General COVID-19 Resources – Canadian Cancer Survivor Network

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is an illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that was identified in December 2019. On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. COVID-19 continues to be a serious health threat in 2021. Human coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. They are common and often cause mild illnesses, such as the common cold. But they can also cause more serious illnesses. For the most up-to-date information on the COVID-19 outbreak in Canada, visit canada.ca/coronavirus

Are people with cancer at a higher risk for COVID-19?

If you have cancer, you are at a higher risk for more serious outcomes of COVID-19. Cancer is considered an underlying medical condition. And some cancer treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy, can weaken your immune system, making it harder for you to fight infections.

Talk to your doctor or healthcare team if you have concerns about your risk for COVID-19 as a result of current or past cancer treatment. They are the best source of information if you have questions about your risk based on where you live in Canada or your medical history. They will also keep you updated about any possible changes to your cancer treatments during the COVID-19 outbreak.

How do I take extra precautions as someone with cancer?

While there are no special precautions for people who have cancer, their families, or their caregivers, the following steps can help.

Stock up on supplies you would need if you were to have to stay home for a few weeks, such as groceries, pet food, and cleaning products.
Talk to your doctor or healthcare team about how to protect yourself. Make sure you have enough of your prescribed medicines and medical supplies or have a plan for how to get them.
Make a plan for how you can stay connected to others (for example, by phone, email, or video chat).
Take care of your body. Try to eat healthy, be active and get plenty of sleep.
Ask family, a neighbour, or a friend to help with essential errands (for example, buying groceries).
Find out about services that can deliver food or medicines to your home.
Monitor yourself for symptoms.

How Does COVID-19 Spread?

The virus that causes COVID-19 is most commonly spread from a person who is infected through:

Respiratory droplets that come out of the nose or mouth when coughing or sneezing
Aerosols are created when the person coughs, sneezes, sings, shouts, or talks
Close personal contact, such as hugging or shaking hands
Touching something that respiratory droplets have landed on, then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth before washing your hands

COVID-19 is a new disease and we are still learning how else it spreads. Someone who is infected but not showing symptoms can spread the virus. This includes people who are infected but have not yet developed symptoms (pre-symptomatic) and people who are infected who never develop symptoms (asymptomatic). This kind of spread is known to happen among those who are in close contact or are in enclosed or crowded settings.⁴

COVID Self-Assessment

If you think you might have COVID-19, you can use the Public Health Agency of Canada’s self-assessment tool to find out what to do. 5

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COVID-19 Resources by Province

Alberta

My Health Alberta provides:

Symptoms
Self-care
Brain and mental health
Returning to work or school
Exercising and being active

British Columbia

Provincial Health Services Authority provides:

COVID-19 recovery clinics for people recovering from severe cases of COVID-19 and those who have ongoing care
Resources for patients and families
Resources health professionals

Manitoba

The Government of Manitoba provides:

Informational posters, resources, letters, fact sheets, checklists, and other helpful links
Resources for Manitobans helping Manitobans
Managing Mental Health and Addictions
Workplace Resources

New Brunswick

The Government of New Brunswick provides: