Podcasts about Public Health Ontario

Public Health Ontario's measles report has been rapidly rising since the outbreak began in October. With this highly contagious disease spanning to new parts of the country, why are some parents still reluctant to get their children vaccinated? The Agenda invites André Picard, health reporter and columnist for The Globe and Mail; Dr. Jeffrey Pernica, pediatrics infectious disease position at McMaster Children's Hospital; Dr. Dawn Bowdish, professor of medicine at McMaster University and Jill Promoli, public health advocate to discuss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is continuing to look for ways to combat homelessness in the community. Patients in hospice care in Chatham-Kent will be able to breathe more comfortably thanks to some new respiratory equipment. Public Health Ontario says more than 1,000 people have had measles since the outbreak began last October. Over 180 people in Chatham-Kent will be running through Mud Creek Trail tonight for the first ever "Light up the Night for Noelle" run in CK. More than 250-thousand people made their way to St. Peter's Basilica to pay their respects to the late Pope Francis.

Picture this, you wake up one morning with nausea, body aches, abdominal pain, and despite sleeping all night, you are exhausted. You then find yourself running to the restroom with watery and somewhat explosive diarrhea. You think to yourself – what could this be? Well, if the year was 2023, in the summer and you happen to live in Texas, chances were somewhat high that you had probably had cyclosporiasis.  And today, we are going to talk about this particular parasite and focus in on what our options are for detecting it given that it is not routinely picked up on O&P exams. And while there are molecular panels out there that include Cyclospora as a target, as our speakers will share, there is an easier and cheaper approach we can consider to quickly ID this pathogen. Guests: Dr. Angela Ma. Public Health Ontario and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto Dr. Marc Couturier. Drector of the clinical microbiology lab at NorDx lab at MaineHealth in Scarborough, Maine Links: Shedding new light on Cyclospora: how the use of ultraviolet fluorescence microscopy can improve diagnosis of cyclosporiasis Join ASM for up to 50% off the publication fees when you publish in JCM or any of the ASM journals. Attend ASM Microbe This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at https://jcm.asm.org and on https://twitter.com/JClinMicro. Visit journals.asm.org/journal/jcm to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow JCM on Twitter/

In 1998, measles were declared eradicated in Canada, and reported cases were typically associated with travel. But things have changed. More than 550 measles cases have been reported in Ontario so far this year. So how did this happen - and how concerned should we be? Let's dig in with: Dr. Jessica Hopkins, vice-president and chief of Communicable Disease Control for Public Health Ontario;See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a Text Message.On this episode of the CMAJ Podcast, Dr. Blair Bigham and Dr. Mojola Omole tackle an unexpected yet urgent topic: the resurgence of measles. With rising cases globally and in Canada, they discuss the implications and necessary actions for healthcare professionals.Dr. Sarah Wilson, a public health physician at Public Health Ontario, provides a comprehensive overview of the current measles situation. She explains the factors contributing to the increase in cases, including disruptions to immunization services during the COVID-19 pandemic and preexisting trends in declining vaccine acceptance. Dr. Wilson also highlights the severe complications of measles, especially for vulnerable groups such as children under five, pregnant individuals, and those who are immunocompromised.The conversation shifts to practical steps for healthcare providers. Dr. Wilson details the importance of considering measles in differential diagnoses for patients with fever and rash, particularly those with relevant exposure histories. She emphasizes the need for appropriate diagnostic testing and discusses the public health response, including the administration of immune globulins for high-risk contacts.The key practical step for controlling measles is, of course, widespread immunization. Dr. Samira Jeimy, an assistant professor and the program director for the division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy at Western University. She offers an overview of the vaccine including its effectiveness and safety, despite persistent misinformation. Dr. Jeimy explains the vaccination schedule for children and the importance of booster doses for adults, especially before travel to areas with active outbreaks. She also details the role of vaccination given within 72 hours of an exposure to reduce the risk of infection or lessen the severity of measles if infected.Throughout the episode, the hosts and guests emphasize the need for improved communication and trust-building between healthcare providers and patients when addressing vaccine hesitancy.Join us as we explore medical solutions that address the urgent need to change healthcare. Reach out to us about this or any episode you hear. Or tell us about something you'd like to hear on the leading Canadian medical podcast.You can find Blair and Mojola on X @BlairBigham and @DrmojolaomoleX (in English): @CMAJ X (en français): @JAMC FacebookInstagram: @CMAJ.ca The CMAJ Podcast is produced by PodCraft Productions

Emergency expenses to rehabilitate the Wheatley Water Treatment Plant are starting to pile up. Public Health Ontario says a young child has died after being hospitalized for measles. Fergie Jenkins Field now has one more item immortalizing its namesake.

A new report led by the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network (ODPRN) at St. Michael's Hospital and Public Health Ontario has found that people who died from a substance-related overdose faced significant gaps in treatment. For insight on this we welcome one of the authors of the report, Tara Gomes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode: The Body Shop closing 33 stores in Canada, ADPs latest work happiness index, training for employees with ADHD, and other topics. Stay with us to get the latest HR updates.Follow us on: X @cadHRnews; LinkedIn @ Canada HR News Podcast. The Body Shop Canada will close nearly a third of its stores and end online sales as it seeks creditor protection | The Body Shop Canada to close 33 stores, end online sales | CBC News It's been a challenging year for journalism in Canada with many layoffs happening in the industry | Vice, Bell, CBC: A look at recent media layoffs in Canada (thestar.com) ADP's National Work Happiness Score for February 2024 is 6.7/10, same as in January | ADP Canada Happiness@Work Index: Workers' Happiness Levels Remain Flat in February - Feb 28, 2024 The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is concerned about changes to work permits | Limiting foreign labour could make staffing challenges even worse for small businesses (cfib-fcei.ca) Employees of Public Health Ontario labs are set to receive an additional 5.25 per cent in pay increases to compensate for Bill 124 | Public Health Ontario staff latest workers to be awarded retroactive pay as Bill 124 compensation | CBC News Bambooza.ca is creating inclusive work skills training for Canadians living with ADHD | Organization in Saguenay creating inclusive skills training for Canadians living with ADHD (newswire.ca) 

rWotD Episode 2471: Shelley Deeks Welcome to random Wiki of the Day where we read the summary of a random Wikipedia page every day.The random article for Thursday, 8 February 2024 is Shelley Deeks.Dr. Shelley Deeks, MD, MHSc, FRCPC, FFAFPM, is a Canadian public health expert who is the chair of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Her advertised "specialities include communicable disease control, outbreak investigations, vaccine safety, epidemiology and program evaluation." She is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada and the Australian Faculty of Public Health Medicine. Deeks was the executive lead in Ontario's COVID-19 pandemic response in 2020 in her role at Public Health Ontario.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:40 UTC on Thursday, 8 February 2024.For the full current version of the article, see Shelley Deeks on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm Brian Neural.

