The seniors housing sector, once considered a niche asset class, has in recent years become a more mainstream product type for individual and institutional investors alike. Despite the negative impacts of COVID-19, the sector is experiencing its best period ever for investment, experts say. Commercial real estate firm CBRE states that total investment volume for…
Category: Community News
COVID-19 restrictions are lifting, but unvaccinated Canadians still can’t board planes or trains
Some unvaccinated Canadians question why federal government still maintains mandate Because she’s unvaccinated against COVID-19, Tamika McIntosh of Brampton, Ont., wasn’t allowed to board a plane to fly to Jamaica last month to attend her grandfather’s funeral. Now, McIntosh combs the news daily for any indication when Canada might lift its vaccine mandate for travellers so…
Finally booking that long-delayed vacation? Travel insurance now covers COVID as well as trip cancellations
Not all travel insurance policies offer the same coverage, says one expert. It’s been three years since you’ve gone on a summer vacation, thanks to COVID. Now, with pandemic-related travel restrictions falling away, you’re considering a trip to California or finally taking that dream vacation to Europe. But you’re still a bit gun-shy, thanks to…
Is COVID surging or declining in the GTA? Use our map to see wastewater trends for your area
The Star’s signal map uses data sourced from each GTA public health unit into one location, showing trends in sewersheds or wastewater catchment areas. With Ontario partway through its first week without mask mandates and a lack of widespread provincial testing, you may be wondering about the COVID-19 spread in your community. In the absence of any…
Mixed message on masks risks confusing transit riders, say experts
Transit agencies ramp up messaging for transit mask mandate which lasts until April 27. Ontarians could again show their faces in stores, restaurants and classrooms on Monday as the province lifted COVID-19 mask mandates in most settings. But one exemption to the rule change is public transit, where riders can’t officially ditch their masks for…
Research dispels myth that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility, but misinformation persists
Misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and fertility has propagated online despite the vaccines’ clear safety profile. Fortunately, those considering having kids can relax when it comes to these crucial shots. These claims lack any realistic basis. As a medical doctor and a COVID-19 genetics researcher, I’d like to discuss what the evidence says. Misinformation about fertility Some sources of misinformation claim that…
Immunocompromised families doing tricky calculus as Ontario’s pandemic rules end
End of most mask mandates means delicate balancing act of risks With masks no longer required in Ontario’s schools and hospitalizations up last week at eastern Ontario’s children’s hospital CHEO, immunocompromised families are trying to balance safety with social needs. Meagan Keaney-Morgan is a parent of three children under five and has an immunocompromised spouse with one lung. They’ve…
Q&A: What can Canada take away from Denmark’s ‘done with COVID’ approach?
The Scandinavian country no longer considers COVID-19 ‘a socially critical disease’ Denmark became one of the first countries in the European Union to lift most of its pandemic restrictions earlier this month. Denmark health officials say they no longer consider COVID-19 “a socially critical disease.” As many Canadian provinces begin lifting restrictions and getting rid of vaccine passports, Raywat…
COVID-19 Mental Health Stressors of Health Care Providers in the PACER Intervention: Qualitative Study
The qualitative study on how PACER Training intervenes COVID19 Mental Health Stressors among health care providers is published. Congratulations to our PROTECH researchers! Since the pandemic, health care providers, a vital group experiencing high-level stressors, in providing care and public health responses and working with vulnerable populations, are experiencing intersecting stressors at multiple levels. The…
‘It’s a betrayal to us’: Ontario students walkout Monday in protest of the province’s end to mask mandates
As mask mandates lift Monday, students are calling for more measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As masks became optional in most public settings Monday, Ontario students staged walkouts at schools across the province, calling for mandates to be extended and more health measures to be implemented. “It’s a betrayal to us,” Grade 11…