Podcasts about science advisory table

This week marks five years since Ontario declared an emergency to stop the spread of COVID-19. We hear how the pandemic still affects you and hear from Dr. Fahad Razak, former scientific director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, about the lasting impacts on our health care system.

Vassy Kapelos speaks with Bob Fife, Ottawa Bureau Chief, The Globe and Mail, about the reported exodus from cabinet and what that means in the current context. On today's show: CTV's Senior Parliamentary Reporter Mike Le Couteur walks through the cabinet ministers not seeking re-election Eric Ham, CTV U.S. Political Analyst, weighs in on the Fox News interview with Vice President Kamala Harris and the leadup to election day Talk Science to Me with Dan Riskin We hear from you on if Canada should hold on to the monarchy and monarchy as celebrity The Daily Debrief with Hannah Thibedeau, Marieke Walsh, and Laura Stone Dr. Fahad Razak, report co-author, , internist at St Michael's Hospital (Unity Health Toronto), and Canada Research Chair in Healthcare Data and Analytics at the University of Toronto. He was also Scientific Director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table

THE MEDICAL RECORD: REPORT ON DISEASE SURVEILLANCE Jane Brown is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. She is joined by Dr. Fahad Razak, General Internist at Unity Health Toronto who served as a Scientific Advisor of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, Dr. Aaron Schimmer, the Director of Research at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre as well as a staff physician and a senior scientist and Dr. Nadia Alam, a Georgetown, Ontario family doctor and anesthetist.  Even though it hasn't been long since we've been out of the COVID pandemic, according to a new report it's time to start preparing for the next global health crisis. COURT CHALLENGE AGAINST FORD GOV'T OVER ORCHARD VILLA LICENSE Jane Brown is joined by Natalie Mehra, Executive Director of the Ontario Health Coalition and Cathy Parkes, whose father passed away at Orchard Villa during the pandemic. Both Cathy and the Ontario Health Coalition are presenting a court challenge this week over the Ford government's decision to greenlight a new 30-year license to Orchard Villa. They want the lease quashed by the court. TORONTO'S ACTION PLAN TO KEEP ITS "ECONOMY THRIVING"  Jane Brown is joined by Toronto City Councillor Shelley Carroll (Don Valley North) who is also Chair of the Budget Committee and co-chair of the Economic Advisory Panel. Toronto's mayor and the city's budget chief have both just announced a new staff report and plan called Sidewalks to Skylines: An Action Plan for Toronto's economy. We get clarity on what it's all about.

Dr. Fahad Razak joins Ontario Today and takes your calls. Razak is an internal Medicine Physician at St. Michael's Hospital. He's also the former scientific director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table

Dr. Fahad Razak joins Ontario Today and takes your calls. Razak is an internal Medicine Physician at St. Michael's Hospital. He's also the former scientific director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table.

In this conversation, Kieran Quinn, a general internist and palliative care clinician-scientist at Sinai Health in the Department of Medicine and at the Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation at the University of Toronto, and James Downer, a critical care and palliative care physician in Ottawa, discuss virtual end-of-life care during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://pcpcrc.ca/ - The Pan-Canadian Palliative Care Research Collaborative is a national network of researchers, healthcare providers, community stakeholders, and patient and caregiver partners who are passionate about palliative care research. Dr. Kieran Quinn is a General Internist and Palliative Care Clinician-Scientist at Sinai Health in the Department of Medicine and Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation at the University of Toronto and an Adjunct Scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). His research focuses on using advanced analytic methods and large administrative datasets to improve access and delivery of high-quality end-of-life care for patients with terminal noncancer illness, such as heart failure and dementia, and improving the recognition and care of people with post COVID-19 condition (long COVID). Dr. Quinn was awarded the Governor General's Gold Medal for Academic Excellence and the John Charles Polanyi Prize in Physiology and Medicine. He is co-lead of Canada's national research network on post COVID-19 condition and co-chair for the development of clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of post COVID-19 condition. He served as the Assistant Director of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, the Ontario Public Health Emergencies Science Advisory Committee, and as an Expert Member of the Chief Science Advisor's National Task Force on the Post COVID-19 Condition. His early research success includes over $28 million in competitive grant funding and 7 CIHR grants as the nominated principal applicant. He has mentored 12 trainees who have published and won several awards for their work together. He has 103 peer-reviewed publications, including 52 as first author or senior author in high-impact journals such as JAMA, JAMA Internal Medicine, and BMJ. Dr. James Downar is a Critical Care and Palliative Care physician in Ottawa. He graduated from McGill Medical School and completed residency training in Internal Medicine, Critical Care, and Palliative Care at the University of Toronto. He has a Master's degree in Bioethics from the Joint Centre for Bioethics at the University of Toronto. He is currently the Head of the Division of Palliative Care at the University of Ottawa and a Professor in the Department of Medicine. He is the chair of Palliative and End-of-Life Care at the University of Ottawa, the co-chair of the Pan-Canadian Palliative Care Research Collaborative, the chair of the Ethical Affairs committee of the Canadian Critical Care Society, and the co-chair of the Ontario Palliative Care Network's Provincial Education Steering Committee. He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications, has been principal investigator on more than 20 peer-reviewed grants, and is a former Associated Medical Services Phoenix Fellow. Dr. Downar also led several provincial and national efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was involved in planning for medication shortages for both critical care and palliative care and led the development of a critical care triage system for the event of major surge in critically ill patients His research interests include communication and decision-making for seriously ill patients and their families; Palliative Care for the Critically Ill; and Palliative Care for Noncancer Illnesses. http://amshealthcare.ca/

Dr. Fahad Razak joins Ontario Today and takes your calls. Razak is an internal Medicine Physician at St. Michael's Hospital. He's also the former scientific director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table.

With COVID on the rise in Ontario, Dr. Fahad Razak, former scientific director of the now-disbanded Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table and internist and epidemiologist at St. Michael's Hospital, answers your questions.

Guest: Dr. Fahad Razak, internist at St Michael's Hospital The XBB.1.5, known by the nickname “Kraken,” is the latest COVID-19 subvariant of concern. Found to be highly transmissible, health experts are already seeing surges in other parts of the world like Europe and the United States, where there are higher case counts and hospitalizations. The same effect is likely to happen here. Dr. Fahad Razak, an internist at St Michael's Hospital and a professor at the University of Toronto who served as the head of the province's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, joins “This Matters” to share what we know. This episode was produced by Alexis Green, Paulo Marques and Raju Mudhar. Audio sources: BBC, PBS, Euronews

Libby Znaimer is joined by Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine, David Cravit, Vice President, Zoomer Media, Bill VanGorder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Policy Officer of CARP. This afternoon, the province will be announcing its fall economic statement. Can we expect any goodies to come out of it for Seniors? And, how much of the budget will be allocated to addressing Ontario's ongoing health crisis? WINTER DRIVING SEASON: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Libby Znaimer is now joined by Nadia Matos, External Communications for CAA South Central Ontario and Sgt. Kerry Schmidt of the OPP Highway Safety Division. This week, the CAA, Toronto Police, OPP, ministry of transportation and City of Toronto will be joining forces to present tips and reminders for driving safely this Winter season. Tune in to ask your questions. ---- MASKING UP AND WHEN TO GET BIVALENT SHOT AFTER YOU HAD FOUR DOSES Libby Znaimer is now joined by Dr. Fahad Razak, an internist at St. Michaels Hospital in Toronto and the former Scientific Director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table before it dissolved. With COVID-19, flu and RSV circulating in the population, the province's chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore says we are faced with "a triple threat" and is recommending that the public mask up in all indoor settings especially as pediatric hospitals become strained. And, Libby asks Dr. Razak about the timing of getting your bivalent COVID-19 vaccine after you've had your four doses already. And, what you need to know about this year's flu shot. Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

Pediatric ICU capacity is at or beyond its limits, and parents aren't far behind. Why is illness on the rise for kids across the province? For insight we welcome: Dr. Rod Lim, Site-Chief of the Paediatric Emergency Department at the Children's Hospital at London Health Sciences Centre, and an associate professor at Western University; and former director of the COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, Dr. Fahad Razak, who is an internist at St Michael's Hospital and assistant professor at the University of Toronto.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Fahad Razak, former head of the now-disbanded COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, answers questions on immunity, treatment, vaccines, travel, long COVID and more.

