While the fourth wave of the pandemic surges in Canada, scientists are on the watch for new variants of the virus that causes COVID-19. Any one of those could be the harbinger of a fifth wave later this fall or winter if it can successfully outcompete the Delta variant that is currently responsible for the majority…
Category: Community News
Anger over pandemic election rises as some Canadians feel unsafe voting in person: poll
Canadians’ anger over an election being called amid the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is not going away, a new poll suggests — in fact, it has risen as the campaign has gone on. The Ipsos poll conducted exclusively for Global News found 58 per cent of those surveyed agree the country should not be holding an election…
Making mental health a priority in COVID-19
On World Suicide Prevention Day, we need to ask “R U OK”? On September 9, Australians wore yellow as a part of “R U OK?” Day. A simple question that is even more important as we deal with the impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns. Today, September 10, marks World Suicide Prevention Day. The…
Ontario reports nearly 800 new COVID-19 cases, 10 deaths
Ontario is reporting 798 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, breaking a three-day stretch that saw cases below 600 as the number of tests processed have increased following Labour Day weekend. The provincial case total now stands at 572,130. Of the 798 new cases recorded, the data showed 497 were unvaccinated people, 57 were partially vaccinated people, 178…
How do I get my vaccine passport? Where will I need to show it?
A province-by-province guide to obtaining proof of vaccination, when you’ll be asked for it and who is exempt Card, certificate or passport: call it what you want. Just as driver’s licences are required to get behind the steering wheel of a car, more and more provinces are requiring proof of vaccination for those wanting to…
Lessons from the pandemic: School principals weigh in on what worked and didn’t work during COVID-19
There’s no question COVID-19 has upended the lives of students and teachers across the country, but there are still some positive developments to have come out of the pandemic. Virtual field trips, online parent-teacher interviews and smaller cohorts are among the pandemic-related changes principals across the province hope to see continue in a non-COVID context, according to…
Newcomer Men’s Support Group by CICS
The CICS Newcomer Mental Health Team is organizing an online Newcomer Men’s Support Group starting from September 21, 2021 for Mandarin-speaking newcomers. Informed by the principles and techniques of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), this online support group is designed for newcomer men to share their personal stories and to learn new techniques/strategies to respond to their life challenges. …
‘Our students and staff have suffered’: Schools brace for surge in demand for mental health services as in-person classes resume
At Unity Health’s school-based mental health clinics in Toronto, therapists and pediatricians are bracing for what’s anticipated to be “a storm of referrals” in the fall as kids return to the classroom — some for the first time in over a year. Elsewhere in the Greater Toronto Area, teachers are preparing lesson plans for kids and youth…
Restaurateurs concerned that COVID-19 vaccine passport plan could worsen labour crunch
Ontario restaurant operators say they are hopeful vaccine passports will help them remain open for business this fall, but are concerned about interpreting proof-of-vaccination certificates and enforcing the rules. Sachit Mehra, owner of family-run East India Co. Restaurants in Ontario and Manitoba, said enforcement of public-health orders is being downloaded onto restaurants with little guidance….
Addressing The Mental Health Needs Of The AAPI Community
For too many Americans, and for those in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, the past year has presented serious challenges: a global pandemic that caused suffering at home and abroad, political and social unrest, and economic struggles. Add to all that, there has been an ongoing series of violent attacks on Asian…