This is an excerpt from Second Opinion, a weekly roundup of health and medical science news emailed to subscribers every Saturday morning. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can do that by clicking here.
Much of Canada is lifting lockdown measures and reopening risky indoor settings while experts warn fast-spreading coronavirus variants threaten to jeopardize recent progress and trigger a brutal third wave.
That variant, also known as B117, is estimated to be at least 50 per cent more transmissible and potentially more deadly and led to strict lockdowns in countries like Denmark, Ireland and the U.K., where it quickly became a dominant strain.
Alberta, which already has 149 cases of B117 and seven cases of the variant first identified in South Africa, also decided to reopen restaurants, bars and gyms this week despite the rapid rise in variant cases.
“It’s kind of like we’re playing chicken with COVID, which never struck me as being a great idea,” said Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious diseases physician and an associate professor at the University of Alberta faculty of medicine in Edmonton.
“There’s been enough demonstrated risk from the variants being able to become dominant strains over a period of time in multiple jurisdictions that I would have preferred to hold steady and monitor for a period longer.”
Meanwhile, those variants have caused a surge in cases so rapid in Newfoundland and Labrador, the province has imposed new lockdown measures and cancelled in-person voting for today’s election.
An election campaign sign is shown in St. John’s on Thursday. The outbreak has led to a lockdown of the Newfoundland and Labrador capital, and the suspension of in-person voting across the province. (Paul Daly/The Canadian Press)
Balancing return to ‘normal’ with threat of variants
Saxinger says that while Alberta and other provinces have done an effective job of monitoring for the variants as they emerge, she expects the number of variant cases will no doubt continue to grow as the economy reopens.
“Opening indoor dining is a mistake — plain and simple,” said Dr. Irfan Dhalla, a physician and University of Toronto medical professor who is also a vice-president at Unity Health Toronto.
“It’s pretty obvious that if we just went back to normal there would be a third wave and it would be absolutely brutal.”
Dhalla says officials are trying to answer the tricky question of how close to normal they can get, while trying to balance keeping cases low in the face of fast-spreading variants.
“Nobody knows the answer to that question with certainty, but I think everything we’ve seen over the last year tells us it’s better to err on the side of caution,” he said.
“The prudent thing to do would be to go slow and see what happens after a few weeks.”
Despite keeping its provincewide curfew in place, Quebec has also begun reopening businesses, museums, hair salons and malls — even though gathering in them will not be permitted.
Ontario also began rolling back restrictions this week, lifting stay at home orders in much of the province, allowing for non-essential businesses and even ski hills to reopen, while committing to further loosening measures in the coming weeks.
“This is not the time to really begin pulling back on restrictions,” Dr. Gerald Evans, chair of infectious disease in the department of medicine at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., told The Current this week.
Signs for COVID-19 protocols are displayed as skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes at Mount Pakenham ski hill in Eastern Ontario as the business reopens on Thursday. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
“Our expectation, when we look at the experience of other countries that have had that variant introduced, is we’re going to see a rise up in numbers and so you don’t want to complicate that by now suddenly rolling back restrictions.”
The decision to loosen restrictions in Ontario came at the same time health experts warned in a provincial scientific briefing that the spread of variants threatened to trigger a third wave of the pandemic, which could in turn lead to a third lockdown.
“We need to be watching how this unfolds and how it plays out before we make too many changes all at once,” said Dr. Susy Hota, an infectious disease specialist at the University Health Network and an associate professor of medicine at the University of Toronto.
“The overall numbers look to be going down, but these variants are emerging and they will likely emerge rapidly and our ability to control transmission might change with that.”
Outbreak in Newfoundland sparked by B117
In a cautionary tale for the rest of the country, health officials in Newfoundand and Labrador confirmed late Friday that a massive outbreak of COVID-19 in St. John’s this week was caused by B117, leading strict lockdown measures to be reimposed.
The province reported 50 new cases of COVID-19 Friday, with the vast majority in the St. John’s region. Thousands of people are in isolation, while others faced renewed lockdown measures that shuttered schools and non-essential businesses.
Bruce Chaulk, the province’s chief electoral officer, announced during a press conference Friday that in-person voting in all 40 districts across the province had been suspended and the election would be solely by mail due to the outbreak.
“We know that if not controlled, it becomes a predominant strain within weeks of first appearance,” said Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, the province’s chief medical officer of health.
“This is concerning and serious. But we have the ability to overcome it.”
There are 260 active cases in the province, with 244 of those reported in the last five days. In contrast, the province had 395 total cases of COVID-19 in all of 2020.
“I actually worry more about those areas that have been spared through most of the pandemic,” said Hota.
“You don’t know what it’s like to deal with COVID until it hits you — and it hits hard.”
WATCH | Provinces reach for mix of reopening, COVID-19 precautions:
Three provinces — Ontario, Quebec and Alberta — have announced the easing of restrictions, some immediate, some phased in. Strict measures have reduced COVID-19 caseloads and some experts warn relaxing them could bring another spike in cases. 2:39
‘Mixed messaging’ between health experts, provinces
All of the provinces that moved toward reopening this week cited reduced caseloads as reasoning for their strategies, despite the fact that cases of the variants continue to rise.
At least three provinces have confirmed community spread of the variants and there have been more than 450 variant cases in Canada to date.
But at the federal level, dire warnings about reopening amid the spread of variants seems to conflict with what’s happening on the ground.
“Resurgence will happen really fast, so this is the time to be vigilant against the variants,” Canada’s Chief Public Health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said during a press conference Friday.
“We need to really be very cautious about easing public health measures at this time while vaccination is just beginning to accelerate.”
Dhalla says there’s a growing disconnect between provincial politicians and medical officers of health across the country, which is only adding to confusion for the public.
