Infectious Disease

503 articles:
COVID-19
Flu
Ebola
STI
Zika
Urinary Tract Infections
Variants
by Anthony Fong

‘Medical gaslighting’ harming long-COVID patients

Despite the reality of their debilitating physical symptoms, Long-COVID patients have been frequently misdiagnosed with a psychiatric conditions - a form of "medical gaslighting" at the hands of their physicians.

by Jeffrey Mo

A pandemic silver lining? Research shows drop in bullying in school and online

The COVID-19 pandemic may have shut down schools but, as new research shows, it also shut down both in-person and online bullying. And bullies are still lying low. But why hasn’t bullying returned since students have gone back to school?
by Maddi Dellplain

Provinces have charted their own paths, but should all adults in Canada have access to second boosters of the COVID-19 vaccine?

Canadian provinces and territories have gone their own ways on the advisability and availability of fourth COVID-19 vaccine doses. But should the general population be eligible for a fourth dose at this time? Or are we better off waiting? We asked a group of experts to weigh in.

by Justine Baek

Re-evaluating visitor restrictions

While visitor policies have undoubtedly helped prevent COVID transmission in hospitals, as we move away from a crisis response to COVID-19, caregivers and families may once again be able to support patients alongside their health-care teams.
by Sabina Vohra-Miller

What we can learn from the evolution of guidance during the COVID-19 pandemic

The only absolute in science is that there are no absolutes. Throughout the pandemic, recommendations have changed based on new data. For the public, this may come across as flip-flopping, but in actuality, it is simply that we are making the best decisions possible in the current context.
by Inori Roy

Medical council considering alternatives to ‘outdated’ licensing exam

The MCCQE II, a Medical Council of Canada licensing exam, is considered by some critics to be an outdated and unnecessary burden. Temporarily paused by the pandemic, the MCC will soon decide whether and how the exam will return - and what role it will play in the changing world of medical education.
by Catherine Varner

Omicron and medical conferences – a balancing of risks

Large, in-person medical conferences can be risky in the Omicron era. Yet, proponents say these risks can be mitigated, and resuming in-person learning and networking are necessary to advance medicine and support a profession at its breaking point.
by Inori Roy

‘Data is powerful’: Demographic questionnaire adds transparency to Match Day

This year, the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) with the support of Dalhousie University, rolled out its pilot questionnaire to collect much-needed demographic data on residency placements across the country. Information gathered on race and Indigeneity, immigration, ability, gender, sexual orientation and household income of students could go a long way in ensuring equity among med students.

by Jill Oliver Angel Petropanagos Megan Bailey Babitha Paulose Zachary Walbaum Mark Handelman Paula Chidwick

COVID-related beliefs and challenges for informed consent

Can patients who deny the existence or nature of COVID have the capacity to consent to the treatment of COVID-19? The answer could determine who will decide what happens to a patient.

by Aruni Jayatilaka

10 paid days of sick leave. A basic right for all workers

As a provincial election nears in Ontario, the Ontario Medical Students Association joins advocates across the province calling for a comprehensive paid sick-days program that supports all workers.
by Steven (Sung Min) Cho

Improved paid sick leave, minimum wage necessary for our patients’ health

The public health order to “stay home when sick” without 10 paid sick days was impossible for countless workers. Precarious workers who perform essential, yet low-paying jobs shared the greatest burden of the pandemic. Now is the time for the government to act.
by Jennifer Hulme

Long COVID – a public health crisis taking out women at the height of their lives

Long COVID symptoms now dominate my life, hopes and dreams. As soon as I realized that I wasn’t getting better after my COVID infection, I went looking for answers.
by Inori Roy

National licensure, better virtual-care needed to fix system ‘close to the precipice’: incoming CMA president

Dr. Alika Lafontaine sat down with Healthy Debate to talk about the challenges facing our health-care system as it grapples with pandemic recovery.
by Gwyneth Boone

The human cost of fighting COVID in prisons: Solitary confinement, banned for its cruelty, has made a comeback

In 2019, the Ontario Court of Appeals called solitary confinement a form of cruel and unusual punishment. Three years later, federal prisons are still placing prisoners in solitary confinement.
by Jacob J. Shelley

Making schools safe spaces: The legal authority for school boards to enact masking policies

Despite the confusion and the province's edict, Ontario's Education Act clearly gives boards the authority to enact policies aimed at promoting student well-being, meaning they have the right and obligation to impose mask mandates if student health is at stake.
by Anne Borden King

Giving birth during the blizzard of 2022 – while fighting COVID

Carrie Clayton drove herself though downtown Toronto during January's record-breaking blizzard to give birth to her daughter. To make matters worse - Carrie also had COVID. This is her story.

by Nicole Naimer

Quit your job, go home and prepare to die: Surviving the AIDS epidemic

In 1986, I left Toronto and moved to New York. I fell head over heels for a man in 1988. We wanted to make sure we didn’t transmit HIV to each other, so we got tested. I felt healthy as ever. However, my test came back: HIV positive.
by Jacob J. Shelley

The end of public health in Ontario

The failure to use section 22 powers during the most devastating public health crisis in the last 100 years signals the end of public health in Ontario. This is a direct result of the inaction of those vested with the power to protect public health.
by Moses Der Arakelian Julian Surujballi

The plastic pandemic

Face masks have helped gain the upper hand against COVID-19, but if we continue to consider the needs of today above sustainability for tomorrow, it might not even matter.
by Maddi Dellplain

Is Canada ready to lift mask mandates? Experts weigh in

As public health restrictions lift across the country, we asked experts to weigh in on whether it's time to do away with mask mandates.

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