Ontario has its first confirmed case of the South African variant of the coronavirus. Where do these variants come from and what can we do about them?

Guest: Dr. Rodney Rohde, Professor & Chair, Clinical Laboratory Science Program, College of Health Professions, Texas State University

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Ontario's Education Minister Stephen Lecce made a bit of a 'non-announcement' yesterday which has left parents in hot-spots around the province wondering when/if their schools will reopen anytime soon. How have the school boards been feeling about the uncertainty? Bill talks to the chair of Hamilton's public board to find out.

Guest: Dawn Danko, Chair, Hamilton Wentworth District School Board

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The COVID-19 vaccines we hear so much about came about as a result of countries paying for their development and now that they exist, we're paying for them again! Why are we being charged twice and how does a deal like this come about?

Guest: Dr. Joel Lexchin, Professor Emeritus, School of Health Policy Management & Faculty of Health, York University; former consultant to the Federal Government & World Health Organization

Dr. Alan Bernstein says that with new variants of the novel coronavirus emerging, Canadians might need multiple vaccines for several years.

“The government’s made hints of doing it. But I think the sooner we get on with it, the better,” Bernstein, who is also the head of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), said in an interview Friday.

“We need domestic vaccine production capacity in the country for the next pandemic, and also for this pandemic. If there are variants arising, we may be designing second, third-generation vaccines and vaccinating the population for the next two or three years.”

On Friday, Moderna announced that production delays would cut into its upcoming deliveries of vaccine doses to Canada. That followed Pfizer and BioNTech having cancelled an entire shipment of its COVID-19 vaccine to Canada this week, after reducing its previous shipment by 20 per cent, due to a temporary slowdown while its production facility in Belgium is being upgraded.

Guest: Dr. Alan Bernstein, President and CEO, CIFAR; Member of Canada’s COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force; Founding President, Canadian Institutes of Health Research; Scientific Advisory Committee Member, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

The Bill Kelly Show Podcast:

Travel restrictions are being put in place by both the federal and provincial government. How will these restrictions affect the already battered airline industry?

Guest: Mike McNaney, President and CEO, National Airlines Council of Canada

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Reggie Cecchini joins Bill to help provide some insight into the current affairs going on south of the border. Reggie has a line on everything from Biden's attempts at pleasing both sides of the political aisle to Donald Trump's new lawyers for his pending impeachment trial.

Guest: Reggie Cecchini, Washington Correspondent for Global News

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Nearly every Canadian has seen the COVID-19 pandemic have an impact on their mental health and according to a study by IPSOS, many are turning to nature as a coping mechanism.

Guest: Darrel Bricker, CEO of IPSOS Public Affairs