Ontarians would struggle if a fourth wave of COVID-19 were to hit, possibly leading to a “fundamentally divisive point in our society,” says the co-chair of the province’s science table. Adalsteinn (Steini) Brown, a professor and the dean of the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health, recently spoke at an online university event during which he…
Category: Community News
Employers are having trouble hiring — and some blame CERB and other government programs for spoiling workers
As businesses reopen across the country with increased capacity, many say they’re having trouble finding hourly workers, and some are blaming it on federal income supports like the Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) or Employment Insurance, saying people need more incentive to go back to work. Larry Isaacs, president of the Firkin Group of Pubs, said…
WSPS: Why workplace screening is more essential than ever
Increasing vaccination uptake and declining infection rates are bringing us closer to enjoying a life free of COVID-19 restrictions. These changes are worth celebrating because they’ve been achieved only through individual, corporate and institutional efforts. “But what may be getting lost in all the good news,” says Priya Sookdeo, WSPS’ OHS Management Systems Lead, “is that…
Yee Hong’s Caregiver Education & Support Services: August’s Programs
Yee Hong has released their newest webinar calendar for August 2021. Caregiving can be immensely rewarding but can be emotionally and physically demanding too. Yee Hong’s Caregiver Education and Support Services helps caregivers fortify their love and patience, with up-to-date knowledge, essential skills and wellness support, to ensure positive and successful results. Please see the image below for…
Emancipation Day 2021 – Official Virtual Commemorative Event
On behalf of the Federal Anti-Racism Secretariat, we are pleased to invite you to the Government of Canada’s first Emancipation Day in Canada commemorative event. This event will be broadcasted live on Facebook on Sunday, August 1, 2021 from 2 pm EDT. While there cannot be in-person activities for the first year of the official national Emancipation…
Toronto eyes vaccination rules for city employees; calls on Doug Ford for provincial ‘game plan’
Toronto is eyeing COVID-19 vaccination requirements for city employees but is urging Premier Doug Ford — who has taken a hands-off approach to the thorny issue — to help devise an “overall game plan” for Ontario. “We would do what we could with respect to our own employees, subject to the outcome of these (vaccination…
Pfizer claims that third vaccine dose helps protect against Delta stir debate over need for boosters
A third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine shot could boost protection against the Delta variant, Pfizer claimed in new information released online Wednesday, as debates about booster shots rise. According to a presentation of the drug giant’s second-quarter earnings posted online, antibodies that targeted Delta were as much as five times higher in people age…
Vaccination passports are Toronto’s best way to avoid more lockdowns — so why is no one doing anything about it?
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about a scene from the first “Austin Powers” movie. Maybe you remember it. Mike Myers’ character has just fought his way into a secret facility. He’s commandeered a steamroller and is rolling toward Dr. Evil’s lair. Suddenly we see a wide-eyed security guard scream in horror as the steamroller approaches….
Meet the unvaccinated: Why some Canadians still haven’t had the shot
Some suspect the science. Some don’t think they’re vulnerable. And some just don’t trust government messaging. Canada’s vaccine campaign has been crushing it lately, with an impressive 80 per cent of eligible Canadians having had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. That statistic distracts from a troubling fact, however: more than six million Canadians still…
Some people who’ve had COVID-19 think they might not need a vaccine. Experts say they do
After recovering from COVID-19, some people are looking for proof they need a shot As public health officials scramble to reach Canada’s remaining unvaccinated population, one potentially sizeable subgroup remains elusive: people who have decided against getting a shot because they’ve already contracted and recovered from COVID-19. The advice from public health agencies is unequivocal:…