White Coat, Black Artwith Dr. Brian Goldman
Latest
This critical care paramedic worked a week of 12-hour shifts to help keep Ontario's ICUs from overflowing
In order to make room in crowded hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area, critical care paramedics with Ornge are transferring COVID patients to facilities in Kingston, London, St. Catharines, Barrie, Peterborough, Ottawa, Thunder Bay and Sudbury.
The Dose
Focus on vaccination rates, not herd immunity as the way out of the pandemic: expert
Catherine Hankins, the co-chair of Canada’s COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, explains why achieving herd immunity may be elusive, but stopping transmission with vaccines can lead to a similar return to some semblance of normalcy — and that should be the focus.
These medical residents are learning to be better doctors during a pandemic
Medical residents across the country have faced unprecedented challenges as residents working in a pandemic. And that has an effect on patient care.
The Dose
Cannabis use rose over the pandemic, so what do you need to know about the risks?
Whether we're smoking, vaping, eating, or even drinking it, we've used cannabis more over the course of the pandemic, recent data suggests. So what are the risks of cannabis use? And how can you minimize those risks? Neuroscientist Sarah Konefal, a research and policy analyst with Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, has the lowdown on the reducing the harms of getting high.
Doctor urges more vaccines for Brampton to quell sky-high COVID-19 cases
In hard-hit Brampton, Ont., where COVID cases are among the highest in the country, there are too few vaccines and too many barriers to getting an appointment, say community health experts who live and work in the area.
The Dose
Evidence suggests outdoor COVID-19 transmission is low. Here's what you need to know
The risk of catching coronavirus outdoors is very low, yet new pandemic restrictions in Ontario ban most outdoor sports and gatherings. Infectious diseases physician Dr. Sumon Chakrabarti joins Dr. Brian Goldman to debunk myths about outdoor transmission and explain why being outside is much safer than being inside.
'The stress, the anxiety, the nightmares': What it's like to work in the country's strained ICUs
Acute care nurses and doctors say the influx of third-wave patients is taking a huge toll on them and other health-care professionals who care for the sickest patients in hospitals across the country.
The Dose
Shut down travel between provinces to control spread of variants, experts say
The coronavirus variant P1 is surging in B.C. and spreading east. Infectious diseases and critical care specialist Dr. Srinivas Murthy joins Dr. Brian Goldman to break down what you need to know about P1 — and what can be done to stop it. One suggestion? Restrict interprovincial travel.
The Dose
How to breathe better and why it matters, especially in a pandemic
Learning how to breathe better can have real impacts on your overall health, according to James Nestor, author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. He shares tips on how we can harness the power of our breath, and feel better physically and mentally as a result.
3 steps to break the bad habit of worry
People who are anxious can rid themselves of the habit of worry by first learning to recognize the unhelpful thoughts and replacing them with more openness and curiosity, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist says.
'I could do it all so well before': Patients struggle with brain injury after fentanyl overdose
Advocates say more support is needed for opioid overdose survivors left with brain damage.
The Dose
'What if I've already had one dose?' Your AstraZeneca vaccine questions answered
Canadians have been on a roller-coaster with changing guidance on the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine, but an infectious disease specialist says there’s reason to be optimistic.
'You have patients say the N-word': Black nurses call for support against racism on the medical frontlines
Nurses are calling attention to anti-Black and other racism they face on a regular basis from some patients, and are calling for better support in the workplace from their colleagues and officials.
The Dose
Confused wading through all the COVID-19 vaccine info? Here's help
There's a lot of confusing information around the COVID-19 vaccines. It's hard to figure out what's accurate and what's misinformation or deliberate disinformation. Infectious diseases expert Tara Moriarty joins host Dr. Brian Goldman to talk tips for spotting misinformation.
Do changes to assisted dying in Canada help the most vulnerable or endanger them? Advocates are divided
Disability advocate Jeff Preston is raising concerns that new changes to Canada’s medical assistance in dying laws might end up hurting some of the people they ostensibly seek to help.
The Dose
What governments, individuals can do to tame Canada's third wave of COVID-19: epidemiologist
The third wave of COVID is here in Ontario, according to experts, but epidemiologist Raywat Deonandan says there are steps governments and individuals can take to blunt its impact in Ontario — or avoid the wave altogether in other regions of the country.
First Person
Cracks in patient and family centred care exposed by the pandemic, author says
Sue Robins navigated the health-care system as a parent of a son with Down syndrome and as a patient with breast cancer. She’s also been a patient engagement expert at two Canadian hospitals. As the pandemic continues, she’s concerned about hospitals’ commitment to patient and family centred care.
The Dose
Why the science of weight loss says you have to start by loving yourself
Losing weight is frustratingly hard. Host Dr. Brian Goldman is joined by Dr. Sean Wharton, one of Canada’s leading experts on weight loss, who breaks down the best science around how to treat obesity and excess weight.
Program that convinces new parents to vaccinate kids could work for COVID-19 shots, too, experts say
A program that puts vaccine counsellors right in hospital birthing centres may hold key lessons for getting vaccine-hesitant Canadians to roll up their sleeves for COVID-19 immunization, experts say.
The Dose
Here's how to know if your kid has COVID — and what to expect if they do
With children in Canada mostly back in classrooms, kids and COVID-19 are top of mind for parents. So how do you know if your kid has COVID? Infectious disease physician Dr. Janine McCready breaks down the symptoms, the best tests for kids and the risks if your kid is sick.
SPECIAL
Prescription for Resilience: How Canadians are coping with COVID
Canadians reveal how they’ve coped with loss and isolation during the pandemic, in big ways and small. From a working mom who got COVID and a CFL player who lost his season, to a 97-year-old who finds hope in daily walks and much more, this is your Prescription for Resilience.
First person
How faith and family helped CFL player Henoc Muamba cope after losing his mother-in-law to COVID-19
When professional football player Henoc Muamba had his life torn apart by COVID-19, he had to work on his communication and coping skills — and nurturing his many other passions.
How teaching Urdu to her granddaughters gave this grandmother purpose in a pandemic
Retired school teacher Zahida Murtaza was feeling adrift and purposeless during the pandemic. Then one of her granddaughters asked if she could giver her Urdu lessons.
Personal essay
How running helped me get through pandemic isolation, and the grief of losing my father
After Chantelle Richmond lost her father to cancer in December 2019, the pandemic cut her off from her family and prevented them from holding a traditional ceremony to honour him. She shares how she found comfort in running.
Music
How writing a song a week helps Halifax musician cope with grief
Grieving during the pandemic has been difficult for George Woodhouse, whose father “Big John” died in May, but writing a song a week has helped him honour his father and work through the loss.