As summer winds down and we head into fall and a new school year, we talk to Dr. Fahad Razak, the new scientific director of the COVID-19 Science Advisory Table to look at where Ontario is in its attempts to deal with the pandemic, how much natural immunity is present in communities, what modelling is suggested for the months ahead, and what to expect in the next round of vaccinations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One person is in custody after two people died in a fatal stabbing on a stretch of road in North York; is the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table being dissolved? And, a raccoon is recovering after it was trapped and poisoned with bread soaked in windshield wiper fluid.

The City of Windsor is being sued over its COVID-19 vaccination policy and Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table is disbanding.  These stories, and more, are in your noon news on the go.

BC Premier John Horgan announces he's stepping down, A UBC scientist wants you to mail him mosquitos, Assessing the Impact of heat dome on ecosystems in BC & Canada's COVID response ranked highly compared to similar countries - June 28th, 2022   BC Premier John Horgan announces he's stepping down  Guest: Keith Baldrey, Global News legislative correspondent    Ow what bit me? A UBC scientist wants you to mail him mosquitos  Guest: Dan Peach, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia and Director, Entomological Society of British Columbia   Assessing the Impact of heat dome on ecosystems in BC   Guest: Rachel White, Assistant Professor, Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, University of British Columbia.    Canada's COVID response ranked highly compared to similar countries  Guest: Dr. Fahad Razak, scientific director of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, an internist and epidemiologist at St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health

Guest: Dr. Fahad Razak, scientific director of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, an internist and epidemiologist at St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health

Libby Znaimer is joined by David Cravit, Vice President of Zoomer Media and Chief Membership Officer at CARP, Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine and Bill VanGorder, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Policy Officer of CARP. Today: Have you ever heard of MCRs? Also, known as medical condition reports, they are files that healthcare professionals will fill out to the ministry if a patient is in a certain medical condition that would require a driver's licence suspension. But this system is susceptible to abuse and even misjudgment by doctors. Our Zoomer Squad discusses a Toronto Star investigation about it and listeners call in to share their personal stories of having their licenses removed through MCRs. ---- THE END OF MASK MANDATES AND THE STATE OF COVID-19 IN ONTARIO Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Fahad Razak, The Scientific Director of the COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. The remaining mask mandates in the province of Ontario ended on June 11th. That means, you can board a TTC vehicle without a face covering and it is up to hospitals, for example, to maintain their own mask-wearing mandates moving forward. But, is it too early to make such a major policy shift? And, does it really follow the science? Ontario's COVID-19 wastewater signal is currently on the rise again, according to the province's science advisory table, which suggests an increase in case numbers. And, it comes at a time when restrictions have eased. Dr. Razak weighs in on the latest. ---- PATRICK BROWN ON THE CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP RACE Libby Znaimer is joined by Patrick Brown, Candidate for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada. Patrick weighs in on the Conservative leadership race so far and the record number of memberships. He also weighs in on the state of the federal Conservative Party. Brown, who has served as Mayor of Brampton since 2018, has until mid-August to sign up as a mayoral candidate for Brampton, which happens to fall a few weeks before the next federal Conservative leader is voted in. Listen live, weekdays from noon to 1, on Zoomer Radio!

Epidemiologist Dr. Fahad Razak, Scientific Director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, helps fill in some of the gaps on what you still need to know to stay safe amid this latest pandemic surge.

As the Director of the COVID 19 Science Advisory Table steps down, he shares his insight on where we've come from and where the pandemic is headed.

Bryan May; Liberal MP; Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative MP; Lindsay Mathyssen, NDP MP; Dr. Peter Jüni, Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table; David George-Cosh, BNN Bloomberg; Jill Macyshon, CTV News; Greg MacEachern, Proof Strategies; Jason Lietaer, Enterprise Canada; Anne McGrath, NDP National Director; Greg Weston, Earnscliffe Strategies; Glen McGregor, CTV News; Rachel Aiello, CTV News; and Susan Delacourt, the Toronto Star.

Dr. Peter Juni - Scientific Director of the Ontario COVID 19 Science Advisory Table - joins us to answer your questions about booster shots, anti-virals, and staying COVID safe over the long weekend.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and we're drawing attention to the issue by asking -- if someone came to you with concerns that they were sexually assaulted.. would you know what to say? What are the right words? What are the wrong questions to ask? We talk to Andrea Gunraj from the Canadian Women's Foundation for more. Some students are raising concerns after the Law Society of Ontario announced changes to the upcoming summer bar exams. We speak to third year law student Ryan Shah about what he and other Ontario students are experiencing. Ontario's chief medical officer of health Dr. Kieran Moore spoke to media yesterday for the first time in more than a month. Dr. Gerald Evans is an infectious disease specialist at Queen's University and a member of the COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. We speak to him for the details. After a couple of very tough years, ski resorts in Ontario are celebrating once again. The ski season is just wrapping up and operators are looking over how it went. We chat with Kevin Nichol who is the president of the Ontario Snow Resorts Association. Humane Canada is a federation of SPCAs and humane societies. It's trying to put pet food security on better footing with a national pet food bank program. We talk to Barbara Cartwright who is the C-E-O of Humane Canada. Absentee rates are increasing amid Ontario's sixth wave...Businesses are trying to avoid possible interruptions to their staffing -- and, to their bottom line. Carrie Lynn Macpherson is the owner of Kingston Paint and Decorating.

Jonathan Wilkinson, Natural Resources Minister; Dr. Peter Jüni, Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table; Robert Benzie, the Toronto Star; Jenni Byrne, Jenni Byrne + Associates; Tasha Kheiriddin, Navigator Ltd.; Annie Bergeron-Oliver, CTV News; and Ian Bailey, the Globe and Mail.