Gonorrhea remains one of the more common sexually transmitted infections. In North America, the number of reported cases has generally risen for over ten years, with interruptions in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by returns to rising rates of infection. Under the selective pressure of antimicrobial treatment, antimicrobial resistance has risen, which has led to limited options for treatment Today, we will be discussing antimicrobial resistance in N. gonorrhoeae, including these questions:     •    How accurate is gradient diffusion susceptibility testing when compared to agar-dilution results?     •    Should we use analysis of whole genome sequencing results or agar dilution phenotypic results as the gold-standard for antibiotic susceptibility testing of N. gonorrhoeae?     •    What is the utility of beta-lactamase testing for predicting penicillin susceptibility results in N. gonorrhoeae?   Guests: Dr. Tanis Dingle, Clinical Microbiologist at Alberta Precision Laboratories and a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Calgary. Dr. Angela Ma., Clinical Microbiologist at Public Health Ontario. Link: Use of genome sequencing to resolve differences in gradient diffusion and agar dilution antimicrobial susceptibility testing performance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Alberta, Canada This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at https://jcm.asm.org and on https://twitter.com/JClinMicro. Visit journals.asm.org/journal/jcm to read articles and/or submit a manuscript. Follow JCM on Twitter via @JClinMicro

This episode brings back our recurring segment because the list of things we bring to work sometimes includes viruses(!) The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed how and where we work, and made us all aware of the importance of public health. So, we invite epidemiologist Laura Rosella to chat about the state of global public health. In this episode, we go back in time to explore the insights learned from 2003 SARS outbreak, 2011 H1N1 outbreak, and how these lessons informed our response to COVID-19. Professor Laura Rosella is a Canadian epidemiologist and Associate Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health in the University of Toronto, where she holds a Canada Research Chair in Population Health Analytics. Laura is the Principal Investigator and Scientific Director of the Population Health Analytics Lab. She is a member of the Royal Society of Canada's College of New Scholars and the inaugural Stephen Family Research Chair in Community Health at the Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners. Laura has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications in the areas of epidemiology, public health and health services research. Her work has been featured in major news outlets such as Forbes, Newsweek, Reuters, CBC, CTV, The National Post, and The Globe and Mail. Laura has an incredible way of simplifying complex public health situations. We learn about the origins of Public Health Agency of Canada, Public Health Ontario, and whether or not Laura went to SARSStock. Please enjoy GOING VIRAL with Dr. Rosella – season four edition!

Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Peter Butt, Co-Chair of the project to develop Canada's alcohol guidance, Dr. Kevin Shield, scientist with CAMH's Institute for Mental Health  Policy Research and  Dr. Erin Hobin from Public Health Ontario whose focus is on warning labelling. Canadians got new guidance on alcohol consumption this week and the recommendation is that no amount of alcohol is safe and that it's risky if you have more than two drinks per week. One of the things that the report says is that if you have three to six drinks on a weekly basis, your risk of developing cancers like colorectal and breast cancer increases. More than seven drinks a week increases risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. The report found that as many as 17 per cent of Canadians drink 3-6 drinks on a weekly basis while 40 per cent drink more than this a week. And, some experts want to see Cancer warning labels on alcoholic beverage bottles. ---- THE RISE IN THE POPULARITY OF MOCKTAILS Libby Znaimer is joined by Renee Suen, Food Editor of BlogTO and Gail Lynch, CEO of Zero Cocktail Bar in Toronto. Have you ever heard of a "Mocktail"--or non-alcoholic beverages in the style of cocktails that are often referred to as placebo cocktails? Well, they are really popular at bars and restaurants across Toronto. The thing is that without alcohol you would think that these drinks come a lot cheaper than their alcoholic counterparts. But, that is not the case at all. They can get really expensive and have a price tag range of anywhere between $11 to $22 in many cases. So, what's behind this trend and why is it so expensive? ---- CITY OF TORONTO'S MOST CONGESTED INTERSECTIONS  Libby Znaimer is joined by Roger Browne, Director of Traffic Management in Transportation Services at the City of Toronto. It's no secret that Toronto has a traffic congestion problem. Now, you can find out the top ten most congested intersections. At the top of the list is Lake Shore Boulevard East and Lower Sherbourne Street, followed by Finch Avenue West and Norfinch Drive/Oakdale Road and then Finch Avenue West and Highway 400 South Finch WB Ramp in third place. Roger details the other intersections on the list and what the City is doing about the ongoing problem. Here are the intersections in Toronto that had the most traffic congestion in 2022: 1. Lake Shore Boulevard East & Lower Sherbourne Street 2. Finch Avenue West & Norfinch Drive/Oakdale Road 3. Finch Avenue West & 400 South Finch Westbound Ramp 4. Finch Avenue West & 400 North Finch Eastbound Ramp 5. Finch Avenue West & Signet Drive/Arrow Road 6. Lawrence Avenue East & Scarborough Golf Club Road 7. Lake Shore Boulevard East & Bay Street 8. Steeles Avenue East & Pharmacy Avenue/ Esna Park Drive 9. Islington Avenue & Finch Avenue West 10. Lake Shore Boulevard East & Parliament Street Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

