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5Introduction
Our epidemiological understanding of COVID-19 is greatly
hindered by the quality and availability of data. Still, available data
show some emerging patterns. Globally, it seems more men die than
women: 69% of all coronavirus deaths reported across Western Europe
have been male.17 However, in Canada this trend is reversed, as the
vast majority of deaths have occurred in long-term care homes, where
the majority of residents and workers are women.18 There are also sig-
nificant differences in rates of death by age groups, with older people
dying most.19 A large sample in Italy found that 80% of deaths were
among people aged 70 and older.20 Nursing home residents and care
workers in many high-income countries (HICs) have died in staggering
numbers. At least one-third of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. have been
in nursing homes (whether residents or caregivers). Similarly, WHO
figures indicate that almost half of all people who have died in Europe
were residents of care facilities.21 Canada has the highest proportion of
deaths in long-term care settings among 14 countries in a study by the
International Long-Term Care Policy Network, an incredible 82%.22
Initially, little data was collected on the socio-economic, racial,
and ethnic backgrounds of victims. Once data began to be collected,
testing rates. See “Hamilton’s Associate Medical Officer of Health Apologizes
to Premier Doug Ford”, CBC News (24 April 2020), online: <https://www.cbc.ca/
news/canada/hamilton/bart-harvey-apology-doug-ford-1.5543557>.
17. Martha Henriques, “Why Covid-19 is Different for Men and Women”, BBC
News (12 April 2020), online: <https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200409-
why-covid-19-is-different-for-men-and-women>.
18. As of May 15, 55% of confirmed cases of COVID-19 are women, and women
made up 53% of the total deaths in Canada. See Olivia Bowden, “More Canadian
Women Have COVID-19 and are Dying as a Result. Here’s Some Possible
Reasons Why”, Global News (17 May 2020), online: <https://globalnews.ca/
news/6920505/more-women-have-coronavirus/>.
19. Anuja Vaidya, “6 Insights into COVID-19 Patient Care Patterns Worldwide”
(12 May 2020), online: Becker’sÂ
HospitalÂ
Review <https://www.beckershospitalreview.
com/patient-safety-outcomes/6-insights-into-covid-19-patient-care-patterns-
worldwide.html>.
20. David Wallace-Wells, “COVID-19 Targets the Elderly. Why Don’t Our Prevention
Efforts?”, New York Magazine (13 May 2020), online: <https://nymag.com/
intelligencer/2020/05/covid-targets-the-elderly-why-dont-our-prevention-
efforts.html>.
21. Eimear Flanagan, “Coronavirus: Almost Half of Irish Covid-19 Deaths in Care
Homes”, BBC News (23 April 2020), online: <https://www.bbc.com/news/world-
europe-52399869>.
22. International Long-term Care Policy Network & Care Policy and Evaluation Cen-
tre, “Country Reports: COVID-19 and Long-Term Care” (19 April 2020), online:
ResourcesÂ
toÂ
SupportÂ
CommunityÂ
andÂ
InstitutionalÂ
Long-TermÂ
CareÂ
ResponsesÂ
toÂ
COVID-
19 <https://ltccovid.org/country-reports-on-covid-19-and-long-term-care/>.
VULNERABLE
The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19
- Title
- VULNERABLE
- Subtitle
- The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19
- Authors
- Vanessa MacDonnell
- Jane Philpott
- Sophie Thériault
- Sridhar Venkatapuram
- Publisher
- Ottawa Press
- Date
- 2020
- Language
- English
- License
- CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
- ISBN
- 9780776636429
- Size
- 15.2 x 22.8 cm
- Pages
- 648
- Categories
- Coronavirus
- International