Kelly speaks to Dr. Peter Jüni, scientific director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Bill Kelly Show Podcast: Topics Include: Ontario opposition wants government to share plans for handling rising COVID cases Ontario staying the course on lifting mask mandates Provinces Science Advisory Table to be folded into Public Health Ontario And more GUEST: John Best, Founder of the Bay Observer - The President signed an executive order Thursday securing production of critical minerals used in high-capacity batteries, in a bid to reduce U.S. reliance on Chinese supply. He also touted tighter energy-efficiency standards for home appliances and billions of dollars of spending to retrofit older buildings. Mr. Biden has already rejected calls from Republicans that he reverse his moratorium on new drilling leases on federal land and from Canada that he rescind his cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline. The White House has said that it is looking only for short-term supplies, not to build long-term oil and gas infrastructure. ALSO: Russians leave Chornobyl as fighting rages elsewhere GUEST: Elliot Tepper, Emeritus Professor of Political Science with Carleton University - Pope Francis has delivered a formal apology for the grave harm caused by Canada's harrowing residential school system. In a livestreamed audience with more than 170 Indigenous survivors, elders, knowledge keepers, youth and community leaders on Friday, he said he was “deeply grieved” by stories of abuse, hardship and discrimination he heard throughout the week. GUEST: Dr. Dawn Lavell-Harvard, Director at the First Peoples House of Learning at Trent University - The Liberal government's deal with the NDP to keep them in power until 2025 comes with promises of a pair of health programs that estimates indicate could cost $13 billion combined per year. While nothing is announced, the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) costed the NDP's pharmacare plan during the 2021 election at about $11 billion per year. How much could the government's new pharmacare and dental promises cost? GUEST: Colleen Fuller, Health and Drug Policy Researcher See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oscars returned in-person for the first time since Covid last night.. in a new format. Which winners are the talk of the town today... and who surprised us? Host of CBC's podcast ”Pop Chat” Amil Niazi joins us for her Oscar reactions. Canada Reads kicks off today! (March 28th) Every year, five high-profile Canadians each select the one book they think all of Canada needs to read. Day-by-day, the competition thins...and one book is eliminated by panelists until a winner is crowned.This year's theme is “One Book to Connect Us.” CBC's Ali Hassan returns as host -- and he joins us today. Well, it finally happened. After a disappointing loss to Costa Rica last week...The Canadian men's soccer team secured a spot in the World Cup -- for the first time in 36 years. They beat Jamaica on Sunday. Our next guest watched the historic win from the stands last night. Christian Hoefler is the head coach of men's varsity soccer at Queen's University. He's also a former U-17 Team Canada player. One of Ontario's most prominent science experts through the pandemic is leaving his post. Dr. Peter Jüni is stepping down as scientific director of the COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. And taking on a new job at the University of Oxford. You've heard him on this show many times. And Dr. Jüni joins us again this morning to talk about what is currently happening in Ontario and why he's leaving. Later today Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Ford will announce that ten-dollar a day daycare is coming to Ontario. The Ford government was the last to sign on to the Federal plan. Right now, parents in this city typically pay approximately 70 dollars a day for a toddler in daycare. Queen's Park reporter Mike Crawley joins us to break down the agreement and how it all played out politically. Central bankers on both sides of the border are getting increasingly nervous about the inflation picture. That has boosted speculation that both the Bank of Canada and the U.S. Federal Reserve will be even more aggressive in their rate decisions. And that has all kinds of implications for Canada's hot housing market…consumer debt levels… and the economy. Donna Guzik joins us with more on this, and what else we should look for this week in the world of business.

Ontario eliminates its mask mandate for a variety of settings including schools, restaurants, gyms, and stores today. While other jurisdictions within Canada and across the world have done away with equivalent or greater public health restrictions, residents of the province are expressing mixed feelings on this policy decision. This episode features two experts who discuss the factors that went into the decision to eliminate the mask mandate, and what implications this may have for Ontario. Guests: Dr. Arjumand Siddiqi - Professor and Division Head of Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, Canada Research Chair in Population Health Equity Dr. Peter Jüni - Scientific Director at Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Toronto, Director of the Applied Research Centre of St. Michael's Hospital  Producers: Annabelle MacRae - Junior Producer Faria Amin - Executive Producer

Jeff McArthur talks with Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table about Ontario ends mandatory face mask use in most indoor public settings, Long COVID study, Are Dangerously Relaxed about COVID, AND Dr. Peter Jüni stepping down as director of Ontario science table in a few weeks.

The Hamilton Today Podcast.... Spring is on the way this weekend! We look ahead at what we can expect as we finally shake off winter… hopefully. Stoney Creek MPP Paul Miller has been disowned by the Ontario NDP and their leader, Andrew Horwath. The scientific director of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, Dr. Peter Jüni says he is stepping down in a few weeks for family reasons, and has accepted a tenured professorship at the University of Oxford in England. U.S. President Joe Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping today – their first official meeting in months – to discuss Russia's invasion of Ukraine, among other things. What happens to activists in Russia who are trying to spread the word of the outside world about the war in Ukraine? Arnold Schwarzenegger has released a video across multiple social media and online platforms, including Telegram, to inform the Russia people about the truth behind the war in Ukraine, condemn it, and tell President Putin to put an end to it. How much longer can Russia interfere with the spread of information from the outside world, and what does it mean for a society to be going through such strong uptick in blatant state censorship? Nearly 3,000 Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. workers could be locked out this weekend. The company and union have yet to reach a deal. Guests: Ross Hull, Global News Meteorologist Henry Jacek. Professor of Political Science, McMaster University Dr. Peter Juni, Director of Ontario's Science Table and a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Toronto Heather Yourex-West, Global News Reporter Matthew Light, Associate professor of criminology and sociological studies, affiliated faculty, centre for European, Russian and Eurasian studies, University of Toronto Elissa Freeman, PR and Pop Culture Expert Jeffrey Dvorkin, Senior Fellow at Massey College, Former Director of Journalism at the University of Toronto-Scarborough and author of Trusting the News in a Digital Age Ian Lee, Associate Professor with the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University Scott Radley. Host of The Scott Radley Show, Columnist with the Hamilton Spectator Host - Scott Thompson Content Producer – William Erskine Technical/Podcast Producer - Tom McKay Podcast Co-Producer - Ben Straughan News Anchors – Diana Weeks, Dave Woodard Want to keep up with what happened in Hamilton Today? Subscribe to the podcast! https://omny.fm/shows/scott-thompson-show See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, Ontario's chief medical officer announced that mask mandates will be lifted by March 21. But not everyone thinks it's a good idea. How do Ontarians navigate the new reality and get back to pre-pandemic sorts of interactions? To discuss potential concerns from various communities across the province, we welcome Globe and Mail health columnist André Picard; Sabina Vohra-Miller, founder of Unambiguous Science; and Dr. Peter Juni, scientific director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeff McArthur talks with Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table since July 2020 about a U.K. study that says COVID-19 can shrink some brain regions: AND COVID-19: Florida advises against vaccines for healthy kids.

Jeff McArthur talks with Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table about the White House unveils plan to move America to a new stage of the Covid pandemic. Does Canada need a similar plan?

