The Dose

The longer we live with COVID-19, the more clear its toll on our mental health becomes. Now we're dealing with yet another emotional challenge: a holiday season unlike any other, when most Canadians are being asked to hunker down within our own households to prevent the spread of the virus. Plus, it's winter, when many people feel down even in "normal" times. There's hope for sure -- a COVID-19 vaccine is coming.  Psychology professor Steve Joordens helps guide us through ways to stay emotionally well until we get there.

The stress of COVID-19 has left a lot of people lying awake at night. Before the pandemic, insomnia already affected a significant proportion of Canadians. Now the number of people suffering from lack of sleep has skyrocketed. But Célyne Bastien, a psychology professor specializing in insomnia at Laval University and president of the Canadian Sleep Society, says there are things we can do to help ourselves get the rest we so badly need.

Across Canada there is a patchwork of inconsistent conclusions on whether or not schools are contributing to the exponential spread of COVID-19, leaving many parents and teachers confused. Amy Greer, Canada Research Chair in Population Disease Modelling, joins The Dose host Dr. Brian Goldman to provide some clear, science-based answers.

There are now two COVID-19 vaccine candidates that look very promising. Late-stage clinical trials suggest they may be more than 90 per cent effective. The Canadian government has signed deals with both manufacturers, so if they’re approved by Health Canada, experts say they should be available to us sometime next year. But a new vaccine naturally raises lots of questions, from its safety profile to who will get it first in a country of more than 37 million people. Dr. Jeff Kwong, interim director of the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases at the University of Toronto, gives us some answers.

COVID-19 cases continue to rise across Canada -- and so does the sense of urgency felt by health-care providers and public health officials. It’s become clear to many that at this point, the only way to stop the virus from choking the health-care system is to bring in tough restrictions to reduce contact between people. Physicians in Alberta recommend a short, sharp lockdown -- known as a “circuit breaker” -- to slow the pandemic surge. Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Lynora Saxinger returns to The Dose to explain what that means.

Throughout the pandemic, Ontario and Quebec have consistently had the highest number of infections in the country. But now, Canada’s unexpected COVID-19 hotspot is Manitoba. After seeming to successfully keep the virus at bay during the first wave, things have taken a disastrous turn for the worse. Health-care workers have called on the Manitoba government to take urgent action, saying the pandemic has spiralled out of control in the province. Jason Kindrachuk, a Canada Research Chair in emerging and re-emerging viruses at the University of Manitoba, explains what's happening and the lessons we can all learn as we grapple with this phase of the pandemic.

There’s been a lot of talk about gyms lately. A COVID-19 outbreak that infected dozens of people was recently tracked back to a fitness studio in Hamilton, Ont., even though the operators had taken precautions. At the same time, several gym owners in COVID hot spots argue that not all fitness facilities pose the same risk. Plus, we know exercise is key to physical and mental health during these stressful times. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Zain Chagla explains how we can reduce our risk and stay well.

COVID-19 has turned every aspect of our lives upside down. Right now, there’s a burning question on the minds of countless kids and parents across the country: Is Halloween still happening? Public health guidelines vary depending on where you live and have sparked a lot of discussion on social media. Pediatric infectious diseases specialist Dr. Caroline Quach helps us make sense of this tricky issue.

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, public health officials say getting a flu shot is more important than ever this year. The flu and COVID are different diseases caused by different viruses, so why does it matter? Just in time for flu season, infectious disease specialist Dr. Danuta Skowronski joins us on The Dose to explain -- and to set the record straight on some common misconceptions.

We’re heading into Thanksgiving weekend in the midst of a resurgence of COVID-19 in Canada. Many of us are craving a gathering with the people we love, but we’re also in a critical phase of this pandemic -- and the decisions we make about gathering with others now have big consequences. Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Lynora Saxinger talks us through the risks and offers her insight on how we can flatten the curve in time for the holidays.