The Current
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The Current for March 30, 2020
Today on The Current: COVID-19 testing; Kids’ questions about the virus; Victory Gardens; Pandemic leaves charities in crisis
'I'll do anything I can do': Crooner Michael Bublé urges Canadians to take COVID-19 seriously
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asked Michael Bublé to spread the word about staying home during the COVID-19 pandemic on Monday. Now the singer is using social media to encourage physical distancing.
Alone and struggling to breathe, this COVID-19 patient's parents use video calls to keep watch as she sleeps
Manija Raofi is self-isolating at her New York home with COVID-19, as the state struggles under the weight of one-third of America’s cases.
Podcast
The Current Weekly: How to cope during the COVID-19 pandemic
One of America's first COVID-19 patients, Christy Karras, shares her experience with the disease — and Canadians in the thick of self-isolation offer some tips for coping. Plus, ER doctor James Maskalyk shares how meditation has made him a more compassionate physician, and why he thinks it could help everyone.
Meet the helpers feeding hungry Canadians
The pandemic has left some people struggling to get groceries or a hot meal — but here come the helpers! We talk to food banks and workers who are helping to feed hungry Canadians.
Turning to poetry to cope with the pandemic
Poetry can connect and comfort us in uncertain times, which may explain why all your friends are sharing poems online, says Canadian poet Meaghan Strimas. She shares some of the poems helping her cope.
The Current for March 27, 2020
New York in crisis; Feeding hungry Canadians; Tracking cell phone data to curb COVID-19; Stranded Canadians; China easing restrictions; Poetry in the pandemic; Michael Bublé; Sports historian Johnny Smith.
Health-care workers worry about bringing COVID-19 home to their kids
For two doctors, fighting the COVID-19 pandemic means balancing their duty to care for patients with the duty to protect their children.
Spread of COVID-19 into 'Trump country' could pose problem for president's re-election hopes: David Frum
Writer and political commentator David Frum discusses how U.S. President Donald Trump has handled the evolving pandemic in the U.S. — and what it means for his re-election hopes.
Listen
Dr. Allison McGeer answers your questions on COVID-19
We put some of our listeners' questions about COVID-19 to Dr. Allison McGeer, one of the country's leading voices on infectious disease outbreaks.
No, the new coronavirus wasn't created in a lab, scientists say
The idea that SARS CoV-2, the new coronavirus behind the current pandemic, was created in a lab is a favourite among conspiracy theorists. But an international team of researchers has shown it was not genetically engineered.
The Current for March 26, 2020
Today on The Current: Dr. Allison McGeer answers your questions; David Frum on Trump’s response; Substance dependency and the pandemic; Facebook’s Kevin Chan on fake news
CBC Radio's The Current extended to bring you the latest information on COVID-19
In order to provide audiences with the latest information, as well as all the health, travel and human stories connected to COVID-19 that matter to Canadians, CBC is extending The Current with Matt Galloway until noon in most time zones.
Meditation is helping this ER doctor cope with the rising stress of fighting COVID-19
Dr. James Maskalyk — a Toronto ER doctor fresh off the night shift — shares how he uses meditation to cope with the scariest risks that come with his job.
Pandemic fuelling productivity shaming, but 'now might be the time to actually scale down,' says journalist
Shakespeare may have written King Lear while in quarantine, but according to a panel on The Current, one shouldn’t feel pressured to make social distancing productive.
World will survive COVID-19 only if 'swift action' taken to help Africa, UN humanitarian says
Stephen Lewis, the former UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, discusses the devastating impact the pandemic could have on the continent.
Canadians need universal basic income to overcome COVID-19 financial crisis, says NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh
With the end of the month coming and a lot of rent falling due, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh makes the case for the federal government providing cash payments directly to Canadians in financial distress.
Comedian Maria Bamford finds new ways to perform stand-up from self-isolation
How do you perform stand-up comedy during the COVID-19 pandemic? Maria Bamford joined q’s Tom Power to share a few ideas that have been working for her.
The Current for March 25, 2020
National affairs panel; Securing Canada’s food supply; Stephen Lewis on how COVID-19 could affect Africa; Universal basic income; Productivity shaming; Death of Manu Dibango; Dr. James Maskalyk
Shut down construction sites until COVID-19 threat has passed, says wife of worried worker
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many construction sites are still open, despite difficulties in maintaining social distancing for workers. We’ll hear from the wife of a worker worried about his health, and ask why sites aren’t being shut down.
'We totally understand the frustration': CBC president defends local TV news suspension amid pandemic
Catherine Tait, president and CEO of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, speaks to The Current's Matt Galloway about the decision to suspend local supper-hour newscasts on CBC-TV during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Current for March 24, 2020
COVID-19 and drug research; Olympics postponed; André Picard on differing health guidelines across provinces; Canadian mayors on how communities are fared.
Show teens news and statistics to encourage social distancing, Ontario parent urges
As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Canada continue to grow, public health officials are urging young people to stay inside and avoid spending time with friends, even outdoors.
'Nobody was coughing': COVID-19 survivor urges social distancing amid risk of asymptomatic carriers
Christy Karras thinks she got coronavirus from a cocktail party, where no one had symptoms. As one of the first people diagnosed with COVID-19 in the U.S., she talks about the illness, her recovery, and why social distancing measures are vital.
More than a million Canadian citizens and permanent residents returned home last week
More than a million Canadian citizens and permanent residents returned home last week as governments around the world ramped up their warnings about the threat of COVID-19.