SDG 15: Life on Land, focuses on sustainable management of forests, combatting desertification, halting and reversing land degradation, and halting biodiversity loss. In this episode, Ophelia Michaelides speaks to two researchers that are working towards improving our understanding of zoonotic diseases, or, diseases transmitted between animals and humans. Discussions focus on unpacking what zoonotic diseases are; how social and environmental factors impact their spread; and the actions we can take at individual, national, and global scales to develop more sustainable prevention and mitigation strategies for managing zoonotic disease emergence. Dr. Samira Mubareka is a virologist, medical microbiologist and infectious disease physician at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto.  Samira has been working on SARS-CoV-2 since the outset of the pandemic in North America with a focus on virus biology, bioaerosols and exposure, genomics and diagnostics through close and cross-disciplinary collaborations across engineering, computational biology, molecular virology and animal health. Samira serves on the Chief Science Advisor of Canada, Dr. M. Nemer's COVID-19 Expert Panel, the Implementation Committee of the Genome Canada-led Canadian COVID-19 Genomics Network (CanCOGeN) VirusSeq project, and the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table.  She is currently focused on understanding the biology and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and on coronavirus zoonotic spillover. Samira holds an MD from Dalhousie University, completed training in Internal Medicine at McGill University, and specialized in Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology at the University of Manitoba. Isha Berry is a PhD Candidate in Epidemiology at the University of Toronto Dalla Lana School of Public Health. She is also a Fellow in the Emerging Leaders in Biosecurity Initiative at the Johns Hopkins Centre for Health Security. Isha has expertise in infectious disease epidemiology and mathematical modelling and has experience conducting infectious disease research in low-, middle-, and high-income settings. Her primary area of research is understanding the socio-behavioral drivers of global emerging infectious diseases at the human-animal interface. She holds an MSc in Epidemiology from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and a BSc in Environmental Science from McGill University.CREDITS: This podcast is co-hosted by Dr. Erica Di Ruggiero, Director of the Centre for Global Health, and Ophelia Michaelides, Manager of the Centre for Global Health, at the DLSPH, U of T, and produced by Elizabeth Loftus. Audio editing is by Sylvia Lorico. Music is produced by Julien Fortier and Patrick May. It is made with the support of the School of Cities at U of T. 

COVID-19 infections related to the Omicron variant have peaked in Canada, according to Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer. But hospitalizations and ICU admissions remain high across the country. Meanwhile, many Canadians are asking how much longer pandemic restrictions will last. Our question this week: Is it time to start living with COVID-19? Should restrictions be eased where you live? Dr. Peter Juni, science advisor for the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, discusses the current state of the pandemic; Dr. Stephen Flindall, an Ontario-based emergency department physician, weighs in on the effect loosening restrictions could have on hospitals; and Esyllt Jones, an infectious disease historian and professor at the University of Manitoba, on what past pandemics can tell us about where we go next.

Jeff McArthur talks with Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table about the debate over 'fully vaccinated' as Ontario businesses prepare to reopen AND Scientists urge Canadians to pick up booster shot pace.

Rob Oliphant; Liberal MP; James Bezan, Conservative MP; Heather McPherson, NDP MP; Dr. Peter Jüni, Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table; Dr. Lisa Barrett, Infectious Disease Specialist; Infectious Disease Specialist; Greg MacEachern, Proof Strategies; Adrienne Batra, The Toronto Sun; Anne McGrath, NDP National Director; Greg Weston, Earnscliffe Strategies; Raymond Frogner, National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation; Rachel Aiello, CTV News; and Susan Delacourt, the Toronto Star.

Alan Carter talks with Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table about what kind of masks we should be wearing, as well as ICU numbers and Omicron.

Jeff McArthur talks with Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table about what the science table is recommending now to prepare for a safe return to school. Omicron and living with COVID: Why the new variant might change the timeline. Canada sending 140M rapid COVID-19 tests to provinces, territories in January 

As the new year begins, worries of a post-holiday surge in COVID-19 cases fuelled by the Omicron variant. Dr. Peter Jüni, scientific director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, answers questions from Cross Country Checkup callers about returning to work and school as cases continue to rise.

The Scientific Director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, Dr. Peter Juni, takes your questions on the government's response to omicron.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As cases climb in Ontario, infectious disease physician Dr. Andrew Morris, co-chair of the Therapeutics Working Group on Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, at Sinai Health System and the University Health Network, answers your questions on gatherings, travel and rapid tests.

Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table about Ontario releases updated coronavirus case modelling today, Canada to manufacture Merck COVID-19 antivirals if regulator approves AND Omicron could be more contagious, less dangerous. That would be 'good news for the human race.'   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Peter Jüni, scientific director of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, joins the QP Briefing podcast to discuss the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic, including the surge in cases in Ontario and the presence of the Omicron variant. He explains what is known so far about the new variant and why "it's completely changing the game." Email sduggal@torstar.ca with any questions, concerns or praise. Music: "Private Eye" by Kevin McLeod From the Free Music Archive CC BY

Jeff McArthur talks with Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table about Ontario isolating 375 recent returnees from southern Africa over Omicron coronavirus variant fears See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelly speaks with Dr. Peter Juni, Epidemiologist, Scientific Director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, about a new COVID variant and whether or not plexiglass barriers are counterproductive to ventilation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Director of Ontario's Science Advisory Table on an end to the focus on surface cleaning in favour of better air filtration; the risk of erectile dysfunction from COVID; third doses; kids' vaccines; Christmas gatherings; and harassment from the anti-science movement.

Jeff McArthur talks with Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table about Ontarians booking shots for kids aged five to 11 starting today; AND New poll says almost half of Canadians prepared to abandon social distancing at holiday gatherings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table talks about Health Canada to approve Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5-11 AND Ontario unveils winter COVID testing strategy, to include ‘holiday blitz' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Omar Alghabra, Transport Minister; Eric Duncan, Conservative MP-elect; Richard Cannings, NDP MP-elect; Mike Morrice, Green Party MP-elect; Dr. Peter Jüni, Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table; Greg MacEachern, Proof Strategies; Adrienne Batra, The Toronto Sun; Anne McGrath, NDP National Director; Greg Weston, Earnscliffe Strategies; Susan Delacourt, the Toronto Star; and Fatima Syed, The Narwhal.

Canada's national men's soccer team has two big matches coming up - against Costa Rica and then Mexico - which will be crucial in their efforts to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar next year. Sports journalist Ed Klajman discusses their prospects; Infectious disease expert Dr. Dominik Mertz of McMaster University in Hamilton discusses the concerning rise of cases counts and mortality in Europe; The Simcoe-Muskoka Health Unit has one of the highest infection rates in the province. Charles Gardner, the Medical Officer of Health updates us on the situation; The City of Kingston is partnering with the province, federal government and the organization Homes for Heroes to build a 'village for veterans' made up of tiny homes. City councilor Mary-Rita Holland tells us about the project; Because of the growing number of infections the province has decided to postpone lifting capacity limits at night clubs, strip clubs and event spaces with dancing, like wedding venues. Karen Born, the assistant scientific director for the COVID-19 Science Advisory Table talks about the evolving response to the pandemic her in Ontario; The TV series 'The Mayor of Kingstown' features an award-winning cast including Jeremy Renner, Dianne Wiest and Kyle Chandler. But the real star of a new show is Kingston and its penitentiary. We find out more from Alex Jansen, Kingston's Film Commissioner.

Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table since July 2020 talk about Ontario pauses further lifting of capacity limits as Covid 19 cases rise See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Richard Madan, CTV News; David MacNaughton, former Canadian ambassador to the U.S.; David Jacobson, former U.S. ambassador to Canada; Dr. Peter Jüni, Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table; Tonda MacCharles, the Toronto Star; Karl Dockstader, One Dish, One Mic; Perrin Beatty, Canadian Chamber of Commerce; Jerry Dias, Unifor; and Don Drummond, economist, Queen's University.

