The Canadian medical system is so far coping well with COVID-19 cases. The curve seems to be flattening in Vancouver, first and hardest hit. Our ability to cope could change if the no. of cases surges. We have seen what happened in China, then Italy; hospitals unable keep up, people dying at home or in hallways because there weren’t enough respirators or isolation rooms to treat everyone.
If you would like to help our medical system cope with a possible surge of COVID-19 cases, you may want to consider making an Advance Care Directive, a document that sets out how much or little medical treatment you want to have if you are very seriously ill and close to death.
Everyone should have one of these anyway, especially if you are older or vulnerable health-wise. As the organization Dying with Dignity says, this is an opportunity to “ get your paperwork in order “, i.e. take care of something you want to have taken care of.