CREATION OF AND COLLABORATION WITH THE SOUTH ASIAN COVID TASK FORCE

November 30, 2020 | Rabi Al-Akhar 15, 1442 AH
Bismillah hirRahman nirRaheem
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Abundant Peace, Blessings and Salutations upon the Prophet Muhammad (S)
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,
May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be with you
The Canadian Muslim COVID-19 Task Force is an ethnically diverse group of Muslim community leaders and healthcare professionals that works within a pan-Canadian mandate, and has been operational since the first lockdown in March 2020.
Standardized messaging that comes from provincial governments or public health bodies at times does not reflect the realities and lived experiences of many of our diverse communities in Canada. This task force therefore consistently aims to prepare culturally and religiously appropriate guidance and resources for Canadian Muslims during the course of the pandemic.
With rising case counts across the country during the second wave of this pandemic, hotspots in vibrant and culturally-rich communities like Brampton in Ontario, an overrepresentation of South Asians amongst those testing positive for COVID-19, and an extraordinary focus on Diwali celebrations in the media, public health officials sought to engage with Sikh and Hindu community task forces. While these did not exist at the time, concern regarding the wellbeing of these communities and Canadian Muslims in affected areas prompted a series of conversations and actions where within a matter of days, we had the honour of supporting the development of the South Asian COVID Task Force, with broad representation from these communities.
The South Asian diaspora is the largest visible minority group in Canada and is incredibly diverse, containing many different cultural, linguistic and religious communities. Various community-based grassroots movements have organized within these and other communities over time, and we are working to build strong collaborative relationships that support the sharing of resources and opportunities to support each other's efforts.
We must all stand united as Canadians, and work with all affected communities in order to curb the spread of COVID-19, while being indebted to all the essential workers, caregivers and frontline healthcare workers that are helping us get through this second wave.
May Allah protect us, grant us patience and keep us all healthy. Ameen.
Canadian Muslim COVID-19 Task Force
cmcovidtf@gmail.com | www.cmcovidtf.com | @cmcovidtf