By Thomas I. Likness
EBC Edmonton Bureau

EDMONTON (Eagle News) — Canada is ill-prepared for a possible second wave of COVID-19 infections witnesses told the Senate committee on Social Affair, Science and Technology.

In a report released Thursday, the committee noted better diagnostic testing and contact tracing are required for effective containment of new cases.

The committee has been studying the federal government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic with respect to vulnerable population groups, including seniors, health care workers, essential frontline workers, young people and people with mental health conditions.

The committee said the federal government should pay more attention to seniors in nursing homes where most of the major outbreaks and deaths occurred.

“The pandemic has highlighted problems that have existed for many years in Canada’s long-term care sector, such as understaffing, inadequate training, low wages, unregulated support workers, insufficient inspections, variability in regulations amongst jurisdictions and the lack of a mandatory national accreditation process,” the committee wrote.

The senators also criticized the government for not acting quickly on implementing infection control programs in nursing homes.

“The federal government’s response in this area lacked urgency, and guidelines should have been released more quickly following the World Health Organization’s declaration of a global COVID-19 pandemic,” the committee said.

The committee scolded the government for the way seniors in long term care are treated.

“Your committee observed with concern that a more compassionate approach is required for residents in LTC and palliative care to ensure that family and friends can visit their loved ones,” the committee wrote.

(Eagle News Service)