Mr. Legault,
We are aware that you have a wide back. This is a reality that every political leader must accept. This pandemic is far from simple to manage. But there is always room for improvement, and we would like to share solutions in this direction with you.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, your government has turned to the public health expert, and with good reason, since the priority is to save lives. Dr. Horacio Arruda and, for the last few weeks, Dr. Luc Boileau have been explaining to us the evolution of the virus, its effects on health as well as on our system and helping us to understand several decisions of your government.
Unfortunately, we perceive that mental health is often in the blind spot of your policies, with physical health dominating decisions.
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Your opinion
interests us.
Do you have an opinion to share? A text between 300 and 600 words that you would like to submit to us?
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One in 4 Quebecers would have asked for help
Unlike deaths and hospitalizations, the psychological impact of COVID is difficult to quantify. According to a poll published in The Journal de Montréal on January 29, nearly one in four Quebecers asked for help with their mental health during the pandemic. This is not surprising.
Not only is the demand for mental health assistance increasing, but it can also become a vulnerability factor predisposing to hospitalization in the event of COVID. Among our neighbors to the south, the CDC includes depression as a risk factor. Are we on a dangerous path?
When the government has to make decisions in relation to the pandemic, the crisis cell has 19 people, including a public health expert, four public relations specialists, ministers, deputy ministers and heads of cabinet. In a context where the situation is complex, one would have expected a greater diversification of scientific expertise.
By adding at least one mental health expert, this would promote a better analysis of the pros and cons in the face of government decisions.
Loss of trust
This lack of sensitivity to the complexity of health, the mental aspect of which is paramount, leads to a loss of trust reaching unprecedented levels of distrust among thousands of citizens. Our impatience, fatigue, loss of bearings, lack of human contacts and several other psychological and social factors should be treated with the same level of seriousness as physical health.
Our social cohesion and democracy are at stake.
Thank you for diversifying your crisis unit to better meet the needs of the population.
Marc-André Ouellette, Geneviève Dorval-Douville, Kimberlee Desormeaux, co-authors of Reviving Democracy, and Héléna Bureau, Jean-François Gingras, co-authors of Restore Health
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