Skip to content

Action taken on COVID-19 questionable

Why was 3,900 empty beds in B.C. created for COVID-19
21616555_web1_letters-logo-1-660x440

Action taken on COVID-19 questionable

As of May 20, 2020, the world total to date of COVID-19 positive cases is 4,861,456. Total deaths is 322,483 which is 6.6 per cent.

In comparison to cancer cases, the total number of cancers in Canada was 220,120 in 2019 with a death total of 104,340 or 47.4 per cent.

In regards to COVID-19 in B.C., a public emergency was declared on March 17, 2020. On March 26, 2020 the B.C. Ministry of Health created 3,900 empty beds to become available in B.C. if COVID-19 became pandemic in numbers. This resulted in 30,000 surgeries to be cancelled.

The peak of Covid 19 in B.C. reached a total of 149 people in hospital between April 1 and 7, 2020. Today, May 20, 2020, that number is now 43. Total B.C. covid 19 positive cases in B.C. has been 2,467, and 149 have died from COVID-19 or six per cent. The total number of cancer cases in B.C. in 2019 was, 26,900 and 10,900 people died or 40.5 per cent.

Why was 3,900 empty beds in B.C. created for COVID-19, which has had a death rate of six per cent, in relation to B.C. cancer deaths at 40.5 per cent? This is only for cancer, let alone all of the other medical problems.

Surrey resident, Chris Walcroft, had been dealing with failed kidneys, and was to have surgery on March 17, but the operation was cancelled and was told cancellation is because of the COVID-19.

He was supposed to see a specialist after his March 17 operation on April 11, but died on that day and never got to see the specialist.

He had a friend that was taking chemotherapy treatments and her treatments were cancelled because of COVID-19.

B.C. people were all scheduled for cancer screening tests, gall bladder, diabetes, colonoscopy, knee and hip replacements, eye cataract surgery, just to name a few. Cancelling an eye cataract surgery alone can cause problems, as the cataract can thicken and cause problems for the surgeon.

Of the total 149 deaths in B.C., 80 per cent of those deaths were in B.C. long term health care. Why is that the case, when these residents are confined to enclosed places and never move around unless it is outside to the courtyard? Could it be the working staff that brought COVID-19 into the building? What were these staff people doing when they left work? Did they do socializing on their time off? No one will ever know.

COVID-19 will go into the world history books, but COVID-19 will be going away, but something like cancer and the rest of the medical problems will never go away. They are here to stay in our lives, until we all eventually leave this world.

In summary, why was COVID-19 given so much authority over cancer, and the cancelled surgeries which will now take two years to cover the backlog of cancelled surgeries?

COVID-19 precautions had to be taken, but maybe not the way it was done, in reality preventing COVID-19 and ignoring the pain of B.C. people waiting for medical screening and surgeries.

I ask the B.C. Ministry of Health, how do you put cancer on hold? There is no second chances, as all of us only live once.

Unbelievable!

Joe Sawchuk

Duncan