Climate Change and Your Health

The Centers for Disease Control in  the States writes  that climate change is a health threat.  They say

Climate is one of many variables known to affect the rates of these infectious diseases. Climate change may result in changing distribution of VBZD prevalent in the U.S. This could cause formerly-prevalent diseases such as malaria and dengue fever to re-emerge, or facilitate the introduction and spread of new disease agents, such as West Nile virus. http://www.cdc.gov/climateandhealth/effects/vectorborne.htm

So does the World Health Organization.   They state

the overall health effects of a changing climate are likely to be overwhelmingly negative.  http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs266/en/

An article in the Journal of  American Medical Association reinforces this point.

Harm from climate change includes respiratory disorders, infectious diseases, food insecurity, and mental health disorders, said the JAMA study, Climate Change: Challenges and Opportunities for Global Health.  http://www.desmogblog.com/2014/09/27/doctors-remind-politicians-health-consequences-failure-address-climate-change

One of the consequences of Canadians' denial of climate change has been that we haven't taken action on vector borne illnesses.  Canada only started tracking Lyme disease, a tick borne and treatable illness,  in 2009.  2009, for Pete's sakes! 

Today, Canada's PHA recognizes endemic populations of ticks that could carry the disease in six Canadian provinces: Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia.   http://www.straight.com/news/738356/lyme-disease-surges-north-canada-moves-out-denial

The interior of BC doesn't have any ticks, does it?  Naaaah - we don't have to worry about climate change here - if you're my acquaintance with the Phd and the big case of denial.

If you're not in denial, please contact  your MP and instruct them  to nag  the government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.   Next time you see your doctor (if you have a doctor) suggest that they collectively remind the government of their responsibilities.  Increased health costs due to climate change are the last thing our health care system needs.