David Common from CBC's Marketplace tells us about their investigation that found a connection between a Canadian clothing retailer and a Chinese factory that is believed to use forced labour; The federal government has committed to no longer financing fossil fuel projects abroad. If they make good on an election promise, the Liberals will also end subsidies to domestic oil and gas industries. Sarah Burch the Canada Research Chair in Sustainability Governance and Innovation at the University of Waterloo offers her analysis of these initiatives; Dr. Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, has reaction to Premier Ford's decision not to make health care workers subject to a vaccine mandate; The Buy Veteran campaign on this week puts the spotlight on businesses owned by veterans. Dog House Brewing in Petawawa is one them. Owners Richard McNish and his son Brady are both serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces; Our Queen's Park reporter Mike Crawley discusses the province's fall economic statement; We know a lot more about COVID than when the pandemic started. So why are we still taking certain precautions that aren't really necessary? The CBC Haydn Watters explores that; They'll be launching pumpkins by trebuchet in Midhurst this weekend. Ken Ground of the Midhurst Lions Club tells us more; Krista Dalby tells us about the Firelight Lantern Festival this weekend in Picton.

The Bill Kelly Show Podcast: Recently released provincial modelling suggests that Ontario's COVID-19 case counts will remain stable, even with more social contacts, if some public health measures remain in place. Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table released their updated projections on Friday. The team cited favourable numbers due to high vaccination rates in the province and continued public health measures but it cautioned the need to keep some measures in place and focus on vaccinating young children when they are eligible. With Doug Ford aiming to end COVID-19 restrictions by March, does his timeline have scientific merit? GUEST: Dr. Peter Juni, Director of Ontario's Science Table and a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Toronto - Former Liberal prime minister Jean Chrétien says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would have been "better served" if he sought guidance from his party's elder statesmen, but that the current government has failed to reach out to him for advice.  "I'm not there, but sometimes I thought that, you know, they would have been better served if they would have looked to have older, experienced people with them," Chrétien said in an interview airing on Rosemary Barton Live on Sunday.  Chrétien said he isn't passing judgment on the current Liberal government. But, in a forthcoming book, he wrote that while "Trudeau and his team aspire to be reformists on a grand scale … their lack of experience for succeeding in that goal is more and more apparent." GUEST: Wayne Petrozzi, Professor in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Ryerson University - Edward Rogers actively fought plans to keep Masai Ujiri as head of the Toronto Raptors this summer — saying that he was not worth the amount offered — and then tried to extract an extraordinary benefit for his own company, the Star has learned. To the relief of fans, the ploy by Rogers was unsuccessful, and the Raptors announced on Aug. 5 that Ujiri was staying on in Toronto as vice chairman and president of basketball operations. However, new details have emerged suggesting that behind the scenes that Edward Rogers tried to sabotage a high-performing executive with whom he had grown disenchanted — and ultimately failed in his bid because he appeared not to fully understand the governance structure of the NBA franchise. GUEST: Marvin Ryder, Professor with the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

First person stories from callers and the latest treatments with two physicians: Dr. Jennifer Tsang, an Intensivist and Research Lead at Niagara Health and Dr. Andrew Morris, an infectious disease specialist on the Ontario COVID 19 Science Advisory Table and physician at Sinai Health and the University Health Network

Leamington and Chatham-Kent are planning to work closely together after last month's explosion in Wheatley, Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table says there are tens of thousands of people in the province suffering from what's being called "long-COVID", and municipal officials in Chatham-Kent are applying to the province for some money to build more pickleball courts.

Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table since July 2020 talks about hospital protest and impact on health care workers AND PEI closes schools after outbreaks.  There's outbreaks in schools across the country.  How concerning is this?    

It was a busy week at Queen's Park. Just days after announcing a vaccine passport for the province, the Ontario legislature was prorogued until Oct. 4. In this week's episode, Steve Paikin and John Michael McGrath will have an update on that. They will also discuss the details of the vaccine passports and why small businesses are concerned. Also, the end of the truce between Doug Ford and Justin Trudeau. And why did the Ontario Covid-19 Science Advisory Table quietly release new modelling with no news conference? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of What London Can Be, our host Diane Silva speaks with Dr. Prachi Srivastava, Associate Professor in the area of global education at Western University, member of the World Bank Expert Advisory Council on Citizen Engagement, and contributing author on two Science Briefs of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table on education. Dr. Srivastava also leads the COVID-19 School Dashboard, an open-access site that visualizes COVID-19 school-related cases throughout Ontario with equity-related school information.

Exploring the psychology of retirement - the 'third age' after childhood and middle age. Julia Spaniol, the Canada Research chair in cognitive aging at Ryerson University tells us about a study they will be conducting on the retirement years; Midland teenager Jasmine Jenkinson is a winner in the 'Your Voice Is Power' competition sponsored by Amazon, Georgia Tech and Pharell Williams. She talks about the inspiration for her entry in the song competition; Infectious control epidemiologist Colin Furness provides analysis of the modelling on the course of the pandemic presented by Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table; Were there winners of losers in last night's French language debate? Political scientist Mireille Paquet from Concordia University in Montreal offers her perspective; Rosh Hashanah is the start of the Jewish New Year. And it begins on Monday.The Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville is preparing for the high holiday and it's also hoping to use the occasion to attract new members.We find out more from Norm Weddum. Norm Weddum is the president of the Sons of Jacob Synagogue.

Jeff McArthur talks to Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table about the 4th wave seeing a shift from the elderly and LTC to young people and restaurants and nightclubs?   The 4th wave and seeing a shift from the elderly and LTC to youth