Samiya Abdi has trained thousands of public health practitioners to recognize the power that each of us has to do something different in the face of health inequities and injustice. Listen to this episode to learn from both Samiya and Heather Lokko – two seasoned public health professionals working at the provincial and local levels – about how to transform public health practice, teams, organizations, and systems from within to support more equitable communities and societies.(00:00) Introduction(02:23) Interview with Samiya Abdi (39:54) Interview with Heather Lokko Episode Guests: This episode explores disrupting public health systems, organization and practice to advance health equity with Samiya Abdi and Heather Lokko. Samiya Abdi is seconded for a year to lead the Black Health Education Collaborative as an Executive Director. Over the past 15 years Samiya has been working towards making the public health system more equitable, challenging intersecting forms of oppression, and understanding marginalization in knowledge production, research, and practice. Prior to joining BHEC Samiya was the Senior Program Specialist in Health Equity for Public Health Ontario. Samiya also possesses extensive experience in community engagement work, has co-founded international movements such as the Somali Gender Equity Movement and Famine Resisters alongside local initiatives such as Aspire2Lead and the Toronto Muslim Youth Political fellowship. She holds a Master's in public health and a graduate diploma in social innovation and systems thinking. Reflective guest Heather Lokko has been a direct service provider, professional practice lead, program manager, and senior leader during her public health career. She is currently the Director of the Healthy Start Division at the Middlesex-London Health Unit. Additionally, she is MLHU's Chief Nursing Officer. In this role, Heather leads health equity strategy, promotes practice excellence, and provides nursing leadership in local, regional, provincial, and national initiatives. Heather is the Community Co-Director of Western University's Centre for Research on Health Equity and Social Inclusion, is on the board of directors for the London Intercommunity Health Centre, and is an Adjunct Research Professor at Western University. Heather is passionate about health equity, collective action, and building healthy families and communities.Learn more:Glossary of Essential Health Equity Terms (NCCDH, 2022) Equity In Action (NCCDH, 2022) Let's Talk: Health equity (NCCDH, 2013)Let's Talk: Public health roles for improving health equity (NCCDH, 2013)Organizational Capacity for Health Equity Action Initiative (NCCDH)Episode credits: This episode is produced by Rebecca Cheff, Carolina Jimenez, and our host Bernice Yanful (NCCDH). Tia (Kristia) Maatta (NCCDH) helped with editing and Mandy Walker (NCCDH) helped with guest interviews for this episode. Special thanks to our episode guests Samiya Abdi and Heather Lokko. Coordination of communications, webpage development and dissemination are led by Caralyn Vossen (NCCDH). Thanks to Claire Betker and the rest of the NCCDH team for their support. Technical production and original music by Chris Perry. Artwork by comet art + design.Mind the Disruption is a podcast by the NCCDH. Visit https://nccdh.ca/learn/podcast/ to learn more about the podcast and our work.The NCCDH is hosted by St. Francis Xavier University. This podcast is made possible through a financial contribution from the Public Health Agency of Canada through funding for the NCCDH. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency of Canada.Established in 2005, the NCCDH is one of the six National Collaborating Centres (NCCs) for Public Health that work together to promote the use of scientific research and other knowledge to strengthen public health practices, programs and policies in Canada. For more information, visit the NCCPH website.

Welcome to the July show of Radio Totally Normal Toronto on CJRU 1280 AM and cjru.ca. Belke will be your host for this June 13th, 2022 episode. *Radio Totally Normal Toronto, or RTNT for short, is a voice for community mental health; produced by the members and staff of Progress Place, a mental wellness clubhouse in downtown Toronto.* Today we are going to tune into a group discussion about Mental Health and New Hobbies! Mental health can be impacted by many different things, from life-changing events to everyday tasks. And while there are many strategies we can actively engage in to improve our mental health, an often-overlooked factor is spending time on an activity that you enjoy – otherwise known as a hobby. *Disclaimer: All recordings done for RTNT were using the Zoom platform to maintain social distancing through these times. This episode features perspectives and information that are not directly from RTNT. We are NOT health professionals who specialize in Covid-19 or any other physical health matters. If you have any questions about Covid-19 please visit the website for either Toronto Public Health or Public Health Ontario or contact your doctor directly for any health questions or concerns. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or the Gerstein Crisis Centre (if you're in Toronto) at (416) 929-5200* Enjoy the following group discussion on Mental Health and New Hobbies featuring members and staff of Progress Place Here are some great tips for how hobbies can improve your mental health according to a Utah State University article: Reduced stress: participating in activities during leisure or spare time has been shown to reduce stress levels. For instance, one study showed approximately 75% of participants' cortisol levels (one of the most widely studied hormonal markers of stress) were lowered after making art. Don't consider yourself to be an artistic person? That's okay! This study also showed that prior experience wasn't needed to reduce stress. Enhanced well-being: a study in New Zealand found that engaging in creative activities can lead to an improved sense of wellbeing that may have long lasting effects. Participants felt a higher positive affect or mood and a sense of flourishing after days where they engaged in a creative activity. Improved social connection, decreases in depression and anxiety: while there are many mental health benefits related to hobbies on your own, group or ‘team' hobbies have also been shown to provide important opportunities for social connection, friendship and support. Research also shows that adults who regularly participate in some kind of team sport are less likely to experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, or stress. Improved mental health: hobbies that include physical activity have been linked to many health benefits including reduced stress, reduced blood pressure, and a lower heart rate. But if you take physical activity outside, there are many additional positive benefits. Experts agree that spending as little as 10 minutes in nature can lead to improved mood, focus, and overall wellbeing. *If you are looking for a community to be a part of your Mental Health recovery; please visit a Clubhouse near you. Clubhouse International reaches over 100,000 people living with mental illness per year in 320+ clubhouses in 34 countries. Please visit clubhouseinternational.org to find a clubhouse in your community.* A special thank you to our interviewers of RTNT. Thank you to all the members and staff of Progress Place who work hard each month to create a recurring episode of Radio Totally Normal Toronto. Thank you to our listeners. Please, share this episode with your friends and family. To learn more about RTNT or listen to previous episodes please check out radiototallynormaltoronto.org. You can stream RTNT on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google Podbast if you search

It is estimated that anywhere from 575,000 to 677,000 bloodstream infections occur annually in North America, with approximately 40,000 of those directly linked to patient mortality in the United States, making bloodstream infections the 11th most common cause of death in the US according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The detection of bloodstream infections and subsequent identification of the etiologic agent or agents is an essential role played by all clinical microbiology laboratories, day-in and day-out for routine patient care. So, today, we are going to dive into a recently published study in JCM, looking at organism-specific bloodstream infection prevalence rates and their individual mortality risks relative to patients with either negative blood cultures and in those for whom blood cultures were not ordered. Guests: - Dr. Nick Daneman - senior author on the manuscript, is a Clinical Scientists in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre at the University of Toronto, and a Adjunct Physician at Public Health Ontario. - Dr. Kevin Brown is a Scientist at Public Health Ontario and Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto This episode of Editors in Conversation is brought to you by the Journal of Clinical Microbiology and hosted by JCM Editor in Chief, Alex McAdam and Dr. Elli Theel. JCM is available at https://asm.org/jcm. Follow EIC Alex McAdam on twitter for JCM updates via https://twitter.com/JClinMicro and co-host, Elli Theel at https://twitter.com/ellitheelphd. Links Prevalence and Mortality Associated with Bloodstream Organisms: a Population-Wide Retrospective Cohort Study. https://journals.asm.org/doi/epub/10.1128/jcm.02429-21

The Science Table Director explains how to access antiviral drugs like Paxlovid; the risk of reinfection; who should get a 4th dose; the future of the Science Table as it's folded into Public Health Ontario; risks for long haulers; playdates; travel; and social gatherings.

