As I went through the painful exercise today of cancelling elective surgery with @des_lam @janeharwood41 and the @MGHToronto surgery leadership team a few thoughts come to mind #COVID19:

1. I am quite frankly stunned that in April 2021 after a full year of preparation, the tsunami feared in April 2020 may finally be upon us now. With mixed messaging to the public & fatigue from a prolonged pandemic I am less certain that we will collectively be able to respond

2. This particular wave in addition to all of my previous emotions, brings also anger. If not preventable, so much of this third wave could have been mitigated. We will instead see so many additional, needless deaths and in time, unmeasurable long-term morbidity.

3. Deferring so much surgical care for 12 months should have put us in a position to be much further ahead one year down the road. The fact that we are not in a better position is appalling and an affront to those patients who have sacrificed so much

4. This represents a failure in so many ways. Of course there have been failures of multiple levels of government that did not plan adequately between waves.

5. We have also collectively failed as a society. In the 1st wave we failed our elders. We failed them yet again in the 2nd wave and it’s clear we are now failing the marginalized, racialized & often disadvantaged members of society, many of whom we rely upon to keep life going

6. Where we go after all this is finally over and we get to the other side and try and build a more fair and just society I’m not sure. I’m more committed than ever to be a part of that discussion.

7. Finally, I am grateful to work in an institution that through good conscience and quiet, steady leadership from top to bottom has worked tirelessly to point us towards the light.