Public Health

‘We deserve better’: Health centre director advocates for marginalized communities

Cheryl Prescod is the executive director of a community health centre that was on the front lines of vaccinating the inhabitants of a disadvantaged area of Toronto. We're profiling her as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

COVID-19 fallout an opportunity to fix crisis in care

Sharon Straus is a geriatrician and physician-in-chief at St. Michael’s Hospital, among other leadership roles. We're profiling her as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

Burlington doctor uses her online voice to ease public’s fears and influence policy

Family physician Jennifer Kwan launched a Twitter campaign to educate Ontarians about the pandemic and vaccinations and to combat the spread of misinformation. We're profiling her as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

Uxbridge doctors ‘uniquely positioned’ to help their small town through COVID crisis

Physicians Jennifer Wilson and Carlye Jensen are local leaders with deep personal and professional commitments to their town. We're profiling this duo as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

Team Vaccine: Listen, Care and Act

Shiran Isaacksz played a key role in organizing a massive effort to vaccinate as much of Toronto as possible. We're profiling him as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

Love for grandmother ‘a driving force’ during pandemic

Nathan Stall is a geriatrician and scientist who fought against the heartbreaking toll that the pandemic had on the elderly and those in long-term care. We're profiling him as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

Vaccines aren’t even the half of it

Family and emergency physician Erin Bearss led the vaccine rollout in six Toronto long-term care homes. We're profiling her as a Pillars of the Pandemic honouree.

Actually, we do need better masks  

Canadians need masks that fit their faces more closely than cloth or surgical masks. They also need masks that are made of materials that filter better than cloth.

How good is natural immunity?

Is the immunity that comes from having caught COVID-19 as good as the immunity from vaccination? It may well be, at least for some – but there are caveats.

‘We are not that great’: Gain-of-function research highlights our hubris

Gain-of-function research entails modifying pathogens in ways that can make them more dangerous. The pandemic shows us what the fallout of such research could look like.

Let’s not leave the village at the Olympics

It was thrilling to watch the Canadian women’s soccer team win the gold medal in a dramatic shootout. We, as a nation, celebrated the teamwork on display. So why has our nation been unable to rally together behind the battle against COVID-19 in the same way?

Do we need booster shots?

Healthy Debate Editor-in-Chief Seema Marwaha talks about how booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccines could help protect the immunocompromised – especially during the fourth wave – and, perhaps later on, the general public.

Weigh the risks and benefits of activities to keep your unvaccinated children safe

As the Delta variant pushes Canada into a fourth wave, Healthy Debate Editor-in-Chief Seema Marwaha discusses how to keep our children safe for the rest of the summer.

Five reasons why COVID-19 cases are increasing when vaccination rates are going up

Despite high vaccination coverage, COVID-19 cases are increasing in parts of Canada and experts are predicting a fourth wave this fall (or sooner). Here's why.

Please, Health Canada, do not make vapers return to tobacco!

The federal government's planned ban on flavoured vapes is a terrible idea that could push many ex-smokers who vape back to smoking cigarettes, resulting in a large increase in disease, disability, and death.

Vaccine passports: Moral baggage or all-inclusive destination?

When it comes to vaccine passports, perhaps the ends justify the means – they will increase vaccinations and benefit everyone. But perhaps we must also admit that they are, at best, only a small part of the solution to increasing vaccination.

We need substantial health system improvements to be prepared for future pandemics

When the next crisis hits, will we again rely on the sheer grit of heroic individuals to craft ‘work-arounds’ with patchwork solutions? Or will we invest in the infrastructure that would improve the lives of Canadians?

Vaccine passports explained

A vaccine passport or identification system is a way to provide official proof of immunization when taking part in higher-risk activities. We break down what it looks like, who is doing it and what the ethical considerations might be.

Evaluating COVID vaccines: Clinical trials vs. observational studies

An epidemiologist breaks down the differences between short-term clinical trials and observational studies, and what each type of inquiry can tell us about how well vaccines work and how long they will last.

My vaccine status? It’s private

Asking people about their vaccination status may be well-intentioned, but it can violate their privacy and lead to negative consequences for them. It's time to reconsider asking about it during our regular public interactions.