The Covid-19 pandemic changes health outcomes in both negative and positive ways. Working from home may reduce Mary’s risk of death from a car accident, and lower her likelihood of catching Covid-19 or a cold. But while he may never contract Covid 19, how will her health be affected if she can’t see her doctor, afford and obtain her medicine, or talk with a mental health professional about her depression? While we are drawn to focus on the death count and positive tests for Covid-19, we also need to consider the impacts of this crisis on the wider population.
Covid-19 has laid bare the inadequacies and inequalities in our social, economic and health systems. If we can shift our health resources and adjust our emergency responses and our health and social system to care for all, then the lessons of this terrible and dangerous pandemic may save many lives.
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