opinion: covid-19 and the urgency of diabetes 360°

in a world overtaken by the covid-19 virus, all hopes seem pinned on a vaccine that will put an end to this crisis and allow us to return to “normal.” but when we look a bit closer at what the rapidly emerging research is telling us, it becomes clear that truly addressing our vulnerability to this and other future infectious disease pandemics will hinge upon us addressing chronic diseases like diabetes. here’s why.as president and ceo of diabetes canada, i’ve come to learn that diabetes is a disease that is well-known, but not known well. it’s complex, there are various types, risk factors and myths associated with this chronic illness. for the nearly 11.5 million canadians living with diabetes or prediabetes, learning everything there is to know about managing the disease is critical to maintaining a healthy life, free from fearful consequences such as heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, lower-limb amputation or blindness.  and now covid.covid-19, like diabetes, is a disease that exploits health inequities. the more socially and economically disadvantaged a person is, the more likely they are to suffer from diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, which put them at greater risk for covid-19. people in poorer socio-economic circumstances can also be more exposed to infection. they may be unable to self-isolate due to insecure labour conditions that do not allow for teleworking or provide statutory sick leave. they are more likely to experience overcrowding in their living arrangements. the pandemic has brought out into even sharper relief the critical necessity of addressing underlying health inequities to preserve the health of our citizens.and the emerging research is bearing this out. people with chronic diseases like diabetes are at elevated risk for covid-19. according to the centers for disease control, people with diabetes are at six times greater risk of a severe case of the virus and at 12 times greater risk of dying than someone without any underlying medical condition. this likely explains why in response to a survey diabetes canada conducted with people affected by diabetes in june 2020, 73 per cent of respondents said that they are worried about catching covid-19, and why a significant number of respondents cited increased anxiety about their health, financial situation, and ability to afford to manage their diabetes.and a more recent hypothesis states that people with covid-19 may be at greater risk of developing diabetes, perhaps due to the effects the virus has on patients’ organs or immune systems. this risky two-way relationship between covid-19 and diabetes underscores the need for further research and action to address the already rapidly increasing prevalence of diabetes among canadians.but what action can we take to truly address diabetes and protect the millions of canadians affected by it from covid-19 and other outbreaks? we can implement a nation-wide diabetes 360° strategy. such a strategy will help to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases, improve diabetes management with better, integrated data that tells us if care is helping patients, and enable coordinated action among all levels of government to improve health outcomes. this strategy is based on extensive research and has broad stakeholder support. it will cost relatively little compared to the hundreds of thousands of cases of type 2 diabetes and its complications it will prevent, and to the billions of dollars of savings it will bring canada’s healthcare system and employers. and, while the strategy was initially developed with a focus on treating diabetes, it can readily be adapted to the treatment of other chronic diseases.with bold, coordinated action to implement diabetes 360°, not only for diabetes but for all chronic diseases, we can improve the health of every canadian and protect those who may be more vulnerable from the covid-19 pandemic.laura syron is the president and ceo of diabetes canada.for more information on diabetes, support or to connect with other patients, visit diabetes canada.don’t miss the latest on covid-19, reopening and life. subscribe to healthing’s daily newsletter covid life.