Welcome to the March show of Radio Totally Normal Toronto on CJRU 1280 AM and cjru.ca. Belke is your host for this March 9th, 2022 episode number 39. *Radio Totally Normal Toronto, or RTNT for short, is a voice for community mental health; produced by the members and staff of Progress Place, a mental wellness clubhouse in downtown Toronto.* Today we are going to speak on Black Mental Health Week. We're going to connect with staff and members of Progress Place and the Community HUB to their discussion on the topic. We recorded the interview over Zoom. From the Black Mental Health Week Website: "TAIBU Community Health Centre, in partnership with the City of Toronto, hosted the inaugural Black Mental Health Day in March, 2020, citing the Toronto Black community's demand to end 400 years of oppression and the ongoing mental health impact of persistent, systemic anti-Black racism in all settings. Partly due to high-profile incidents of anti-Black racism in 2020, a groundswell of momentum is slowly improving awareness and strengthening the demand from communities across the globe, to improve understanding and to initiate action to end anti-Black racism and the negative mental health impact it causes where Black communities live, work and play." "Rates of depressive symptoms among Black individuals are nearly six times the 12-month prevalence reported for the general population in Canada," Jude Mary Cenat, an associate professor at the University of Ottawa, said in a press release. A satellite program of Progress Place, Community Place Hub is a health access hub providing programs and services in Weston and Mount Dennis communities. To access them, please call 416-323-1429. *Disclaimer: All recordings done for RTNT were using the Zoom platform to maintain social distancing through these times. This episode features perspectives and information that are not directly from RTNT. We are NOT health professionals who specialize in Covid-19 or any other physical health matters. If you have any questions about Covid-19 please visit the website for either Toronto Public Health or Public Health Ontario or contact your doctor directly for any health questions or concerns. This episode may contain conversations around suicide and suicide prevention. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or the Gerstein Crisis Centre (if you're in Toronto) at (416) 929-5200* *If you are looking for a community to be a part of your Mental Health recovery; please visit a Clubhouse near you. Clubhouse International reaches over 100,000 people living with mental illness per year in 320+ clubhouses in 34 countries. Please visit clubhouseinternational.org to find a clubhouse in your community.* To learn more about RTNT or listen to previous episodes please check out radiototallynormaltoronto.org. You can stream RTNT on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast if you search up Radio Totally Normal Toronto. If you'd like to learn more about Progress Place you can: Visit progressplace.org @progressplaceclubhouse on Instagram & Facebook @Progress_Place on Twitter Thanks again for listening to us and stay tuned for our new episode two months from now!

Some provinces will be lifting mask requirements for kids in the coming months. Those decisions are getting mixed reactions, both inside of schools and elsewhere. For more on the evidence about masking in schools, we spoke with Dr. Kevin Schwartz, an infection prevention and control physician with Public Health Ontario; and Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist at the University of Alberta.

New restrictions in Ontario are here and it's a bitter disappointment for the business community. We hear from Vice-President of Restaurants Canada, James Rilett. COVID cases are surging in Ontario. New restrictions are now in effect -- like capacity and gathering limits -- but is that enough to blunt the wave? We speak with Lauren Cipriano, Associate professor in epidemiology and biostatistics at Western University Kingston now has the highest rate of COVID-19 cases in the entire country, with the vast majority likely driven by the contagious Omicron variant. How is the healthcare system holding up so far? The town of Huntsville is putting up A LOT of lights to keep out the darkness this year. To see more, visit EclipseLightWalk.com A visit by Indigenous leaders to speak with the Pope was postponed ... but definitely hasn't been forgotten. We hear what those leaders aim to accomplish when they visit the Vatican. Public Health Ontario scientists and colleagues have published a preprint medical paper that examines myocarditis and pericarditis during Ontario's COVID-19 mRNA vaccine rollout. We spoke with one of the study's authors, Dr. Jeff Kwong. Need a reminder of simpler times? We checked out Past Presents at Peterborough Museum, what locals gave and received over 100 years ago.

Welcome to the December show of Radio Totally Normal Toronto on CJRU 1280 AM and cjru.ca. Mark was the host for this episode of RTNT December 8th, 2021 episode number 38. *Radio Totally Normal Toronto, or RTNT for short, is a voice for community mental health; produced by the members and staff of Progress Place, a mental wellness clubhouse in downtown Toronto.* Today we are going to speak on Mental Health and Morning Routines. First off, we're going to connect with staff and members of Progress Place to listen in on their Round Table discussion on the topic. We recorded the discussion over Zoom as the Clubhouse is not currently open to record in our studio. Cleaning, breakfast, working out, hydrating, making the bed, cooking, coffee, sleeping, hygiene and showering, the possibilities are endless for routines. According to TherapyGroup of NYC: “By establishing a daily routine, we can set aside time to take care of tasks and focus on our mental and physical health. Routines are essential at every stage of life—from childhood and adolescence to adulthood. They help us cope with change, create healthy habits, improve interpersonal relationships, and reduce stress.” *Disclaimer: All recordings done for RTNT were using the Zoom platform to maintain social distancing through these times. This episode features perspectives and information that are not directly from RTNT. We are NOT health professionals who specialize in Covid-19 or any other physical health matters. If you have any questions about Covid-19 please visit the website for either Toronto Public Health or Public Health Ontario or contact your doctor directly for any health questions or concerns. This episode may contain conversations around suicide and suicide prevention. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or the Gerstein Crisis Centre (if you're in Toronto) at (416) 929-5200* Enjoy the following Round Table discussion on Mental Health and Routines featuring staff and members of Progress Place. *If you are looking for a community to be a part of your Mental Health recovery; please visit a Clubhouse near you. Clubhouse International reaches over 100,000 people living with mental illness per year in 320+ clubhouses in 34 countries. Please visit clubhouseinternational.org to find a clubhouse in your community.* We would like to thank all those involved with this episode of Radio Totally Normal Toronto. A special thank you to our interviewers of RTNT. Thank you to all the members and staff of Progress Place who work hard each month to create a recurring episode of Radio Totally Normal Toronto. Thank you to our listeners. Please, share this episode with your friends and family. *To learn more about RTNT or listen to previous episodes please check out radiototallynormaltoronto.org. You can stream RTNT on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast if you search up Radio Totally Normal Toronto. If you'd like to learn more about Progress Place you can: -visit progressplace.org. -Follow us on social media @progressplaceclubhouse on Instagram & Facebook @Progress_Place on Twitter* For this month we'll be listening to a familiar Canadian artist by the name of Charles Thomas "Stompin' Tom" Connors. Tom was a Canadian country and folk singer-songwriter. Focusing his career exclusively on his native Canada, he is credited with writing more than 300 songs and has released four dozen albums, with total sales of nearly four million copies. We picked out a Christmas song called Merry Christmas Everybody and it has an amazing energy to it. Happy Holidays, stay tuned and stay connected.

