign to information Canadians out of this pandemic.
In my view, a public well being marketing campaign that highlights the significance of a powerful immune system and encourages total finest well being practices — akin to train and wholesome consuming — to construct immune techniques is lengthy overdue, because it’s essential to reduce demand on health-care companies total.
All of us now know the fundamentals of bodily distancing, masks and handwashing, and as flu season begins, there was funding to advertise the flu shot. However there’s been not a lot else by way of public well being messaging.
Via my work locally well being sciences division on the College of Manitoba, I discovered the significance of each the social determinants of well being and of communication in public well being promotion, however the message shouldn’t be being delivered.
Well being officers usually agree on the significance of weight loss plan and train, however within the suggestions from our public well being officers, they do not appear to make the listing.– Abigail Byle
Immediately, that message — of the significance of a wholesome physique in preventing viruses — appears to be restricted to well being journals and well being lovers, who’re most likely already maintaining a healthy diet and getting common train, with little promotion by well being officers or the media.
As a substitute, the main target has been on what not to do, and in lots of instances, no less than in Manitoba, there’s been loads of scolding and finger wagging from a province that does not appear to have many solutions or supply a lot help, particularly because it closes companies and restricts gatherings.
It seems like it is going to take a while, years even, to essentially adapt and have the ability to dwell with this new virus, so I consider that selling good well being ought to truly be a precedence for the federal government.
Even in 1918, well being officers promoted wholesome train and consuming as a means to assist fight the Spanish influenza.
A Manitoba Free Press discover posted ideas about easy methods to defend from influenza. The primary suggestion says that “a sound, wholesome physique resists the germs of influenza most efficiently. Public well being authorities urge you to eat loads of healthful meals.”
(It additionally really useful sizzling milk as a medication, so that they did not get all the things proper — however the fundamentals have been there.)
But in the present day, there’s little dialogue of basic wholesome habits or any well being suggestions, past bodily distancing, masks and handwashing. These practices are all nonetheless essential, however a extra proactive strategy is required.
New pointers
The World Well being Group’s recommendations note {that a} nutritious diet is essential throughout the COVID-19 pandemic — not as a result of it prevents COVID-19, however as a result of “What we eat and drink can have an effect on our physique’s skill to forestall, struggle and get well from infections,” the WHO says.
“Whereas no meals or dietary dietary supplements can stop or remedy COVID-19 an infection, wholesome diets are essential for supporting immune techniques,” the group says.
Well being officers usually agree on the significance of weight loss plan and train, however within the suggestions from our public well being officers, they do not appear to make the listing.
Winter and social restrictions because of the pandemic will make it much more difficult for Canadians, so some proactive messaging and a communications plan from Ottawa and the province is vital to holding Canadians protected and wholesome.
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