In my mind, the spring season will always be associated with COVID-19. In spring 2020, the federal government declared a nationwide emergency, and life drastically changed. Schools and businesses closed, and masks…
Category: Covid-19
Early COVID-19 research is riddled with poor methods and low-quality results − a problem for science the pandemic worsened but didn’t create
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers flooded journals with studies about the then-novel coronavirus. Many publications streamlined the peer-review process for COVID-19 papers while keeping acceptance rates relatively high. The assumption was…
Working from home since COVID-19? Cabin fever could be the next challenge
As Canada opened back up after the COVID-19 lockdowns, many businesses encouraged their workers to head back to the office. Yet, despite restrictions being lifted in Canada and around the world, teleworking…
Neighbourhood amenities may have helped youth mental health and stress early in the pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, youth as a population group reported some of the largest declines in their mental health compared to other age groups in Canada. Research on youth mental health during…
Policies need to consider both academic excellence and equity
There will be a collective gasp as governments and policymakers reckon with drops in 15 year olds’ math skills in the wake of the pandemic, as captured by the OECD’s release of…
How do viruses get into cells? Their infection tactics determine whether they can jump species or set off a pandemic
COVID-19, flu, mpox, noroviral diarrhea: How do the viruses that cause these diseases actually infect you? Viruses cannot replicate on their own, so they must infect cells in your body to make…
Pooling multiple models during COVID-19 pandemic provided more reliable projections about an uncertain future
How can anyone decide on the best course of action in a world full of unknowns? There are few better examples of this challenge than the COVID-19 pandemic, when officials fervently compared…
A new study sheds light on the psychology of consumers
Fear can cause people to behave irrationally in times of uncertainty. During the pandemic, this took the form of panic buying as people flocked to stores to stock up on essential goods….
How the pandemic permanently altered college towns
Universities are more than just halls of learning; they are vibrant ecosystems and often the beating heart of the towns they reside in. Their reach goes beyond academia and plays a significant…
Listening to youth voices was missing in the COVID-19 pandemic response
The new school year has brought about another increase in COVID-19 cases. As we face the future, it’s important to reflect on the past. Learning from how we weathered the pandemic can…