In this session, originally recorded on September 28, 2021, we asked Neena Gupta, a partner at Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP, to present her five good ideas about creating a successful hybrid workplace. COVID-19 forced employers and employees to adapt to a virtual workplace. More than one and a half years into the pandemic, many employees don’t want to go back to the old ways of working, and employers are looking to find ways to create a hybrid workplace where their staff can work in the office as well as from home. Neena Gupta presents five good ideas about some of the legal, compliance, and HR issues you need to consider to make your hybrid workplace a true success. Download Neena’s presentation The podcast and transcript are provided for general information purposes only and are not legal advice. You should consult your own lawyer about your specific needs and requirements. © Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP. Five Good Ideas 1. Survey your people 2. Review your physical workspace 3. Review your employee’s remote workspace 4. Decide on your vaccination policy 5. Draft your remote workplace policy Bonus ideas 6. Re-SURVEY the workplace 7. Invest in mental health 8. Reconsider pay Resources Examples of surveys WorkTango SurveyMonkey SnapSurveys Sue Bingham, “To Make Hybrid Work, Solicit Employees’ Input,” Harvard Business Review (July 29, 2021) Public Health Ontario, “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems in Buildings and COVID-19” Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety, “Telework / Remote Work / Working From Home,” (fact sheet) City of Toronto news release, “Toronto Medical Officer of Health strongly recommending Toronto employers institute COVID-19 vaccination policy and support workplace vaccination” KPMG, “Work from home… work from office… or both? – A Hybrid Workplace guide to successfully build and manage a flexible future of work” Communitech, “Get back to work[space]!” Government of Ontario resource Government of Canada resources Gowling WLG COVID-19 Insights

"According to a Public Health Ontario report: "The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health of the healthcare and public health workforce and adequate supports are essential to protect and improve the public health workforce's mental health and resilience." Head over to the shownotes for more details on how we can support your hospital in post-pandemic personal growth. https://satorihwcoaching.ca/blog/5-reasons-to-support-post-pandemic-personal-growth/

Our guest host Jelena Adzic discussed the federal election campaign with Michael Johns, Barrie resident and visiting professor at York University; The pandemic has caused many of us to feel stressed about an uncertain future. Psychotherapist Gina Miranda says being mindful can help us to manage: As parents prepare to send their kids back to school, many are asking 'are the schools safe?' Dr. Alika Fontaine, the incoming president of the Canadian Medical Association outlines what he thinks is necessary to help protect children while they're at school; Chantelle Quesnelle leads the mental health team at the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board.. She tells us about the parenting podcast she hosts called 'On Point' which has been running a series providing help for kids who are heading back to class; A new brief from Public Health Ontario maintains that because of the Delta variant, herd immunity will not be possible unless we vaccinate children under 12. But shots still haven't been approved for this age group. What's involved in making vaccines available to them? We ask Dr. Jacqueline Wong, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at McMaster University in Hamilton; For sale: the Owen Sound jail. Real estate agent Dave Moyer tells what it will take to make a successful bid for the property.

This is the first episode of Season 3 and also the first episode in our mini-series on community engagement and vaccinations. In this episode, Samiya Abdi from Public Health Ontario joins Andrea to talk about equity-by-design vaccination appraoches. Andrea also talks about the mini-series and who we will hear from in future episodes.To learn more about Samiya and her work, listen to season 2 episode 9 on The Power of Language in Community Engagement.  You can learn more about COVID-19  and equity considerations on Public Health Ontario's website.  You can find Samiya on Twitter @samiya_ph and reach her via email at samiya.abdi@oahpp.ca. 

The WECHU has set up an online waitlist for those 40 and over who are willing to get a COVID-19 shot on short notice, Public Health Ontario says vaccines have been extremely effective, and an Amherstburg woman faces impaired driving charges from a January crash. All the evening headlines, on the go.

Welcome to the April show of Radio Totally Normal Toronto on CJRU 1280 AM and cjru.ca. Julie of RTNT was the host for this April 14, 2021 episode number 35. Today we are going to speak on Mental Health and Pets. First off, we’re going to connect with staff and members of Progress Place to listen in on their Round Table discussion on the topic. We recorded the discussion over Zoom as the Clubhouse is not currently open to record in our studio. This episode features perspectives and information that are not directly from RTNT. We are NOT health professionals who specialize in Covid-19 or any other physical health matters. If you have any questions about Covid-19 please visit the website for either Toronto Public Health or Public Health Ontario or contact your doctor directly for any health questions or concerns. This episode may contain conversations around suicide and suicide prevention. If you are in crisis, please call 911 or the Gerstein Crisis Centre (if you’re in Toronto) at (416) 929-5200 Afterwards, we are spoke with Liane Weber of The LifeLine Canada Foundation. They have an amazing program, among others, called Companion Paws Canada. Taken from the Companion Paws website: “Medical studies have confirmed what we all know from experience, spending time with an affectionate pet makes us feel better. In fact, contact with a compassionate animal can significantly improve mental and physical health, as well as reduce stress, depression and anxiety. A pet can make a huge difference in your life.” Our round table discussion involves a group of animal loving staff and members. We are really fortunate to be able to draw from their knowledge and experience around pets. It’s difficult to know the true benefits of owning a pet until it's something you experience for yourself. This discussion was so fun to do that they lost track of time! We would like to thank all those involved with this episode of Radio Totally Normal Toronto. Please check out the Lifeline Canada Foundation website and on the app store. Thank you Liane Weber. A special thank you to our interviewers of RTNT. Thank you to all the members and staff of Progress Place who work hard each month to create a recurring episode of Radio Totally Normal Toronto. Thank you to our listeners. Please, share this episode with your friends and family. *To learn more about RTNT or listen to previous episodes please check out radiototallynormaltoronto.org. You can stream RTNT on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast if you search up Radio Totally Normal Toronto. If you’d like to learn more about Progress Place you can: -visit progressplace.org. -Follow us on social media @progressplaceclubhouse on Instagram & Facebook @Progress_Place on Twitter* Thanks again for listening to us and stay tuned for a new episode in two months!

