I think it's through talking and sharing experiences. I've actually been quite impressed with what has been provided by some of our societies as well as by government, at least my own government in Ontario, to allow us mental health and mindfulness types of strategies.
I'll be honest. It's not just critical care that has been stressed. I think we should recognize that in other areas of our hospitals, health care professionals have gone out and helped in environments that they're not familiar with. I know that a lot of the operating room staff—I'm also an anesthesiologist—have volunteered, given up their time and cared for patients in the long-term care facilities.
I do worry, the longer this goes on, about how protracted it will be, including the restart. It certainly will be taxing our nurses, our respiratory therapists, our other specialists and our physicians. I do think the assistance that has been provided for corporations has been helpful for physicians. The added pay for our health professionals was certainly welcome.
I do think that a long-term strategy on the mental illness effects secondary to COVID on health professionals as well as on Canadians in general should be a major consideration for our government.