I hope I've made that point clearly: the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the shutdown or lack of access to the health care system. The more waves—and the longer the pandemic continues—the more long-term the consequences will be.
Catching up on necessary procedures may take several years if funds are not urgently provided. Some provinces are talking about a catch-up period of two and a half years. In Quebec, the backlog of procedures is estimated at more than 100,000. There will be long-term consequences before we can catch up with any success.
In addition, the delay in testing and the lack of accessibility means that there will be consequences not for two or three years, but for several more. Sporadic funding will not help us make a difference in the long term.
This image may be a little strong, but we risk sacrificing a generation or having problems for years to come if we do not react quickly to the current situation. As for the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, no one knows exactly when it will end or if it will end. We must keep that in mind.