The Dose

Dr Prabhat Jha, Director of the Centre for Global Health Research, at St Michael’s Hospital, and Professor of epidemiology, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto answers questions about contact tracing.

A lot of things have changed since our lives went into lockdown almost four months ago. Almost every part of Canada is cautiously reopening businesses and services, people are starting to resume contact with a limited number of friends and family through social bubbles or social circles -- and the prevailing public health advice is to wear masks when we can't physically distance from others.

All of this can be confusing. Infectious disease specialist and microbiologist Dr. Allison McGeer, who has been helping The Dose listeners to navigate this pandemic since the beginning, returns this week with insight into what we've learned so far -- and the latest guidance on how to stay as safe as possible in this new COVID-19 normal.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit North America governments and infectious disease experts advised the public to stay home and stay physically distant from anyone not in their household. Those restrictions have made it challenging for single folks to find a way to connect with new friends and potential sexual partners. From sex and foreplay to kissing and holding hands, the pleasures of touch have become a complex and risky activity in the age of COVID-19. But now, life is opening up and that means some people may be looking to date and include an intimate partner in their social bubble. A lot of people are wondering how you can do that and stay safe. Today on the Dose Dr. Goldman is joined by Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Deputy Commissioner at New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and one of the experts behind a new set of candid guidelines on safe intimate relations during the pandemic. They tackle the question: Is it safe to have sex or be intimate with someone new during COVID-19?

This month, as we’ve faced a global pandemic, we've also seen an historic movement rise up to protest anti-Black racism. That movement and COVID-19 are coalescing at the same time for a number of reasons, and public health experts are coming to the forefront to explain why. Today on The Dose, Dr. Onye Nnorom the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Lead, in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine joins Dr. Goldman to answer the question "How does systemic racism predispose people to COVID-19? Dr. Nnorum is also the President of the Black Physicians’ Association of Ontario.

Part two of Dr. Goldman's conversation with Dr. Lynora Saxinger, who joined us to talk about navigating all things summer. Yesterday we covered swimming, backyard parties, sports, patio drinks and more. Today, the great indoors: from cottages to weddings, malls, libraries, day camps, gyms and more.The infectious diseases specialist and associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton helps evaluate the risks.

This week: After a long, hard winter and spring, summer is almost here. After months of being cooped up inside, you may be desperate to have friends on your back deck, hit a hiking trail or go for a swim. But what are the risks during a pandemic? Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases specialist and associate professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Alberta joins Dr. Goldman to answer the question "How safe are my favourite summer activities?"

As we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, most of us are anxious to return to normal life, when we can hug our elderly parents or grandparents and once again gather in large groups. Many experts say that can't happen safely until a coronavirus vaccine is developed. In this unprecedented time, researchers around the world are working toward that goal, but it has to be done safely and follow a careful scientific process. Dr. Natasha Crowcroft, a vaccine expert at the the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, joins host Dr. Brian Goldman to help explain how close we are to an effective vaccine against COVID-19, the barriers we must overcome to get there, and what we need to do in the meantime.

On Season 3 of Other People’s Problems, host Hillary McBride takes you where microphones rarely go, into her therapy office where her clients hurt, heal, and ultimately thrive. This is what people sound like when they talk with someone they trust about difficult childhoods, ongoing mental health struggles, and the sudden changes we’re all facing right now living through a pandemic. Here’s the first bonus episode of Season 3 of the CBC podcast, Other People’s Problems. More episodes are available at hyperurl.co/otherpeoplesproblems

As physical distancing, handwashing and staying home have helped to reduce the spread of COVID-19, public health officials are starting to cautiously relax some of the self-isolation measures Canadians have been under for two months. But we're still in a pandemic, with no vaccine or treatment for the coronavirus.  Host Dr. Brian Goldman welcomes infectious disease expert Dr. Allison McGeer back to The Dose to give you the latest facts about the risks and advice on how to stay as safe as possible in these uncertain times.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, along with stressors from physical isolation to home schooling to grief, many people may feel their ability to manage is reaching its limits. Canadians are suffering from so much anxiety that Kids Help Phone has started a dedicated service to support adults, in addition to children and youth. Alisa Simon from Kids Help Phone joins The Dose host Dr. Brian Goldman to talk about issues you might be struggling with and ways to cope mentally and emotionally.