The Dose

Although the majority of people recently infected with COVID-19 have been younger adults, the virus has already made its way back into long-term care and retirement homes, with about 100 active outbreaks and counting across Canada. Dr. Samir Sinha, director of geriatrics at Sinai Health and University Health Network in Toronto, returns to The Dose with guidance on how we can use what we've learned about COVID-19 to keep our elderly loved ones safe while cases continue to rise outside the walls of long-term care homes.

As many experts feared, the number of COVID-19 cases is rising after flattening out during the summer. The biggest climb is among people under 40, especially adults who are 20-29 years old. The reasons this is happening are more complex than you might think. Infectious disease epidemiologist Ashleigh Tuite explains why and delves into what this means for all of us, no matter what our age.

The number of new COVID-19 cases has been rising in several parts of Canada and health experts are worried. But what do these daily and weekly totals really mean? What's a "reproduction number" and why is it important? Epidemiologist Dr. David Fisman, one of Canada's top experts on the mathematics of infectious disease, joins us on The Dose to explain what these numbers say about how COVID-19 will affect our lives this fall and what we can do to change them.

Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist and associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, answers questions about how you can return to work safely.

Dr Nisha Thampi, medical director of infection prevention and control at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, answers the question: How can I send my kids back to school safely for them and for us?

Dr. Brian Goldman and infectious disease expert Dr Susy Hota explain how masks work and how best to use them.

Addressing emotional roots of comfort eating key to losing weight gained during the pandemic

Dr Prabhat Jha, Director of the Centre for Global Health Research, at St Michael’s Hospital, and Professor of epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto answers questions about contact tracing.

A lot of things have changed since our lives went into lockdown almost four months ago. Almost every part of Canada is cautiously reopening businesses and services, people are starting to resume contact with a limited number of friends and family through social bubbles or social circles -- and the prevailing public health advice is to wear masks when we can't physically distance from others. All of this can be confusing. Infectious disease specialist and microbiologist Dr. Allison McGeer, who has been helping The Dose listeners to navigate this pandemic since the beginning, returns this week with insight into what we've learned so far -- and the latest guidance on how to stay as safe as possible in this new COVID-19 normal.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit North America governments and infectious disease experts advised the public to stay home and stay physically distant from anyone not in their household. Those restrictions have made it challenging for single folks to find a way to connect with new friends and potential sexual partners. From sex and foreplay to kissing and holding hands, the pleasures of touch have become a complex and risky activity in the age of COVID-19. But now, life is opening up and that means some people may be looking to date and include an intimate partner in their social bubble. A lot of people are wondering how you can do that and stay safe. Today on the Dose Dr. Goldman is joined by Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Deputy Commissioner at New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and one of the experts behind a new set of candid guidelines on safe intimate relations during the pandemic. They tackle the question: Is it safe to have sex or be intimate with someone new during COVID-19?