Canadian Thoracic Society

The COVID-19 Respiratory Roundtable has released a joint letter, MASK UP FOR SOMEONE YOU LOVE, urging Canadians to continue taking precautions amidst the easing of public health guidelines.

As a group of professional societies and patient organizations working closely with individuals living with lung disease and supporting the lung health of all Canadians, the Roundtable is concerned about the ongoing risks of COVID-19, especially on vulnerable populations.

“While we acknowledge that Canadians can make their own choices, we also need to be mindful of how the individual choices we make will affect vulnerable and high-risk groups,” says lung specialist Dr. Richard Leigh, President of the Canadian Thoracic Society. “Masking indoors is a simple step that will keep our spaces safe for everyone.”

The Respiratory Roundtable’s joint letter provides a summary of the risks that COVID-19 poses and provides a number of precautionary measures that can empower greater protection for Canadians.

“As health care professionals and patient organizations, we know that COVID fatigue is real because we feel it,” stresses Dr. Leigh. “The only way we are going to get past this and keep each other safe is through the measures that are proven to be effective.”

Since the onset of the pandemic, the Canadian Thoracic Society (CTS) has developed numerous position statements to provide clinical guidance for health care professionals (https://cts-sct.ca/covid-19/). In April 2020, the Canadian Thoracic Society (CTS) brought together a group of professional societies and patient organizations from across Canada to form the COVID-19 Respiratory Roundtable. The Roundtable meets monthly to exchange information on pandemic-related activities and strategies, align messaging and identify opportunities for collaboration. Members disseminate CTS guidance to their professional constituents and translate these guidelines into public and patient education materials and programs.

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