Each week, journalists turn to Unity Health Toronto’s experts and programs to help make sense of our world. In case you missed it, here’s a recap of the headlines for the week of September 18-24.

New Ontario COVID-19 modelling shows ‘fragile’ progress against virus
The Globe and Mail on September 28, 2021
Interview with Dr. Arthur Slutsky

New modelling from Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table shows Ontario is doing much better overall than Western provinces in combatting the virus, but remains in a fragile situation. Dr. Arthur Slutsky, scientist at St. Michael’s Hospital, speaks to The Globe and Mail about the progress and cautious approach.

Ontario tells agencies COVID-19 rapid tests are only for workplaces, not schools, angering parents
The Globe and Mail on September 29, 2021
Interview with Dr. Irfan Dhalla

It makes sense to use rapid antigen tests in unvaccinated children instead of vaccinated adults, says Dr. Irfan Dhalla, vice-president at Unity Health Toronto and internist at St. Michael’s Hospital. He speaks with The Globe and Mail about the value of rapid tests in detecting cases in those who are not yet eligible for vaccination.

Also in the Toronto Star

Living in encampments is more than just a pandemic issue, researchers find
Healthy Debate on September 29, 2021
Opinion piece written by Zoë Dodd, Samantha Young, Lisa Boucher, Abeera Shahid, Melanie Brown, Kimia Khoee, Ahmed Bayoumi

Why do encampments exist and what do they mean to people living in them? Researchers from St. Michael’s MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions share the findings of a new report with Healthy Debate.

COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations ‘not increasing,’ says Ontario’s science table in new projections
The Canadian Press on September 28, 2021
Interview with Dr. Fahad Razak

COVID-19 cases in Ontario can continue to steadily decline if we maintain public health measures and continue to get people vaccinated, says Dr. Fahad Razak, internist at St. Michael’s Hospital. He speaks with CBC News about Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table’s latest modelling.

Toronto Public Health starts planning for COVID-19 vaccination of kids aged 5 to 11
Toronto Star on September 27, 2021
Interview with Dr. Tara Kiran

For the effort to vaccinate children to be equitable, technology and language shouldn’t be barriers to booking appointments, says Dr. Tara Kiran, family physician at St. Michael’s Academic Family Health Team. She tells the Toronto Star why the student vaccination effort should be primarily schools-based.

Regeneron’s antibody COVID-19 treatment is popular in the U.S. — why not in Canada?
Global News on September 24, 2021
Interview with Dr. Amol Verma

What is Regeneron? Dr. Amol Verma, internist at St. Michael’s Hospital, speaks with Global News about the promise of the antibody cocktail in treating people with mild COVID-19.

Vaccine for kids under 12 by Halloween? Research shows it could happen. Now, Canada needs to plan for an equitable rollout
Toronto Star on September 29, 2021
Opinion piece co-written by Dr. Tara Kiran

A COVID-19 vaccine for children is a game-changer, writes Dr. Tara Kiran and her co-authors in the Toronto Star. But to vaccinate the masses quickly and equitably, we must bring vaccines to schools, they say.

Unvaccinated 60 times more likely to end up in ICU with COVID-19, Ontario data shows
Global News on September 30, 2021
Interview with Dr. Fahad Razak

Compared with fully vaccinated people, unvaccinated individuals are 7 times more likely to catch COVID-19, 25 times more likely to be hospitalized, and 60 times more likely to be in the ICU due to the disease. Dr. Fahad Razak, internist at St. Michael’s Hospital, speaks with Global News about the data.

This Ontario age group has a COVID-19 vaccination rate of less than half. Why that’s a problem for all of us
Toronto Star on September 29, 2021
Interview with Dr. Tara Kiran

School-based vaccination clinics are key to reaching 12-year-olds, says Dr. Tara Kiran. She speaks with the Toronto Star about strategies to increase vaccination rates among eligible children.

New book shares stories of resilience and loss from suicide
Hospital News on September 30, 2021
Feature of work led by Dr. Sakina Rizvi and Amanda Ceniti

For five years, the ASR Suicide & Depression Studies Program at St. Michael’s Hospital collected the untold stories of suicide. Read more about their book of narratives, What It Takes To Make It Through, in Hospital News.