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COVID-19 Contact Tracing
Whether you have a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, it’s important that you isolate and avoid going out in public. That means no going to work, school, or shopping if you’re sick. If you do happen to have a confirmed case of COVID-19, part of the job of our public health officials is to immediately notify anyone you may have encountered during the time in which you were infectious. This means any stores or restaurants you went to, you co-workers, and any friends you might have spent time with, as all of these people will need to isolate and monitor themselves for any potential symptoms of COVID-19 no matter…
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Canada’s COVID-19 Stats To-Date
Part of Canada’s way of keeping individuals informed and up to date on all the latest COVID-19 news and case numbers in their respective regions is by having Province-wide updates on a daily (or near-daily) basis. Typically, these updates will come from health officers in each Province (for example, here in British Columbia, updates come from our Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, alongside Health Minister Adrian Dix); while they also come from a Federal level, too, with updates from Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Theresa Tam, and even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Together, these Provincial and Federal governments provide Canadians with as much pertinent information as possible related…
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Fall, Flu, and COVID-19
With the start of the fall season, that also means flu season. What’s not entirely certain is exactly how the current COVID-19 pandemic will impact this year’s flu season. What is certain, however, is that both will undoubtedly coincide for several months, and therefore we need to do as much as we can to best prepare for both an outbreak of influenza as well as a worsening – or a second wave – of COVID-19 in our province as well as other parts of Canada and the world. As we’ve recently seen a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases here in British Columbia – this after a somewhat more…
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New COVID-19 Enforcement Measures in B.C.
COVID-19 is something that has affected all of us in different ways. We’ve essentially had to learn new ways of living – from how we socialize with one another (such as keeping our social circles small, or only communicating virtually via things like Facetime, text message and e-mail) to our employment (moving from in-office to remote work – which is crucial for individuals with underlying health conditions, as these can put you at greater risk of developing COVID-19) – and it hasn’t been easy. Fortunately, many British Columbians have heeded the guidelines recommended by our health officials and stricter orders did not need to be put in place. Unfortunately, however,…
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British Columbia’s COVID-19 Back to School Plan
Normally, the beginning of a new school year would be one of the most exciting times for our kids. For younger children, it may be their very first time starting full-time schooling; while others may be moving on from elementary school into high school, or are recent high school graduates now attending College or University, as well as all of the different extracurricular activities that come along with that – such as sports and other after school programs, and making new friends. In these COVID times, however, the beginning of the new school year will also understandable come with much anxiety for both children and parents, as well as educators.…
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Long-Term Effects of COVID-19
There are many things that we know about COVID-19. For example, how it can be spread from person to person and just how easy that transmission can be. We also know what some of the most common symptoms associated with the virus are – for example, it often mimics mild cold or flu-like symptoms (such as runny nose, fever and cough) while one can also experience much more severe symptoms. We also know that the best way to prevent ourselves from getting the virus is to practice the following measures: Social distancing, wearing a mask when that distance cannot be kept, and regular/frequent hygiene (i.e. washing our hands.) How COVID-19…
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Cleaning and Disinfecting During COVID-19
Along with taking all of the necessary precautions that we know we need to take, such as physical distancing (including keeping at least 2 metres of distance between ourselves and others, working remote where possible, and limiting our social bubbles) as well as washing our hands regularly, there are other things that we can do in order to protect against the spread and development of COVID-19, such as regular cleaning and disinfecting of frequently touched surfaces and other high-traffic areas. What Things Need to Be Cleaned? Whether you’re at home or in the office, use of commonly used cleaners and disinfectants (as approved by Health Canada) can help to significantly…
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Why B.C.’s Curve is No Longer Flat
The first case of COVID-19 in British Columbia was announced on January 28th, 2020. By late April and into May, we began to see signs that are province was starting to flatten the curve, with fewer active cases reported. British Columbians showed they were able to follow guidelines (such as practicing social distancing, regular hand washing, and staying home when sick) from our local health officials (Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry; and Health Minister Adrian Dix) without going into extreme lockdowns (as seen in other parts of the world, like Italy and the United States.) As the number of new cases continued to be on the decline in our…
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Can Face Masks Cause Acne?
In addition to taking certain precautions, such as washing our hands with soap and water regularly and practicing physical distancing, face masks have also been recommended as another type of measure to keep ourselves and others protected and stopping the spread of COVID-19. While many questions have been raised about face masks and other types of face coverings, something else that has been brought up – particularly on social media – is whether or not face masks can cause (or, in some cases, potentially worsen) acne – a type of skin condition that develops as a result of your hair follicles becoming clogged with oil and dead skin cells, leading…
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Should We Be Worried About a Second Wave?
British Columbians have worked incredibly hard to continue to flatten the COVID-19 curve (and for that, we should all be proud), with the new number of daily reported cases remaining relatively low – in addition to the number of hospitalizations (including those in ICU) on the decline. While this is certainly good news for our province’s fight against this global pandemic, we also need to remember that just because our numbers are lower compared to other provinces and places in the world (such as the United States), that this isn’t a time to suddenly become passive and think that the easing of certain restrictions means that we can now go…