The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) started in the city of Wuhan, China, in December 2019.[1] The virus spread quickly and resulted in 5 404 512 confirmed cases and 343 514 deaths globally by 26 May 2020.[2] Based on previous experience with the SARS 2003 epidemic caused by SARS-CoV-1, the primary mode of human-to-human transmission of COVID-19 is known to be through droplets and fomites.[1] According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC
Indigenous people in Canada suffer far worse health outcomes than the national average. Rates of maternal and infant mortality, tuberculosis, hypertension, diabetes, and suicide are just a few of the most striking disparities.[1,2] The United Nations Human Development Index includes three basic dimensions of well-being: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge, and a decent standard of living.[3,4] In 2019, Canada ranked 13th out of 189 countries on the index.
Amid a global pandemic, George Floyd’s death under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer galvanized the movement for racial equality in the United States. Mass protests spread across the country and internationally, denouncing the often-violent treatment that people of color face when dealing with law enforcement. This led to a more general discussion and evaluation of racial inequality, with a focus on the Black experience in America. Individuals and corporations alike flooded social media with statements of support for the #BlackLivesMatter movement.