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Gerstein Science Information Centre

COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus) Information Guide

This guide is a living document. More content will be added as new information and resources become available and as the COVID-19 situation develops. Last updated: Oct 12, 2021

Ask the Experts

Have some questions about the coronavirus?:

Below is a roundup of science communicators explaining COVID-19, its impact on our lives, potential vaccines and more:

Podcast - COVID-19: What's Next? - University of Toronto

With Vivek Goel, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives and a professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto (renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, set up in response to the SARS outbreak)

Highlights updated weekly:

In this episode Goel discusses the recent increase in daily numbers of COVID-19 cases reported in the media, and whether some restrictions may need to be reimposed to manage those upticks. 

COVID-19 is being studied like no other disease in history, with hundreds of new research papers published every day – and the resulting headlines can lead to confusion. In this episode, Goel talks about the importance of recognizing that science is neither linear nor simple, and that a single piece of research should not automatically lead to new policies been drafted.

In this episode, Goel talks about the importance of attending school for children’s social development, education and equity, and what schools and communities can do to help ensure the safety of children.

COVID-19 Webinars - Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

This webinar series is an opportunity for DLSPH alumni and the U of T community to hear the latest from public health professionals and researchers, ask their questions, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue from a public health and health systems perspective. 

 

According to UNESCO, school closures impacted over 60% of the student population. While remote learning strategies were put in place to mitigate the impacts, not all communities benefited equally. This panel discusses how different jurisdictions are handling these concerns while trying to ensure continuity of learning.

Panel discussion by the Centre for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, on how the immune response to natural infection works; on the existing technologies for vaccine development; and on how we can tell if a vaccine will work.

Discussion by the Infectious Disease Working Group on the rise of mental health issues that has accompanied viral spread. This panel will also focus on neighbourhood disparities that have led to disproportionate effects of COVID-19 on priority populations, especially Black, brown, and Indigenous communities.

A Question of Trust: Politics, Perception and the COVID-19 Pandemic - University of Toronto 

Panel featuring U of T Faculty from the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy (April 17, 2020). Moderated by Peter Mansbridge, Former CBC Chief Correspondent and Distinguished Fellow, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy. 

CanCOVID Speaker Series - YouTube

CanCOVID is an expert network of Canadian COVID-19 researchers, clinical collaborators, and healthcare stakeholders from across the country. Canada's Chief Science Officer mandated the creation of CanCOVID to expedite communication and collaboration between the scientific, healthcare and policy communities during the COVID-19 crisis.

COVID-19 video updates - Imperial College of LondonCOVID-19 video updates - Imperial College of London

Produced by Abdul Latif Jameel Institute for Disease and Emergency Analytics (J-IDEA).

Leading experts across Imperial College share how science contributes to the COVID-19 outbreak response, and the epidemiological and public-health principles and challenges that underpin these analyses.

 

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