COVID-19

A woman with dark hair wearing a navy blazer and white shirt is standing in front of two indoor plants.

Health Authority encourages early vaccinations to reduce risk of illness for vulnerable populations

December 2, 2024 by Ryan Funk

Flu season has arrived in Winnipeg, and although early predictions indicate that typical infection rates may be in store, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority is encouraging residents to get vaccinated before cases peak.

The two recommended vaccines are for influenza and COVID-19.

Dr. Bunmi Fatoye, medical officer of health for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, explains vaccinations are the first line of defence in reducing infection and an effective way to reduce the risk of serious illness for vulnerable populations, including young children, seniors, and individuals with underlying health conditions.

The WRHA and other health authorities work to ensure vaccines are as accessible and as barrier-free as possible. Pharmacies, primary care providers, and public health offices all offer vaccinations. Some locations host pop-up clinics in partnership with community organizations to meet the public where they are.

Two people stand at a bus stop on an wide, almost empty avenue.

Public transit still under pre-pandemic levels: ARTM

November 1, 2024 by Jules Bugiel

Montrealers are still using public transit below pre-pandemic levels.

According to a new study from the ARTM, Montreal’s regional transit authority, ridership is only 85% of what it was in 2018. Public transit also has a lesser share of how people are getting around, down by 4%.

Active transit, meanwhile, has seen its shares rise by the same percentage. The share of car trips has seen only a minor drop, from 67 to 66%.

The data comes from a phone survey of 109,000 households, which takes place once every five years.

poster shows pop symposium on a doorway beside a sidewalk

POP Symposium looks at the state of the art in post COVID times

September 27, 2024 by Jules Bugiel

Non-profit music festival POP Montreal is in its 23rd year. The last few years especially have been trying and difficult for artists and arts organizations.

That is going to be a big topic of discussion at this year’s edition of the festival. While most Montrealers think of the musical programming, POP also has its symposium: a slate of artist talks and panels taking the pulse of the industry.

POP Symposium Director Eve Parker Finley speaks to CKUT about how her programming addresses some of the big issues facing the scene.

POP runs until Sunday September 29. All Symposium events are free admission.

Disclosure: CKUT is one of the festival’s partners.

A man stands in front of a podium under the lights in a dark room. A band is behind him watching him talk. A graphic on the stage behind the musicians says "Capital Music Awards 2023"

Ottawa music industry facing ‘boom’ of new musicians according to local music coalition

April 30, 2024 by Vanessa Landriault

The Ottawa Music Industry Coalition (OMIC) is seeing more musicians joining their coalition since the pandemic provided a period of creativity to aspiring artists.

Melanie Brulée, executive director of the OMIC is encouraged to see this level of growth.

The City of Ottawa is well known for its love of music, Brulée said, and that the love has grown more intense since the COVID-19 pandemic began. This growth within Ottawa allows for the Capital Music Awards to shine a spotlight on all Ottawa musicians, which will be held this year on May 16.

To hear more about the OMIC’s mission to grow a healthy music industry in Ottawa and the Capital Music Awards, listen to the 95.7 ELMNT FM interview with Melanie Brulée.

A pink poster with silhouette's of groups of people standing together in front of a city skyline, Blue COVID-19 DNA strands can be seen placed throughout the poster.

COVID-19 Community Study presented to Six Nations, mental health one of biggest impacts

March 15, 2024 by Andrew Dow

The COVID CommUNITY First Nations study was presented to the Six Nations community over the weekend, where results were presented from the three-year study that showed the community’s mental health was one of the biggest areas impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The study was done by Six Nations Health Services in Partnership with both the Population Health Research Institute and McMaster University and showed that every participant experienced some sort of mental health or depressive state during the pandemic.

The presentation was held March 9 at the Six Nations Community Hall and detailed results for community members and showcased the analysis done on the data and moving forward how that information will help the community be better prepared for future pandemic and emergency situations.

A wide shot of a large city hospital that is red brick with trees and a street in front of it. To the right of the large hospital is a smaller clay coloured building and on the left of the frame in the foreground is a more modern glassy building.

Montreal’s emergency rooms in crisis

January 19, 2024 by Kaity Brady

Overcrowding in Montreal’s emergency rooms continues to cause days-long wait times.

Many have been operating at around 200 percent capacity since late December, and the situation is expected to continue due flu, RSV, and COVID-19 infection levels.

Health columnist at the Montreal Gazette, Aaron Derfel, told CJLO the this crisis is years in the making. He said it’s elderly patients who are most affected by the crisis, often spending days on stretchers or dying in hospital because there’s not enough home or long-term care to discharge them.

“I believe our public health care system has been underfunded,” Derfel said. “ We don’t have enough doctors and nurses and our population is aging. We could foresee that this would happen and then the pandemic hit and it just made matters far worse.”

Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé suggests the province’s health reform bill and ongoing negotiations with the nursing unions will improve the situation.

The side of a red brick building can be seen with a red and pink sign which says " Gane Yohs Health Centre".

Six Nations seeing “lots” of positives for COVID-19 tests, other respiratory illnesses in community

January 6, 2024 by Andrew Dow

Six Nations Health Services (SNHS) say that the community is seeing “lots of reports” of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses like RSV and influenza A & B within the Six Nations community.

Jeanette Hill, acting nurse in Charge at Gane Yohs Health Centre, spoke on seeing the viruses in the community in the winter months and ways to protect the community from these illnesses spreading.

“We’re still getting lots of reports of positive rapids and we’re still seeing positive PCR tests come in.”

She says that community members can protect themselves and other community members by wearing a mask in crowded public spaces, washing hands regularly with soap and water or an alcohol based hand sanitizer and staying home if you feel ill.

The Gane Yohs Health Centre hold a flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinic every Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. located at 1796 Chiefswood Rd. in Ohsweken.

Two female adults sit with boy getting vaccinated. They are at a white table and everyone is wearing masks.

Family clinics on Vancouver Island offer free flu and COVID-19 shots as cases increase

December 7, 2023 by Mick Sweetman

Island Health is ramping up its COVID-19 and Influenza vaccine campaign with free walk-in clinics for children under 12 years of age.

Dr. Charuka Maheswaran, a public health resident physican at Island Health, says that it is especially important that children get their flu shot this year.

“Last year, we saw more children hospitalized with influenza than usual and we don’t want that again this year,” she said.

According to the BC Centre for Disease Control’s most recent report, Influenza is increasing both in wastewater monitoring and testing. RSV is also increasing with high test positivity among children.

In last year’s flu season, 1,792 children in Canada were hospitalized with influenza, 283 were admitted to intensive care and 10 died, according to a report published by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

For a full list of family clinics for flu and Covid shots on Vancouver Island click here.