Over 60? If you heed the WHO’s advice, you’re in for an inconvenient and potentially boring few months.
World Health Organization director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made headlines late last week when he suggested anyone over 60, or those who have an underlying condition like cardiovascular disease, a respiratory condition or diabetes, should avoid crowded areas or places where they may interact with people who are sick.
He made the comments during a news conference last Friday and reiterated them to his 500,000 followers on Twitter over the weekend.
If you are 60+, or have an underlying condition like cardiovascular disease, a respiratory condition or diabetes, you have a higher risk of developing severe #COVID19. Try to avoid crowded areas, or places where you might interact with people who are sick. #coronavirus
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) February 29, 2020
WHO spokeswoman Dr. Margaret Harris took it a step further, according to U.K. media reports, suggesting those over 60 avoid sporting events, public transit and even supermarkets.
The recommendations were made in light of the WHO raising its global risk level for COVID-19, also known as novel coronavirus, to very high following a number of new clusters of outbreaks outside of the epicentre in Wuhan, China. South Korea, Italy, Japan and Iran are the organization’s top concerns — especially in places such as Iran, where community spread has been recorded.
This advice may raise eyebrows in Atlantic Canada, which has the oldest population in the country.
It’s true that COVID-19 seems to hit older and sick or immuno-compromised individuals harder — studies on existing cases show the death rate is estimated to be only 0.2 per cent for younger people, but it increases to 3.6 per cent by age 60 and goes up to 14.8 per cent for those over 80. Similarly, those with existing conditions have a much higher mortality rate — 10.5 per cent in people with cardiovascular disease, for example.
Atlantic reaction
That’s the global advice, now we have to put it in the local context.
- Dr. Robert Strang, chief medical officer for Nova Scotia
But according to Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer, Dr. Robert Strang, the over-60 crowd doesn’t need to start cancelling plans just yet.
With no confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 in Atlantic Canada, public health officials are not echoing the WHO’s recommendations at this time.
“We know people who are older, especially those with chronic conditions … are at much greater risk of severe disease. That’s the global advice. Now we have to put it in the local context,” Strang said.
Even with 27 confirmed cases elsewhere in Canada, Strang added there’s been no evidence of community spread, an important distinction when it comes to COVID-19.
All cases in Canada so far have been directly linked to travel to outbreak areas or close family contact with those infected.
“None of the cases in Canada so far have resulted in general spread in the community,” he said.
Canada’s chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, said the WHO’s advice for those over 60 to avoid crowds is certainly applicable in countries where community-level spread has been recorded, but that is not the case in Canada.
As for Canadians, at this stage, Tam said the focus should be containment — staying home if you’re sick and especially avoiding contact with older populations and those with underlying medical conditions, self-quarantine for 14 days after travel to affected areas, and good handwashing and hygiene practices.
“It’s very important to protect any impact on those vulnerable populations,” she said.
Strang said health officials will continue with the containment approach, and working closely with counterparts across Canada. If and when the advice to Atlantic Canadians changes, the public will be alerted, Strang said.
“If we get to that point, that would be part of our strong public messaging, but we're nowhere near that point yet.”