The Bill Kelly Show Podcast: The Canadian federal government announced Wednesday it will extend multiple critical COVID-19 emergency benefits aimed at helping businesses during the pandemic. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy and the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy, as well as the Lockdown Support programs, will maintain their current rates until June 5, 2021. GUEST: Dan Kelly, President of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) - Premier Doug Ford overrode the advice of his government's medical experts in opening up COVID-19 testing to all Ontarians in the spring, a decision that overwhelmed the province's antiquated lab system and led to critical backlogs in the long-term care sector. The revelation is contained in Health Minister Christine Elliott's testimony to an independent commission examining the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Ontario's long-term care homes. The experts – Chief Medical Officer of Health David Williams; Vanessa Allen, Public Health Ontario's chief of microbiology and laboratory science; and Jennie Johnstone, chair of the province's panel on testing strategy – said allowing anyone to get tested for COVID-19 was not advisable because it would add to already lengthy turnaround times for processing results. Despite the warning, Mr. Ford announced on May 24 that anyone without symptoms who feared they had been exposed to COVID-19 could get a test. Prior to then, only high-risk groups, including health care workers and residents in nursing homes, could get tested. ALSO: Canada's Premiers to Hold Virtual News Conference today GUEST: Richard Brennan Former Queen's Park Bureau Chief and Parliament Hill reporter for the Toronto Star - US officials on Wednesday alerted lawmakers to a potential threat against the US Capitol on March 4, for which security has been enhanced as a precaution, less than two months after the Capitol complex was stormed and lawmakers' lives were threatened by rioters. GUEST: Brian J. Karem. Executive Editor of Sentinel Newspapers, Political Analyst for CNN and White House reporter for Playboy

In his final podcast on the COVID-19 pandemic, renowned public health expert Vivek Goel looks back over an extraordinary year. “As we've adopted new technologies at an unprecedented pace, we've transitioned to new ways of doing things in education, in health and in business. We've also seen significant supports for those in need and incredible advances in science and technology that we might not have imagined even a few months ago,” says Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “So let's be thankful for all we have as we head into the holidays and think of how we can support those who have been less fortunate.” Episode 34 of the What's Next? COVID-19 podcast will be the last for Goel – the founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – as he prepares to embark on an academic leave this winter. In his final episode, Goel reflects on the challenges and triumphs of 2020, reminding listeners that some have had a much tougher year than others: People have lost their livelihoods and some have lost loved ones. “The current modelling shows that in most parts of Canada, things will get worse before they get better. We have to limit our interactions over the holidays in order to break the chain of transmission,” Goel says. “Generally, it's recommended that you stick to your own household. “If you must interact with others try and do so outdoors, maintain physical distancing, wear masks, practise hand hygiene and stay home if symptomatic. These core public health recommendations have not changed.” The COVID-19: What's Next podcast was created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

In his final podcast on the COVID-19 pandemic, renowned public health expert Vivek Goel looks back over an extraordinary year. “As we've adopted new technologies at an unprecedented pace, we've transitioned to new ways of doing things in education, in health and in business. We've also seen significant supports for those in need and incredible advances in science and technology that we might not have imagined even a few months ago,” says Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “So let's be thankful for all we have as we head into the holidays and think of how we can support those who have been less fortunate.” Episode 34 of the What's Next? COVID-19 podcast will be the last for Goel – the founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – as he prepares to embark on an academic leave this winter. In his final episode, Goel reflects on the challenges and triumphs of 2020, reminding listeners that some have had a much tougher year than others: People have lost their livelihoods and some have lost loved ones. “The current modelling shows that in most parts of Canada, things will get worse before they get better. We have to limit our interactions over the holidays in order to break the chain of transmission,” Goel says. “Generally, it's recommended that you stick to your own household. “If you must interact with others try and do so outdoors, maintain physical distancing, wear masks, practise hand hygiene and stay home if symptomatic. These core public health recommendations have not changed.” The COVID-19: What's Next podcast was created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

We’ve heard a lot about one health crisis this year, the one tied to a global pandemic that broke the economy, brought healthcare to the brink, and pretty much shutdown society for four months earlier this year. But while COVID-19 has been our preoccupation in 2020, there has been another public health issue in our community at the same time, and it’s one that started before the pandemic and has stayed with us through the darkest days of the last 10 months. The ongoing issues of drug addiction in Guelph came to the fore once again last week with two items in the news. First, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health issued a warning about another overdose death in Guelph related to fentanyl. And then on Friday, Guelph Police announced that they had successfully arrested 16 people on 34 drug-related charges. These are the stories that break through the news cycle, but what about all the daily stories of struggle and suffering by those afflicted with addiction? A report from Public Health Ontario in June noted a nearly 40 per cent increase in the number of overdose deaths in the first 15 weeks of the pandemic. Most of those deaths were accidental in nature, and many of them are being driven by circumstances exacerbated by the pandemic itself. While you can easily say that the COVID-19 pandemic has made our drug and overdose pandemic worse, there has not been such swift and immediate reaction to the drug crisis as there has been to COVID-19. To talk about all these issues, and more, we're joined by Adrienne Crowder, who is the manager of the Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy. Crowder will talk about the number of overdoses in Guelph-Wellington this year, and how support services have had to adjust in the pandemic. She will also talk about the ways COVID has impacted addiction issues, including the ways it’s affected the fight to get more support, and how the pandemic has affected mental health issues that are so key to understanding addiction. So let's look at the other pandemic of 2020 on this week's edition of the Guelph Politicast! To learn more about the Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy and their programs, you can visit their website. To learn about the Consumption and Treatment Site, and other programs, you can visit the Guelph Community Health Centre at their website. The host for the Guelph Politicast is Podbean. Find more episodes of the Politicast here, or download them on your favourite podcast app at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, and Spotify. Also, when you subscribe to the Guelph Politicast channel and you will also get an episode of Open Sources Guelph every Monday, and an episode of End Credits every Friday.

Vaccines for COVID-19 are on their way – but much work remains to be done to ensure a safe and effective rollout across Canada, says renowned public health expert Vivek Goel. “It's simply miraculous what has been accomplished in the past year in the development of the new vaccines,” says Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “While there's a lot of attention on the manufacturing and distribution of the vaccine, we have to remember there are many other critical components and this is going to be an incredible exercise in co-ordination.” In episode 33 of the What's Next? COVID-19 podcast, Goel – the founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – discusses what will be involved in managing and delivering an immunization program on such a massive scale. That includes determining where people can receive the vaccine and sourcing equipment such as needles, syringes, cotton swabs and personal protective equipment for those running the program. People will also be needed to book appointments, manage lineups, administer the vaccine and handle cleaning and infection control of the spaces. Others will be needed to track adverse events and follow up with patients when a second dose is required. Monitoring and serological studies will also be required to track immunity.  “It is simply unrealistic to expect that this can, or should, be done quickly if it's going to be effective and safe,” Goel says. “But this is the best glimmer of hope that we've had in some time. “There's still a lot of work to be done, and many pitfalls to overcome, but we can see an end in sight for this pandemic.” The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

