Daybreak Alberta

You live with them, you love them, but during a pandemic what do your pets need? Dr. Kristen Aarbo is a veterinarian in Okotoks, as well as president of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association.

If there’s one industry that has been hit especially hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s travel. For anyone not employed in travel, staying home and cancelling our vacation to Maui - or delaying that trip to the West Coast to enjoy cherry blossom season - is one thing. We’re disappointed but given where the world’s at, it's the least we can do to play a part in planking the curve. However, if you’re one of the 1.8 million people who work in this hundred billion dollar-a-year sector, these are unprecedented times with the travel industry in Canada is grinding to a halt with almost 800,000 jobs are at risk in this country. Here to talk about travel in Alberta is travel correspondent, Kim Gray, of ToqueAndCanoe.com - an award-winning blog that features stories about Canadian travel culture.

Snowbirds wintering in the U.S. are coming back to Canada, amid warnings to self-isolate during the COVID pandemic. These seniors are joining all Canadians who are adjusting to the ‘new normal’ of social and physical distancing. However, keeping older family members and neighbours - who are at greatest risk - healthy and still in touch isn’t easy. Our longevity columnist Sharon Basaraba offered some advice.

With more time at home, maybe you're doing some spring cleaning. Once you're done rounding up those kids toys, old clothes and books, who's open to take them? With the answer, Russell reached out to Doug Roxburgh with Goodwill Alberta. They have closed their retail stores and have laid off close to 800 employees.

It's been hard for theatre groups of all descriptions since public restrictions on gatherings of more than 50 people were put in place 2 weeks ago to combat Covid-19. Everything from concerts, to book launches, to live theatre have all been called down and that includes Edmonton's DieNasty Improv group. The acting collective has been gathering on Monday nights for over 2 decades to improvise a weekly soap opera for their fans. Their live show this year was meant to be set during the Days of Vaudeville with troupe of deceitful and conniving actors meant to create intrigue. Well the stage show was kibosh-ed, so after giving it some thought, DieNasty Improv decided to gather by video conference and record improvised shows. You can now hear and see their efforts at their website, dienastyimprov.com but Russell Bowers also spoke with two members of the improv group. Peter Brown is a former CBC host, and he was also a cast member and producer for The Irrelevant Show, as well as Stephanie Wolfe, an award-winning Shakespearian actor.

The Coronavirus has closed gyms, kiboshed sports and halted a whole heap of physical activities but it has meant many of us are getting outside and going for a good old-fashioned stroll instead. To get some tips, tricks and techniques on doing it right, Russell spoke with the founder and CEO of the Running Room, John Stanton.

We're seeing it everyday: some individuals and businesses stepping up in the wake of COVID-19, while others flounder. During times of crisis, consumers are definitely keeping score and someone who's keeping track of that is Kyle Murray, vice dean and professor of marketing at the Alberta School of Business. Russell and Kyle spoke about the epic fails and super saves in the wake of the coronavirus.

The security of Canada's food supply is top of mind for many right now and as we get closer to spring planting season, Canadian farmers face many tough decisions. Mary Robinson is the president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. She also helps manage a sixth generation family farm in Albany, Prince Edward Island. Russell reached out to her in Charlottetown. [NOTE] Mary mentioned foreign workers coming to Canada to help with crops, and despite Canada shutting the border to all non-essential travellers, there will be exceptions for seasonal agricultural workers, fish and seafood workers coming to Canada to work, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Foreign nationals coming to Canada through these programs will be considered "essential travel" with regards to land border restrictions. They will be subject to screening measures before travel and must isolate for 14 days after arriving in Canada.

Think of it as "The News After the News." A new podcast has dropped from CBC in Alberta as each week, Tara McCarthy brings you "The Loop." Each Friday, The Loop will feature an original conversation with a CBC Edmonton journalist, plus the best and most topical audio of the week. The first episode is available now and Russell Bowers sat down with Tara McCarthy after listening to a preview of the show.

How much do we know about COVID-19 in terms of symptoms or how it's treated? Is there hope for an antiviral or vaccine? And how much does conventional thinking about flues and viruses help? To answer these questions, Russell Bowers reached out to Edmonton microbiologist and author of The Germ Files, Jason Tetro. He's an infectious disease expert with information you should know to help you and your loved ones.