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Overview

Post COVID-19 Condition in Canada

"The COVID pandemic has had devastating effects on our society and on human health and mortality. Over the past two years, evidence has emerged to suggest that the impacts of COVID-19 extend beyond the acute phase of the disease which, in some infected individuals, can turn into a chronic illness. In Canada, as of August 2022, more than 1.4 million people – or about 15 percent of adults who have contracted COVID-19 – say they experience symptoms three months or more after their initial SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. These include respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological and cognitive impairments and they can be debilitating.

These longer-term symptoms are collectively identified as post-COVID-19 condition (PCC), or long COVID. PCC is not a homogeneous disease, as different individuals can present different sets of symptoms. Currently, there is no consensus definition of the condition or its diagnosis and few if any clinical practice guidelines are available."

Read more about PCC in Canada here: Post-COVID-19 Condition in Canada: What We Know, What We Don’t Know and a Framework for Action

Usask Develops Provincial PCC Education Program

Learning about COVID infection and its long-term implications is critical to developing a better understanding of the course of the disease, what to expect and how to best cope with the overall burden of the disease.

In August 2022, the division of Continuing Medical Education (CME) at the College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, conducted a Needs Assessment of patients and their families and of healthcare providers across the province of Saskatchewan, to develop an educational curriculum for a provincial PCC education program. 

As part of this program, educational resources and live event recordings have been added to this website to share knowledge related to PCC for patients, their families, and health care providers across Saskatchewan.

CAN-PCC

Guidelines and Recommendations

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) funded Cochrane Canada and the McMaster GRADE Centre to develop guidelines for Post COVID-19 Condition (PCC). The team working on the guidelines is a group of 90 people from across Canada, including researchers, health professionals, people with lived PCC experience, and health economists. Their equity oversight committee ensures that equity is always considered-one of the first guideline projects to do so.

Following a public consultation process, recommendations will be released monthly, with the final set of 100+ recommendations to be published in November 2024. As of June 2024, there are 11 good practice statements and 5 recommendations available to help guide patients, doctors, and policymakers. To view the good practice statements and recommendations, visit the CAN-PCC Recommendations Map(RecMap). Statements are available in both English and French.

To learn more about the Canadian Guidelines for Post COVID-19 Condition, their team, and their aproach, visit their project website.

The University of Saskatchewan PCC team will be integrating the Canadian Guidelines for Post COVID-19 Condition(CAN-PCC) into accredited webinars, outreach visits to community and health organizations, and self-management resources as part of the educational program.

MyGuide: Long COVID

MyGuide: Long COVID is a network that supports and conducts research on Post COVID Condition (PCC), focusing on improving patient care, understanding the disease, and finding treatments. It involves diverse participants, including patients, clinicians, and researchers, working together across Canada. 

To learn more about MyGuide: Long COVID, visit their website.

Info and Resources

Patients & Families

family

Click the link below to access
information and resources for people
living with Post-COVID Condition
(or Long COVID) and their families.

Health Care Providers

health care providers

Click the link below to access resources
for health care providers supporting
patients living with Post-COVID Condition
(or Long COVID) and their families.

Educational Events

educational events

Click the link below to access the
recordings and presentations of past
Post-COVID Condition (or Long COVID)
educational events.

Key Details for Webinars/Sessions

virtual Format:  Virtual︱Recordings available on website after sessions
target audience Target Audience: Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Occupational Therapists, Pharmacists, Physical Therapists, Psychologists, Registered Nurses, Resident Doctors in Training, Respiratory Therapists, and other health care professionals are encouraged to attend. Patients and their families, and members of the public are also welcome.
course length Program Length:  1 hour webinar sessions (to be announced)
multiple devices Access: PC / iMac / cell phone
registration Registration: Opening soon!
registration deadline Registration Deadline: N/A
accreditation icon Accreditation: This program is accredited. See the accreditation section below for more information.
dollar sign Fees: Free

Accreditation Credits

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (Royal College):
This event is an Accredited Group Learning Activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and approved by the Division of Continuing Medical Education, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan. You may claim a maximum of 1.0 hours (credits are automatically calculated).

The College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC):
This one-credit-per-hour Group Learning program meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by the Continuing Medical Education Division, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan for up to 1.0 Mainpro+ credits.

Inquiries: Any questions concerning accreditation can be directed to Molly Campbell or Emily Parker at cme.events@usask.ca