Vaccines for COVID-19 are on their way – but much work remains to be done to ensure a safe and effective rollout across Canada, says renowned public health expert Vivek Goel. “It's simply miraculous what has been accomplished in the past year in the development of the new vaccines,” says Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “While there's a lot of attention on the manufacturing and distribution of the vaccine, we have to remember there are many other critical components and this is going to be an incredible exercise in co-ordination.” In episode 33 of the What's Next? COVID-19 podcast, Goel – the founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – discusses what will be involved in managing and delivering an immunization program on such a massive scale. That includes determining where people can receive the vaccine and sourcing equipment such as needles, syringes, cotton swabs and personal protective equipment for those running the program. People will also be needed to book appointments, manage lineups, administer the vaccine and handle cleaning and infection control of the spaces. Others will be needed to track adverse events and follow up with patients when a second dose is required. Monitoring and serological studies will also be required to track immunity. “It is simply unrealistic to expect that this can, or should, be done quickly if it's going to be effective and safe,” Goel says. “But this is the best glimmer of hope that we've had in some time. “There's still a lot of work to be done, and many pitfalls to overcome, but we can see an end in sight for this pandemic.” The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

This month we're featuring Health Sciences North/Horizon Santé-Nord in Sudbury. When COVID-19 arrived, they were sending specimens to Public Health Ontario which resulted in delayed turn around times for patients. They began testing their own patients on April 13th, reducing turn around times by more than 30 hours in the first week of testing. They are now a regional testing site for samples collected from North Bay to Wawa and all points between. Working together, they advanced Laboratory Information Systems, testing procedures, reporting structures and more, with everyone on the team bringing new ideas to the table to cope with the added volume. It has been an incredible act of teamwork--we spoke with Admin Director MLT Erin Tarini, MLT Brandi Marshall and MLA/T Monique Gagnon about what it has looked like, coming together to test for COVID-19. Season 2 of the Dish focuses on how labs have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some are rapidly ramping up testing and overcoming immeasurable odds testing for COVID-19, others are struggling or working on other testing while staff are re-deployed elsewhere. Join us as we follow one lab each month and explore how the pandemic is impacting labs across the province, from the patterns between to specific local situations.

Across Canada and around the world, the pandemic has resulted in severe constraints on international and domestic travel, raising the question: Will business, educational and personal travel ever return to pre-pandemic levels? “Countries are going to have to figure out how to open up in some way,” says Professor Vivek Goel. “There are many different pilot approaches being undertaken.” In episode 32 of the What's Next? COVID-19 podcast, Goel explores the positive impact of the reduction in travel on the environment – and the negative impact it has had on tourism, the economy and personal lives as people can no longer travel to see family or attend weddings and funerals. “The European Union has taken a risk-based approach based on transmission rates in countries and allowing people from lower-risk countries to move more freely,” says Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “In Alberta, there is a pilot being done with testing on arrival and day seven, allowing people to have a reduced quarantine in exchange for more significant monitoring and testing. “I, along with some colleagues, recently completed a study, which will soon be published, which supports this type of approach.” Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – says quarantine has significant economic, psychological consequences. “If we can find a way to reduce it, it should help restore some travel. I'm hopeful that we will find some way to bring travel back.” The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

Across Canada and around the world, the pandemic has resulted in severe constraints on international and domestic travel, raising the question: Will business, educational and personal travel ever return to pre-pandemic levels? “Countries are going to have to figure out how to open up in some way,” says Professor Vivek Goel. “There are many different pilot approaches being undertaken.” In episode 32 of the What's Next? COVID-19 podcast, Goel explores the positive impact of the reduction in travel on the environment – and the negative impact it has had on tourism, the economy and personal lives as people can no longer travel to see family or attend weddings and funerals. “The European Union has taken a risk-based approach based on transmission rates in countries and allowing people from lower-risk countries to move more freely,” says Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “In Alberta, there is a pilot being done with testing on arrival and day seven, allowing people to have a reduced quarantine in exchange for more significant monitoring and testing. “I, along with some colleagues, recently completed a study, which will soon be published, which supports this type of approach.” Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – says quarantine has significant economic, psychological consequences. “If we can find a way to reduce it, it should help restore some travel. I'm hopeful that we will find some way to bring travel back.” The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

What will 2021 be like? Will we still need to take preventive measures against COVID-19 once a vaccine is available? And just how safe is an enclosed patio? These are some of the questions listeners have asked Vivek Goel, host of the What's Next podcast. A professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Goel is also a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “A patio really has to have at least one side open to the air. Obviously, that's going to get pretty cold in the winter,” Goel says in episode 31 of his podcast. “A fully enclosed patio may actually be more dangerous than indoor dining if there's not adequate ventilation, particularly because there will be gas heaters inside of the space as well. “So in the cold winter months, in order to support our local restaurants, please consider takeout or delivery.” It's the second episode featuring questions for Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak. Back in May, subscribers asked whether they should wash their groceries and if it was OK to visit family. Now, what many want to know is: Are we headed into another lockdown? The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

What will 2021 be like? Will we still need to take preventive measures against COVID-19 once a vaccine is available? And just how safe is an enclosed patio? These are some of the questions listeners have asked Vivek Goel, host of the What's Next podcast. A professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Goel is also a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “A patio really has to have at least one side open to the air. Obviously, that's going to get pretty cold in the winter,” Goel says in episode 31 of his podcast. “A fully enclosed patio may actually be more dangerous than indoor dining if there's not adequate ventilation, particularly because there will be gas heaters inside of the space as well. “So in the cold winter months, in order to support our local restaurants, please consider takeout or delivery.” It's the second episode featuring questions for Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak. Back in May, subscribers asked whether they should wash their groceries and if it was OK to visit family. Now, what many want to know is: Are we headed into another lockdown? The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

The World Health Organization reports that there are 44 vaccine candidates now in human trials, with ten of them in phase three randomized clinical trials. But when will a vaccine be widely available? “The regulators who will have to approve the vaccines are working very closely with the developers and examining data in real time, in what's known as a rolling review process. This will allow for the reviews of the vaccines to be done very quickly once the trials are completed,” says Vivek Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “Manufacturers have also started production of the vaccines in anticipation of the approvals so that, once that happens, initial doses can be distributed quickly.” But there's still a lot of work to be done, Goel cautions. In episode 30 of his podcast on the pandemic, Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – explains what regulators and manufacturers will be watching for as vaccines are tested and discusses some of the hurdles facing large-scale immunization programs. “The most recent results are very helpful, but we will continue to require patience before we get a fully effective vaccine out into everyone's arms.” The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

The World Health Organization reports that there are 44 vaccine candidates now in human trials, with ten of them in phase three randomized clinical trials. But when will a vaccine be widely available? “The regulators who will have to approve the vaccines are working very closely with the developers and examining data in real time, in what's known as a rolling review process. This will allow for the reviews of the vaccines to be done very quickly once the trials are completed,” says Vivek Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “Manufacturers have also started production of the vaccines in anticipation of the approvals so that, once that happens, initial doses can be distributed quickly.” But there's still a lot of work to be done, Goel cautions. In episode 30 of his podcast on the pandemic, Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – explains what regulators and manufacturers will be watching for as vaccines are tested and discusses some of the hurdles facing large-scale immunization programs. “The most recent results are very helpful, but we will continue to require patience before we get a fully effective vaccine out into everyone's arms.” The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

