As we enter the 19th month of the COVID-19 pandemic and in response to recent harassment of health workers, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) is launching a campaign to encourage Canadians to express their support of Canada’s health workforce. The campaign “I Stand with Health Workers” encourages Canadians to show their support and appreciation of health care workers by adding filters to their Facebook and Instagram accounts or using the hashtag #StandWithHealthWorkers.
“Our health workforce has shown extreme resilience and compassion throughout this pandemic and deserve our gratitude. In the past months, we’ve seen a small proportion of the population devalue our healthcare professionals and it’s time to raise our collective voices and speak louder,” says Dr. Katharine Smart, CMA President. As this pandemic drags on, we need to acknowledge and thank our health workforce who has been there from day one.”
In a recent survey by the CMA, 87% of Canadians agreed that supporting health care workers was a priority, recognizing that such support will lead to improved access to care and quality of care.
Time to step up the vaccine campaign
The CMA reminds Canadians that they can help by getting their COVID-19 vaccine, keeping up with social distancing, wearing masks and following local public health guidelines. The CMA also encourages governments to step up their vaccine campaigns to encourage vaccine-hesitant Canadians to get the jab.
“Being a Canadian means caring about your neighbour, being community-minded and making the choice to be vaccinated,” adds Dr. Smart. “It’s an act of compassion for the people around you and those who care for you. Health workers are doing their part. It’s time for the rest of us to do the same.”