Remember when everyone thought things would be back to normal by September? Instead, children are returning to classrooms with caseloads climbing. So how should parents prepare kids for the return to in-person schooling? Is it safe? Would they be better off being taught virtually? And when should we expect vaccines to be approved for those who are under the age of 12? For guidance, we turned to a pair of Medcan experts: Dr. Janice Weiss, director of child and youth, and Dr. Jack Muskat, clinical director of mental health. Episode 81 webpage.   LINKS    Dr. Janice Weiss provides further guidance for parents in this short YouTube video.   Here's the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table brief that suggests, “barring catastrophic circumstances”, that kids should be educated with in-person learning. Learn about Medcan's Child & Youth Assessment, designed to provide parents with tailored strategies to help children reach their potential. Dr. Weiss and Dr. Muskat's guidance, that children are better off in school compared to virtual learning, is supported by Sick Kids' president and CEO, Dr. Ronald Cohn. “Schools should not only open in September, but need to stay open,” says Dr. Cohn. More here. Some good context on the risks to children of attending in-person schooling in the fourth wave in this Globe and Mail story by Wency Leung. Virtual schooling is thought to have contributed to the doubling of youth depression and anxiety during the pandemic, according to new analysis from JAMA Pediatrics finds. This CNN story spells it out in language for laypeople. “One in 4 adolescents globally are "experiencing clinically elevated depression symptoms, while 1 in 5 youth are experiencing clinically elevated anxiety symptoms." INSIGHTS    Dr. Weiss and Dr. Muskat both believe that children should return to in-person schooling. Like many experts they approach the question from a cost-benefit perspective. “The issue really boils down to, what are the real physical risks of being at school versus what are the mental health issues from virtual learning?” Dr. Weiss asks. Children 12 and over have had the opportunity to be vaccinated. And statistics show that the vast majority of children under 12 who catch COVID-19 will be either asymptomatic or will have mild cold- or flu-like illnesses. Less than 1% of children who get COVID require hospitalization, according to Dr. Weiss. Serious complications, such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) are extremely rare, at less than 0.03%. Comparing the low physical risk with the much larger likelihood of mental health problems caused by virtual schooling (anxiety, depression, eating disorders, social isolation), Dr. Weiss and Dr. Muskat both conclude the analysis suggests children should be physically present. [01:35] One suggestion from Dr. Muskat: During back to school, recognize that kids pick up their anxiety from their parents. Children will benefit if parents can convey a strong, confident approach toward back to school. One approach? Be straight with them. Life has risks, but we can take precautions designed to minimize danger. Analogies can go a long way toward assuaging the anxiety of young people. The sort of risk-benefit analysis that suggests kids are better off with in-person schooling is applied in many other settings as well: We go swimming in lakes, even though there exists a risk of drowning. We go for a bike ride, wearing helmets to minimize risk of injury from a fall. “We cannot create 100% safety, nor should we, because life has risk,” Dr. Muskat says. “But what we want to do is go in with knowledge. And with confidence.” [08:35] To ward off the “re-entry anxiety” that some kids feel over back-to-school (similar to the anxiety that some adults feel over back-to-the-worksite), Dr. Jack Muskat suggests creating low-stress situations where you and the child rehearse what will happen on school days. Walk them to the school ahead of time. Set up “buddy” relationships with older family members or friends. Make a school lunch so that the child has a better idea of what they'll be eating on that first day. Pack the backpack in advance with the water bottle and mask in appropriate pockets. The idea is to reduce the uncertainties that swirl around back to school as much as possible. Make these experiences fun, so that the positive atmosphere spreads to the act of in-person school attendance. [10:11] When will vaccinations be available for children under the age of 12? The medical community expects news to come in the fall on that front, says Dr. Janice Weiss. Efficacy and safety data is expected to be published for Pfizer and Moderna toward the end of September or in October. Depending on the results there, health authorities may elect to make the vaccine available to the next younger age bracket, which would be for children aged 5 to 12 years old. So vaccinations could be coming for more children before the school year is out. [16:32] Some parents are reluctant to send children to school if schools are just going to close down again anyway. Does Dr. Janice Weiss expect schools to shut down during the Delta variant's fourth wave? “It depends on the virulence and the seriousness of the variant of concern,” says Dr. Weiss. “So if you get a variant that escapes the vaccination, then that would be concerning. If we see huge trajectories upwards of community infection, hospital admission, ICU admission, that would be a concern. So I think you have to look at local transmission variance of concern. It's a multifactorial decision.” With those qualifications in mind, Dr. Weiss believes that a shutdown is unlikely in the next few months. “I think that for what we're seeing so far, prediction wise, yes, schools will stay open,” she concludes. “When the community transmission and rates are low, the general infectivity raised within the school will remain low. And that's why we're really strongly encouraging everybody... get your vaccination, that is the best protection for society for your children.” [18:24] Finally, Dr. Jack Muskat suggests going a bit easy on your children over the next little bit. The situation is evolving, the world is a bit strange with everyone in masks, so consider not putting the usual amounts of pressure on children over things like performance in school. Dr. Muskat uses himself as an example. “I'm finding it's taking me twice as long to get things done when I'm wearing a mask,” he says, “because I don't have as much peripheral vision. I'm finding that I want to do four things in a day. And I can only get two done.” There's a fatigue factor as well, he says. “One of the reasons people quit habits and routines — they set goals too high in the beginning.” Apply this to the school year by making things comparatively easy for children. Then, once they're settled, you can focus on things like homework and good grades. [21:17]

Candace Rennick, a former personal support worker and now a member of the executive for CUPE Ontario explains how PSW's still undervalued in spite of the provincial government's decision to temporarily extend their pandemic pay raise; Psychologist Khush Amaria discusses how employers can foster a culture where workers can feel secure when they need to take time off to because of concern about their personal mental health; We get an update on the COVID-19 outbreak in the small community of Barry's Bay from Dr. Robert Cushman, the acting Medical Officer of Health for the Renfrew County and District Health Unit; Dr. Chris Winter is a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist and the author of 'The Rested Child.'. He talks about the importance of sleep for children and how to recognize if they're suffering from a sleep disorder; More and more companies are mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for their employees. Lawyer Hena Singh explains what employers are legally allowed to require from workder and in what situations an employee may be exempt; Chris Hall the National Affairs Editor with the CBC's Parliamentary Bureau and the host of The House on CBC Radio offers his analysis of the federal election campaign to date; Dr. Peter Jüni the Scientific Director of the province's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table comments on the surprise resignation of Dr. David Fisman from the group; Michelle Eaton from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce discusses their campaign to make local business an issue in the federal election.

The Bill Kelly Show Podcast: Topics Include: Dr. David Fisman resigns from Ontario's Science Table, fall modeling, fourth wave, and more GUEST: Dr. Peter Juni, Director of Ontario's Science Table and a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Toronto - On Monday, August 23, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce will launch a campaign that speaks to why concerns related to Ontario business need to be front and centre during this federal election. President and CEO Rocco Rossi joins us to discuss the federal election, mandatory vaccine requirements for businesses, and growing concerns from Ontario's business community related to the public consultations on modernizing privacy in Ontario. GUEST: Rocco Rossi, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce - The Taliban will not extend the 31 August deadline for the current evacuation mission, a spokesman has said. The 31st was a red line, Suhail Shaheen said. He said President Biden had said troops would be out by that date, and extending it meant extending Afghanistan's occupation. He warned of consequences if that were to change. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had been expected to use an emergency G7 meeting on Tuesday to ask President Biden to delay the US troop withdrawal to allow more time for evacuations from Kabul airport. Thousands of Afghans and foreign nationals are still scrambling to get on flights out of the country. GUEST: Chris Alexander, Former Minister of Citizenship and Immigration and Canada's first resident Ambassador to Afghanistan

More than 70% per cent of doctors surveyed reported some level of burnout last year during the pandemic. Dr. Adam Kassam, the President of the Ontario Medical Association talks about the constant stress and its effects; Madeleine Tarasick of the Kingston chapter of Canadian Women for Women in Afghanistan describes their efforts to provide support; Here in Ontario a third dose of the COVID vaccine is being provided for those who are most at risk of serious illness. Dasantila Golemi-Kotra, a professor in microbiology at York University in Toronto talks about the effectiveness of this strategy; If someone you know is unvaccinated or you're unsure about their status, how do you navigate social situations when you want everyone to be safe? We get some tips from etiquette expert Julie Blais Comeau; Ontario farmers are shipping hay to the province's northwest and out to the prairies to help make up for the poor harvest caused by this year's drought. We find out more from Keith Currie, a Collingwood farmer involved with the effort; Fahad Razak is a physician at St. Mike's Hospital in Toronto and a member of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. He outlines what efforts can be made to vaccinate the more than two million people in the province who still haven't received a single dose of the COVID vaccine; From bannock and berries to wild rice and bison. Kevin Eshkawkogan of Indigenous Tourism Ontario talks about their strategy to promote Indigenous cuisine.

Sisters Emma and Claire Wright from Lindsay are members of Canada's women's water polo team; Emma is the captain and Claire is the goalkeeper. They talk to us from Tokyo about competing together at the Olympic Games; Our happiness and well-being expert, Jennifer Moss talks about the rise in job burnout during the pandemic and how a shorter work week could boost morale without compromising productivity; Karen Born of the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto helped to create a brief on vaccine certificates for the province's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. She explains how they could be helpful in monitoring situations where the coronavirus may spread; A new report says that there has been a sharp rise in online hate speech and right-wing extremism over the pandemic. Co-author Barbara Perry of the Centre on Hate, Bias and Extremism at Ontario Tech University outlines some of their findings; Film and TV reviewer Di Golding tells us about two new productions to stream: the second season of 'Ted Lasso' and the documentary 'Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain'; The Ontario 55+ Summer Games are postponed for another year. We hear more about the decision from Kaytlyn Pike with the Ontario Senior Games Association and Fred Dunk, a former competitor.