As the number of reported cases of COVID-19 continue to climb in Canada, so do questions about testing for the infection – including why it can take so long to get results. “When testing is done in the lab, we also have to arrange for transportation of the specimens from where they're collected to the lab and then for the delivery of the results. These processes add to the turnaround time for the test results,” says Vivek Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “Point-of-care testing holds great promise. This could be done with or without a health professional and in theory could be done in any site – a school or workplace or at home.” In episode 29 of his podcast on the pandemic, Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – explains how health-care professionals test for infection today, and how that may change in the future. The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

As the number of reported cases of COVID-19 continue to climb in Canada, so do questions about testing for the infection – including why it can take so long to get results. “When testing is done in the lab, we also have to arrange for transportation of the specimens from where they're collected to the lab and then for the delivery of the results. These processes add to the turnaround time for the test results,” says Vivek Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “Point-of-care testing holds great promise. This could be done with or without a health professional and in theory could be done in any site – a school or workplace or at home.” In episode 29 of his podcast on the pandemic, Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – explains how health-care professionals test for infection today, and how that may change in the future. The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

With the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in Canada and around the world, attention has focused on large gatherings such as weddings and parties. But what about smaller get-togethers with family or friends? “What is really important to avoid is situations where you're in closed, crowded and close contact settings, especially with random people that you don't know,” says Vivek Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “I often get asked, is it okay to have dinner with friends on a patio? That is fine, as long as everyone is practising the precautions and that you're having dinner with people that you know, and that you can trust are also following precautions.” In episode 28 of his podcast on the pandemic, Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – explains how social circles are meant to work and how limits on gathering do not remove the need to practise precautions such as distancing and masking. The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

With the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in Canada and around the world, attention has focused on large gatherings such as weddings and parties. But what about smaller get-togethers with family or friends? “What is really important to avoid is situations where you're in closed, crowded and close contact settings, especially with random people that you don't know,” says Vivek Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “I often get asked, is it okay to have dinner with friends on a patio? That is fine, as long as everyone is practising the precautions and that you're having dinner with people that you know, and that you can trust are also following precautions.” In episode 28 of his podcast on the pandemic, Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – explains how social circles are meant to work and how limits on gathering do not remove the need to practise precautions such as distancing and masking. The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

It's easy to get fixated on the daily numbers of COVID-19 cases reported in the media, but a clearer picture emerges if you pay attention to a broader range of indicators. It's important to consider the average number of cases over a set period as well as the reproduction number – the number of people that each infected person infects – and to keep an eye on the capacity of the health-care system, says Vivek Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “How many people are being hospitalized, how many ICU admissions are there and how many people are on ventilators and what proportion of people are dying? These are indicators of our health system capacity, as well as the severity of the disease,” Goel says. “These numbers and proportions are staying low relative to the level seen in the spring.” In episode 27 of his podcast on the pandemic, Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – says we're doing well in most indicators across Canada although “we may have to re-impose some restrictions in order to manage the upticks.” In the meantime, he advises: “Avoid the three Cs: close contact settings, closed and crowded spaces. Stay home if you're ill. If you're coming to one of the University of Toronto campuses, use the new uCheck application, which is an online symptom assessment tool. Practise hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette and wear masks when required. Observe the posted gathering limits and maintain your social circles.” The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

It's easy to get fixated on the daily numbers of COVID-19 cases reported in the media, but a clearer picture emerges if you pay attention to a broader range of indicators. It's important to consider the average number of cases over a set period as well as the reproduction number – the number of people that each infected person infects – and to keep an eye on the capacity of the health-care system, says Vivek Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “How many people are being hospitalized, how many ICU admissions are there and how many people are on ventilators and what proportion of people are dying? These are indicators of our health system capacity, as well as the severity of the disease,” Goel says. “These numbers and proportions are staying low relative to the level seen in the spring.” In episode 27 of his podcast on the pandemic, Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – says we're doing well in most indicators across Canada although “we may have to re-impose some restrictions in order to manage the upticks.” In the meantime, he advises: “Avoid the three Cs: close contact settings, closed and crowded spaces. Stay home if you're ill. If you're coming to one of the University of Toronto campuses, use the new uCheck application, which is an online symptom assessment tool. Practise hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette and wear masks when required. Observe the posted gathering limits and maintain your social circles.” The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

COVID-19 is being studied like no other disease in history, with hundreds of new research papers published every day – and the resulting headlines can lead to confusion, according to Vivek Goel. “There has been intense public and media interest on individual studies, whether in preprints or in peer-reviewed journals,” says Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “Some are later shown to be wrong … others are very good science but don't necessarily address the right clinical question. For example, an excellent piece of work showed that virus samples could survive for several days on inanimate surfaces, but that study did not show whether transmission of disease could take place through those means.” In episode 26 of his podcast on the pandemic, Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – talks about the importance of recognizing that science is neither linear nor simple, and that a single piece of research should not automatically lead to new policies been drafted. “What's important is the synthesis that's done over time and the conclusions that are reached out of academic debate,” he says. The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

COVID-19 is being studied like no other disease in history, with hundreds of new research papers published every day – and the resulting headlines can lead to confusion, according to Vivek Goel. “There has been intense public and media interest on individual studies, whether in preprints or in peer-reviewed journals,” says Goel, a professor at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university's COVID-19 planning efforts. “Some are later shown to be wrong … others are very good science but don't necessarily address the right clinical question. For example, an excellent piece of work showed that virus samples could survive for several days on inanimate surfaces, but that study did not show whether transmission of disease could take place through those means.” In episode 26 of his podcast on the pandemic, Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak – talks about the importance of recognizing that science is neither linear nor simple, and that a single piece of research should not automatically lead to new policies been drafted. “What's important is the synthesis that's done over time and the conclusions that are reached out of academic debate,” he says. The COVID-19: What's Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn. Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

Do we really know how much sugar we are consuming on a regular basis? A recent Public Health Ontario study that says two-thirds of packaged foods in Canada has added sugar. We head straight to the author of the study Dr. Erin Hobin to give us the details.

Rabies is the archytypical zoonotic disease, and only by vaccination in animals will we prevent infections in people. In two podcasts linked to our latest clinical review "The prevention and management of rabies"​ we'll be discussing how we can get there. In this podcast Natasha Crowcroft, chief of infectious disease at Public Health Ontario to discuss the human aspect of the disease, and in the second Sarah Cleaveland, professor of comparative epidemiology at the University of Glasgow explains animal control. Listen to the accompanying podcast: https://soundcloud.com/bmjpodcasts/rabies-in-animals Read the full clinical review: http://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.g7827