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Six months ago today, officials announced Canada’s first #COVID19 case.
People quickly started trickling in to hospitals — but there was no roadmap for treating the brand-new illness.
The good news? Clinicians have learned a lot since then.
My latest: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/6-months-after-canada-s-1st-covid-19-case-hospitals-better-prepared-to-help-sickest-patients-1.5662338
People quickly started trickling in to hospitals — but there was no roadmap for treating the brand-new illness.
The good news? Clinicians have learned a lot since then.
My latest: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/6-months-after-canada-s-1st-covid-19-case-hospitals-better-prepared-to-help-sickest-patients-1.5662338
@adamsmiller spoke to some of Canada’s leading public health officials on the last six months — and what lies ahead.
"Before people started physically distancing, we saw case numbers double every three days, and that could happen again," @VeraEtches said. https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-canada-pandemic-officials-future-1.5660575
"Before people started physically distancing, we saw case numbers double every three days, and that could happen again," @VeraEtches said. https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-canada-pandemic-officials-future-1.5660575
In honour of today being six months (!!!) since Canada's first #COVID19 case was announced, I went through my coverage through the pandemic to see what else we've learned about the coronavirus-based illness that remains a strange and formidable threat. (Thread.)
I wrote this back on March 16. Toronto was shutting down before St. Patrick's Day. There was emerging evidence #COVID19 was spreading through the community.
"We're going to see more of it," one expert told me.
Re-reading this one still gives me chills: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-waking-up-to-new-reality-amid-evidence-of-covid-19-community-spread-1.5499768
"We're going to see more of it," one expert told me.
Re-reading this one still gives me chills: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/toronto-waking-up-to-new-reality-amid-evidence-of-covid-19-community-spread-1.5499768
In early April, I revealed 1 in 10 of Ontario's #COVID19 cases were healthcare workers. Not surprising, but a grim reminder of the risks they face every day.
(Recent provincial data shows at least 6,330 healthcare workers have been infected so far.) https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/health-care-workers-make-up-1-in-10-known-cases-of-covid-19-in-ontario-1.5518456
(Recent provincial data shows at least 6,330 healthcare workers have been infected so far.) https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/health-care-workers-make-up-1-in-10-known-cases-of-covid-19-in-ontario-1.5518456
By mid-April, there was a growing understanding that serious #COVID19 cases are challenging — and time-consuming — to treat.
These patients often need resource-heavy critical care for a week or more, compared to a few days for average ICU patients: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/it-s-not-the-number-of-covid-19-patients-posing-a-challenge-for-icus-it-s-how-long-they-stay-1.5533292
These patients often need resource-heavy critical care for a week or more, compared to a few days for average ICU patients: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/it-s-not-the-number-of-covid-19-patients-posing-a-challenge-for-icus-it-s-how-long-they-stay-1.5533292
So much hope rides on a vaccine for #COVID19.
So how will researchers figure out how long a successful vaccine will keep people immune, and what form it will take? That's the "million dollar question" I wrote about in May: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/could-a-vaccine-wipe-out-covid-19-or-will-protection-be-short-term-that-s-the-million-dollar-question-1.5558764
So how will researchers figure out how long a successful vaccine will keep people immune, and what form it will take? That's the "million dollar question" I wrote about in May: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/could-a-vaccine-wipe-out-covid-19-or-will-protection-be-short-term-that-s-the-million-dollar-question-1.5558764
In mid-May, as much of Canada was reopening, @adamsmiller and I teamed up to report on where people are most at risk of catching the virus.
The conclusion? "Spending an extended period of time indoors together seems to help fuel the spread of #COVID19." https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-canada-spread-risk-covid-1.5572505
The conclusion? "Spending an extended period of time indoors together seems to help fuel the spread of #COVID19." https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-canada-spread-risk-covid-1.5572505
Earlier this year, it was growing clear the pandemic was exposing inequalities in Toronto & beyond.
I wrote about a young woman who was pregnant, homeless, and COVID-positive — just one example of how the virus disproportionately impacts the vulnerable: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/homeless-pregnant-covid-positive-and-bearing-the-brunt-of-a-pandemic-1.5575982
I wrote about a young woman who was pregnant, homeless, and COVID-positive — just one example of how the virus disproportionately impacts the vulnerable: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/homeless-pregnant-covid-positive-and-bearing-the-brunt-of-a-pandemic-1.5575982
By June, stories were emerging from around the world about #COVIDLongHaulers, who are experiencing months-long impacts from confirmed or suspected infections from the virus.
I wrote about the Canadians banding together to share symptoms and gain support: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/strange-symptoms-flare-ups-weeks-long-illnesses-for-some-covid-19-survivors-1.5587446
I wrote about the Canadians banding together to share symptoms and gain support: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/strange-symptoms-flare-ups-weeks-long-illnesses-for-some-covid-19-survivors-1.5587446
This month, @adamsmiller and I wrote about why it may be harder to catch #COVID19 from surfaces — from packages to playground equipment — than first thought.
"Viruses aren't that environmentally hardy," @zchagla told us. https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-surfaces-groceries-packages-playgrounds-1.5645602
"Viruses aren't that environmentally hardy," @zchagla told us. https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-surfaces-groceries-packages-playgrounds-1.5645602
That's just a snapshot of six months of coverage & takeaways.
There are still so many unanswered questions about #COVID19, but we do have more insight now about who's getting infected, where people are at risk, and how to treat the sickest patients.
We'll get through this.
There are still so many unanswered questions about #COVID19, but we do have more insight now about who's getting infected, where people are at risk, and how to treat the sickest patients.
We'll get through this.
