From the end of COVID-19 vaccine passports to strategies for increasing immunization uptake among children, Unity Health Toronto experts offered insights this week into our rapidly changing world. Here are our top media hits for the week of February 26-March 4.

Opioid crisis: More access to take-home treatments didn’t raise risk of overdoses, study says
CTV News on March 1, 2022
Feature of research led by Dr. Tara Gomes

New research led by Dr. Tara Gomes found Ontario patients receiving opioid agonist therapy (OAT) who were given more daily take-home doses of medication in 2020 were less likely to have an opioid-related overdose. 

Is mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for school attendance the answer to increasing vaccine uptake in children?
Toronto Star on March 2, 2022
Opinion piece written by Dr. Sloane Freeman, Dr. Ripudaman Minhas and Dr. Kevin Schwartz

A culturally-sensitive, equitable approach is needed to boost COVID vaccination rates among children 5-11, write Unity Health physicians Dr. Sloane Freeman, Dr. Ripudaman Minhas and Dr. Kevin Schwartz in the Toronto Star.

An epidemiologist’s reaction to removing vaccine passports
CBC Here and Now on March 1, 2022
Interview with Dr. Fahad Razak

Dr. Fahad Razak joins CBC Here and Now, and says given the high vaccination rate in Ontario and the large number of people who were infected during the Omicron wave, it’s a “reasonable time” to discontinue the COVID vaccine passport system.

This international student will help breast cancer patients get the bras they deserve
CBC The National on February 26, 2022
Interview with Dr. Jory Simpson

Ryerson fashion student Jo-Ann Harris has won a contest & internship to design a post-operative bra for breast cancer patients. Dr. Jory Simpson, St. Michael’s chief of general surgery, explains why Harris’ bra design stood out from the rest.

Biomarkers of radiologically isolated syndrome, MS prodrome clarified with MRI
Healio on February 25, 2022
Comments from Dr. Jiwon Oh

Dr. Jiwon Oh, medical director of the BARLO MS Centre, spoke at the ACTRIMS Forum about how advanced diagnostic tools aid in the distinction between radiologically isolated syndrome and MS prodrome.

Food as medicine: Programs, doctors look to fill nutrition prescription
The Globe and Mail on February 26, 2022
Interview with Dr. John Sievenpiper

Dr. John Sievenpiper, physician and researcher at St. Michael’s Hospital, speaks to The Globe and Mail about the food-as-medicine movement.

Shortage of lab supplies plagues many Canadian hospitals
Ottawa Citizen on February 28, 2022
Opinion piece co-authored by Dr. Dan Beriault

Amid a global shortage of lab supplies, Dr. Dan Beriault, head of biochemistry at Unity Health, outlines in an op-end the benefits of reducing unnecessary lab tests.

On the frontlines. We can do anything, we could be heroes
Leaside Life on March 1, 2022
Interviews with Dr. Joao Rezende-Neto, Debbie Snatenchuk and Orla Smith

Trauma Surgeon Dr. Joao Rezende-Neto, MISCU RN Debbie Snatenchuk and Senior Clinical Program Director Orla Smith, reflect on working on the frontlines as the pandemic enters a third year in Leaside Life.