Jeff McArthur talks to Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table about the bubble around the Tokyo games, Canadian Border reopening, and Stage 3 in Ontario. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From his Twitter page, we hear Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman discussing last night's response to the tornado that struck Barrie; Bob Barney the Founding Director of the International Centre for Olympic Studies at Western University in London offers his perspective on the many challenges facing the organizers, athletes and audience for the forthcoming Tokyo Games; Daria Juüdi-Hope came to Canada with her family as a refugee, got a master's degree in Public Health and is now the recipient of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario Hub Fellowship; Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman updates on the situation in Barrie in the wake of the tornado that touched down yesterday; Diver Dave Davison and Dieter Mueller recount how they recovered one of the bottles from a case whisky that had sunk to the bottom of Otter Lake; Cassie MacKell, co-owner of the Low Down Bar in Collingwood tells us what it's like to finally be able to welcome patrons back into the establishment; CBC reporter Dale Manucdoc provides a live update from Barrie following the tornado; The : Scientific Director of the COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, Peter Juni expresses optimism about a safe and successful transition into Step 3 of reopening.

Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table talks about Scotiabank Arena to become a pop up clinic, more eligibility and bump up for second doses as well as his wife mixing Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 Changing vaccine guidance, military misconduct and why the Winnipeg lab incident is making waves on the Hill    On this week's edition of ‘The West Block' host Mercedes Stephenson speaks with one of the country's top medical minds - Dr. Peter Jüni, director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table – about how Canadians should respond to the evolving vaccine advice.  She also speaks with two key MPs who are examining the military misconduct file; the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, Anita Vandenbeld, and Conservative MP James Bezan.  And Stephenson talks to Global News investigative journalist Sam Cooper about why the Conservatives are accusing the government of covering up an incident that caused two scientists at Canada's highest security laboratory to be fired.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table talks about if the health table should recommend Ontario enter Phase 2 reopening early?  And, why can fully vaccinated Americans do things Canadians still can't? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The interval for Pfizer and Moderna has shortened to 28 days. But people who got AstraZeneca first are frustrated with the process of getting a second dose. Reaction and analysis with Dr. Nathan Stall of the Science Advisory Table, Toronto pharmacist Mina Maseh, and Ontario Pharmacists Association CEO Justin Bates.

Surgery delays, addiction, a steep drop off in ER visits, all contributed to a spike in excess deaths during the pandemic beyond COVID deaths. Yet for some common conditions, the drop in ER visits had no impact on patient outcomes. What does this tell us? And how can we tackle the surgery backlog? Dr. Peter Juni, the scientific director of The Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, explains.

Dr. Peter Juni, The Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table talks about Ontario reopening plan to be unveiled this afternoon.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peterborough singer-songwriter and frustrated golfer, Chad Driscoll tells us about his parody of John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" called "Ontario, Let Me Go (Play Some Golf)"; Jack Goodman, the owner and director of Camp New Moon and chair of the Ontario Camps Association's COVID-19 task force reacts to the Premier's announcement that camps will reopen again this summer; In Barrie fifteen local organizations have helped to create a new well-being plan titled "Our Shared Plan for a Safer Barrie". Councillor Natalie Harris outlines their goals for us; Elora photographer Wayne Simpson remembers Frank Kuiack who worked as a fishing guide in Algonquin Park for more than 75 years; Peter Juni, the scientific director of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table talks about some of the criteria that will have to be met for the province to reduce restrictions; Jordan Press of the Canadian Press discusses the controversy surrounding the resignation of Major-General Dany Fortin who was coordinating the national vaccination initiative; As the stay-at-home order continues, Laura Desveaux of Ontario's Science Advisory Table's Behavioural Science Working Group explains how people can be motivated to stick to the rules and regulations; Mya Nathan previews her charity climb in the mountains of B.C. to raise money for Kingston Interval House is an Emergency Shelter and Second Stage Housing.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Everything from beach volleyball to summer camps have been cancelled. It's been hard on people who love organized sports and outdoor activities. For more on how people are being affected we speak with Rebecca Gunter an associate professor in the school of kinesiology and health science at York University; Our Haydn Watters reports on the extent of patient transfers among Ontario hospitals and the challenges it's presenting for the staff; We are fourteen months into the pandemic. So how are the people who have to pay attention to every development and every detail in order to keep us informed? We hear from Shannon Palus, a science reporter in Brooklyn and Matthew Barker, a local reporter in Peterborough.The CBC's Logan Turner reports from Thunder Bay on new alcohol regulations being applied by the Grassy Narrows First Nation which could have implications for the application of 'inherent laws' across the province; Rob Benzie, the Queen's Park Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star discusses the anticipated extension of the provincial stay-at-home order and the prospects that students may yet return to classrooms before the school year ends; Kimberly Sutherland Mills from the Kingston Frontenac Public Library recommends some reading on the theme of birds; Dr. Peter Juni, the Scientific Director of the provincial government's Science Advisory Table on COVID-19 discusses the decision to stop administering the AstraZeneca vaccine; Su Ditta of EC3 - the Electric City Culture Council - tells about the search for a poet laureate for Peterborough.

Dr. Fahad Razak is a member of Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. He answers your questions and concerns about the province's shift on the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Martin Stringer looks at the COVID-19 situation in Ontario and Quebec – and calls for stricter border measures – with Dr. Peter Juni of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, and Dr. Jia Hu, a Calgary public health physician. Journalists Ian Bailey (The Globe and Mail) and Tonda MacCharles (Toronto Star) review the week in Canadian politics.

Geriatrician Dr. Nathan Stall, Assistant Scientific Director for the COVID 19 Science Advisory Table says homes are safer now than a year ago because of vaccines. But callers say staff are exhausted and caring for too many residents.

