An "unprecedented number of children and youth across Canada are gravely ill with influenza and other respiratory illnesses, including RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) and COVID-19," the Canadian Medical Association says in a statement.
"As health care workers battle the current onslaught of respiratory illnesses affecting children and youth, we must acknowledge that our health systems are not keeping pace with the needs of our population, young or aging."
The statement says resources are stretched "so thin that previously unthinkable measures have become a reality," and children are waiting longer for care than adults for things like surgery, diagnostic imaging, and mental health services.
"It is a desperate situation for many, and we are deeply concerned for these children and their families," the statement says.
"We need innovation, collaboration, and action," the statement says.
"We need it now."
The CMA is calling on governments to do what they can to stop the spread of respiratory illness, including getting flu vaccines and wearing a well-fitting mask in indoor public spaces, the CBC reports.
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