Newswire

TORONTO -- After a person has developed antibodies against COVID-19, how long does that immunity last? That is one of the crucial questions that a new study led by Toronto researchers is hoping to answer. By testing the blood of more than 10,000 Canadians for antibodies, which are developed after a person is exposed to the virus to fight it off, the Action to Beat Coronavirus study is hoping…

The provincial government’s Opposition says a report on Saskatchewan’s long-term care system reveals long-term problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has put staffing and standards challenges in the spotlight across Canada, including in Saskatchewan, where a recent 251-page report from the provincial health authority revealed many homes struggled to retain adequate staff to meet the needs…

Lloydminster Mayor Gerald Aalbers leads a unique city in Canada, divided between two provinces and two distinct philosophies on reporting COVID-19 cases. The border city straddles Saskatchewan and Alberta, which have taken starkly different approaches to identifying the location of positive cases during the pandemic. An interactive map on the Alberta government website breaks down cases in…

Years ago, Saskatoon communicable disease medical health officer Dr. Johnmark Opondo says he was working in New York, helping to locate and contact people who contracted sexually transmitted diseases. There, he learned some of the best ways to get information from people — even if they didn’t want to speak with him. Contact tracers need to be engaging, open and good at gathering…

A report on long-term care in Saskatchewan describes aging facilities that do not meet current standards of care, facilities where four residents share one room, widespread problems hiring and retaining nurses, and overall problems with facilities struggling under current funding levels. Since 2013 the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has prepared annual reports on the standard of long-term…