The Bill Kelly Show Podcast: New modelling data released by the province suggests the third wave is now finally "cresting" but the current situation remains very "precarious." Experts with Ontario's COVID-19 science advisory table presented the new data during a news conference on Thursday, as infection numbers in the province dropped below the 4,000 mark for several days. Brown said the third wave cresting is due to lower mobility rates. He said that while retail, recreation and transit mobility has fallen significantly, workplace mobility, which refers to essential workers travelling to job sites, remains high. The science table is now calling for even stronger measures to curb case growth. Projections released on Thursday show that without stronger measures, daily cases would remain above 2,000 in June. ALSO: A weekly breakdown of when people in Ontario will have access to COVID vaccines GUEST: Dr. Zain Chagla, an Infectious Disease Specialist with St. Joseph’s Hospital and an Associate Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Department of Medicine with McMaster University - Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan is launching an independent, external review into sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces led by former Supreme Court justice Louise Arbour. The review will centre around providing recommendations to set up an independent reporting system so that military members can share allegations of sexual misconduct outside of the military chain of command — a key request by victims and survivors who say they have for too long faced reprisals for coming forward. GUEST: Stephanie Carvin, Associate Professor of International Affairs at the Norman Paterson School of International Affair at Carleton University, Former National Security Analyst for CSIS - In 1993’s Groundhog Day, the character played by actor Bill Murray relives the same day over and over again. Fast forward to 2021 and you couldn’t blame Ontario’s 400,000 retail and small business owners for feeling the same way. With the third lockdown in full swing, Ontario retailers have had to hire and fire staff, buy and markdown inventory, and open and close stores in a never-ending merry-go-round of financial and emotional pain and uncertainty. Stuck in a holding pattern and frustrated with governments that appear to move in slow motion, these entrepreneurs have had to innovate just to tread water in an industry at the forefront of COVID-19’s wrath. With non-essential retailers closed and essential retailers capped at 25% capacity, there is limited cash flow to help pay never-ending bills. And don’t forget about the debt that small businesses have incurred during the pandemic. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) estimates that on average, each small business owes $170,000. GUEST: Bruce Winder, Retail analyst and author - Doctors and other front-line professionals, backed by Canadian celebrities, have banded together to get accurate vaccine information to those most at risk of contracting COVID-19. The This Is Our Shot campaign launched Wednesday was driven largely by groups that have been reaching out to and advocating for racialized communities bearing the brunt of the pandemic. The goal is to dispel myths and to answer questions in more than two dozen languages. Celebrities, including actor Ryan Reynolds, crooner Michael Buble and Olympic hockey star Hayley Wickenheiser, are pushing the campaign by posting photos of themselves on social media wearing This Is Our Shot T-shirts. GUEST: Elissa Freeman, PR and Pop Culture Expert See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reaction and analysis with employment lawyer Malini Vijaykumar, GROSCHE CEO Helmi Ansari, and Dr. Peter, Scientific Director of the Ontario COVID 19 Science Advisory Table

First person stories of COVID in the third wave, with Toronto couple Russell Day and Kevin Morris; Dr. Fahad Razak with Ontario's COVID-19 Science Advisory Table; and Enzo Moreno, Director of the Centro Cultural Latinoamericano Toronto.

Libby Znaimer is joined by Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown. This week, we learned that Dr. Lawrence Loh, Peel Region's medical officer of health, issued a Section 22 order to shut down businesses linked to five or more confirmed cases of COVID-19. Toronto Public Health followed suit shortly after. Mayor Brown weighs in on this and his call on Premier Ford to get more vaccine supply to pharmacies in Brampton, which is a hotspot. This morning, Premier Ford held a press conference from isolation where he apologized for the province's initial plan for restrictions and police powers amid the third wave that had to be backpedaled just hours after public backlash. Mayor Brown comments on that. And, we congratulate the Mayor on the new addition to his family, a baby girl born on April 15! SEGMENT 2: REACTION TO $3-BILLION DOLLAR FEDERAL BUDGET COMMITMENT TO LTC Libby Znaimer is joined by Lisa Levin, CEO of AdvantAge Ontario followed by Deb Schulte, Canada's Minister of Seniors and the MP for King-Vaughan. Earlier this week, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland delivered the federal budget--the first in two years--that included a $3-billion commitment over five years towards improving national long-term care standards. The only problem is, we're not quite sure how that money will specifically be allocated. One thing's for sure: there is an ongoing staffing crisis and lately there's been a reported exodus of nurses from LTC going to vaccine clinics and testing centres to provide support. SEGMENT 3: WHY THE THIRD WAVE IS DIFFERENT Libby Znaimer is joined by Dr. Timothy Sly, an epidemiologist and professor at the school of Occupational and Public Health at Ryerson University. There's no question that this third wave is different from the previous two and even though vaccination efforts have been ramping up, the variants continue to have the edge. Dr. Eileen de Villa has even referred to this as an entirely new pandemic. With mounting hospital pressures and cases higher than ever, can we expect to see the light at the end of the tunnel anytime soon? Meanwhile, the Ford government is facing criticism for ignoring the Science Advisory Table. Today, Ontario is reporting 3,682 COVID-19 cases and 40 deaths.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two members of Parliament’s Black Caucus, MP Greg Fergus and Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, discuss what the guilty verdict in the George Floyd murder trial means for Black Canadians. Dr. Peter Juni, scientific director of Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table, weighs in on the province’s pandemic response. And MPs Greg Fergus (Liberal), Eric Duncan (Conservative), and Lyndsay Mathyssen (NDP) discuss vaccine rollout, travel advisories, and the call for Ottawa to the invoke the Emergencies Act.

The Bill Kelly Show Podcast: After a year of struggling with this pandemic, science has developed a relatively good grasp of COVID-19. So how did it come to this? We are here, in large part, because many of our politicians have ignored the core facts of the COVID-19 virus and the main strategies that will clearly fight the pandemic. Click HERE for the full article in Maclean’s. GUEST: Justin Ling, Freelance Journalist for both the Globe and Mail and Maclean’s - Local police departments across Ontario issued stunning public statements rejecting the use of heavy-handed police powers announced by Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Friday afternoon. Ontario reversed course on Saturday, just one day after the announcement that triggered the backlash. Officers will no longer have the right to stop any pedestrian or driver to ask why they’re out or request their home address, Solicitor General Sylvia Jones said in a written statement on Saturday evening. Instead, she said, police will only be able to stop people who they have reason to believe are participating in an “organized public event or social gathering.” GUEST: Chief Ryan Diodati, Acting Hamilton Police Chief - The federal government is stepping in to provide more help to Ontario as COVID-19 cases soar, putting strain on the province’s healthcare system. Feds are working on sending health-care workers, rapid testing and equipment to help.  ALSO: Public health experts are raising their eyebrows at Ontario's original decision to restrict outdoor gatherings. GUEST: Dr. Peter Juni, Director of Ontario’s Science Table and a Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Toronto See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Peter Juni, Scientific Director of Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table talks about his concerns with the pandemic in the province on Ontario.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are new, tighter restrictions in this province, as Ontario hunkers down for an extended stay-at-home order. How are businesses reacting? We check in with Andrew Siegwart of the Blue Mountain Village Association; Dr. Peter Juni, Scientific Director of the Ontario's Science Advisory Table" on COVID-19 explains how immediately following the Ford government's announcement of new restrictions, that he first contemplated resigning his position. He explains why he thinks the province's new regulations will not be effective in curbing the spread of the virus; The Lighthouse community centre in Orillia needs a youth room to hep even more people in need. Meghan Sawatsky is a member of a group of students who are hosting an art auction to help raise funds; Tim Bousquet the editor of the Halifax Examiner tells us about how the murder of 22 citizens last year has been commemorated; Jeff McGuire of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police outlines how officers will be exercising new powers permitting them to stop people who are suspected of taking part in illicit gatherings; Bill Dickson with Media Relations at the Ontario Provincial Police outlines how they will be monitoring the provincial boundaries and restricting entrance if necessary; Zi-Ann Lum, a freelance reporter in Ottawa, previews today's federal budget.

Welcome back Rounds Table Listeners! This week on the Rounds Table Mike interviews Dr. Peter Jüni, who is the executive lead of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. They discuss the most recent report from the Advisory Table on the role that children play in SARS-CoV2 transmission.     Questions? Comments? Feedback? We'd love to hear ...The post Episode 16 – Kids and COVID-19 appeared first on Healthy Debate.

Welcome back Rounds Table Listeners! This week on the Rounds Table Mike interviews Dr. Peter Jüni, who is the executive lead of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. They discuss the most recent report from the Advisory Table on the role that children play in SARS-CoV2 transmission.     Questions? Comments? Feedback? We'd love to hear ... The post Episode 16 – Kids and COVID-19 appeared first on Healthy Debate.