Customers enjoy indoor dining at Hunter’s Country Kitchen in Carstairs, Alta., Monday, as Alberta begins a plan to ease restrictions. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)
“I think what we’re also starting to see is a little bit of mixed messaging again,” he said.
For example, in Toronto — where a stay-at-home order is in place until at least Feb. 22 — the medical officer of health said this week the city was on the verge of a “new pandemic” due to the spread of variants in the city, which has already found cases of variants first identified in the U.K., South Africa and Brazil.
“It was inevitable the variants of concern would emerge in Toronto,” Dr. Eileen de Villa said during a press conference.
“We are in a position of great uncertainty with respect to variants but what we know is alarming. I understand the value of preparing for the time we can lift restrictions. From a public health perspective in Toronto, that time is not now.”
Threat of variants kept restrictions in some provinces
British Columbia said last week it would be extending its public health restrictions indefinitely, despite recent signs that the province is driving transmission down even with at least 40 cases of variants detected.
“Right now, we need to stay the path,” Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said. “We need to protect the progress we have made and not squander our progress.”
A Vancouver waiter delivers wine to masked diners outdoors. In B.C., restrictions on gathering with people outside your household that were imposed in November remain in place with no end date. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
New Brunswick is another province sticking with strict public health measures despite having just four confirmed cases of B117. Parts of the province are under lockdown and non-essential travel discouraged in other regions.
“They are going to come to New Brunswick, if they’re not already here,” said chief medical officer of health Dr. Jennifer Russell of the variants late last month after measures were imposed.
“We are in the middle of the second wave right now, but the third wave is going to be upon us very soon and that third wave is much worse than the first and second combined and this third wave is as a result of these new more transmissible, more contagious variants.”
Dr. David Fisman, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health, says Canada is already starting to see the early warnings of a surge driven by variants and his research predicts a third wave could come as early as March.
“[B117] is doing here what it’s done in Denmark and the U.K. — the new strains are starting to outcompete the old strains,” he said. “Even though it’s a small minority of strains, they’re spreading better here than the old variants are spreading.”
Saxinger says stronger action needs to be taken “extremely early” to prevent a devastating third wave from variants in Canada and hesitating to act could jeopardize our ability to drive case numbers down — even with strict public health measures that have worked in the past.
“The leash just has to be very, very short,” she said.
“Because there’s no way we’re going to have enough vaccines into all the vulnerable populations over the next few months to be able to avert preventable deaths if there’s another big surge.”
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Skinstitut Holiday Gift Kits take the stress out of gifting
Toronto, October 31, 2024 – Beauty gifts are at the top of holiday wish lists this year, and Laser Clinics Canada, a leader in advanced beauty treatments and skincare, is taking the pressure out of seasonal shopping. Today, Laser Clincs Canada announces the arrival of its 2024 Holiday Gift Kits, courtesy of Skinstitut, the exclusive skincare line of Laser Clinics Group.
In time for the busy shopping season, the limited-edition Holiday Gifts Kits are available in Laser Clinics locations in the GTA and Ottawa. Clinics are conveniently located in popular shopping centers, including Hillcrest Mall, Square One, CF Sherway Gardens, Scarborough Town Centre, Rideau Centre, Union Station and CF Markville. These limited-edition Kits are available on a first come, first served basis.
“These kits combine our best-selling products, bundled to address the most relevant skin concerns we’re seeing among our clients,” says Christina Ho, Senior Brand & LAM Manager at Laser Clinics Canada. “With several price points available, the kits offer excellent value and suit a variety of gift-giving needs, from those new to cosmeceuticals to those looking to level up their skincare routine. What’s more, these kits are priced with a savings of up to 33 per cent so gift givers can save during the holiday season.
There are two kits to select from, each designed to address key skin concerns and each with a unique theme — Brightening Basics and Hydration Heroes.
Brightening Basics is a mix of everyday essentials for glowing skin for all skin types. The bundle comes in a sleek pink, reusable case and includes three full-sized products: 200ml gentle cleanser, 50ml Moisture Defence (normal skin) and 30ml1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum. The Brightening Basics kit is available at $129, a saving of 33 per cent.
Hydration Heroes is a mix of hydration essentials and active heroes that cater to a wide variety of clients. A perfect stocking stuffer, this bundle includes four deluxe products: Moisture 15 15 ml Defence for normal skin, 10 ml 1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum, 10 ml Retinol Serum and 50 ml Expert Squalane Cleansing Oil. The kit retails at $59.
In addition to the 2024 Holiday Gifts Kits, gift givers can easily add a Laser Clinic Canada gift card to the mix. Offering flexibility, recipients can choose from a wide range of treatments offered by Laser Clinics Canada, or they can expand their collection of exclusive Skinstitut products.
Brightening Basics 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut, available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.
Hydration Heroes 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut – available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
The Canadian Paediatric Society says doctors should regularly screen children for reading difficulties and dyslexia, calling low literacy a “serious public health concern” that can increase the risk of other problems including anxiety, low self-esteem and behavioural issues, with lifelong consequences.
New guidance issued Wednesday says family doctors, nurses, pediatricians and other medical professionals who care for school-aged kids are in a unique position to help struggling readers access educational and specialty supports, noting that identifying problems early couldhelp kids sooner — when it’s more effective — as well as reveal other possible learning or developmental issues.
The 10 recommendations include regular screening for kids aged four to seven, especially if they belong to groups at higher risk of low literacy, including newcomers to Canada, racialized Canadians and Indigenous Peoples. The society says this can be done in a two-to-three-minute office-based assessment.
Other tips encourage doctors to look for conditions often seen among poor readers such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; to advocate for early literacy training for pediatric and family medicine residents; to liaise with schools on behalf of families seeking help; and to push provincial and territorial education ministries to integrate evidence-based phonics instruction into curriculums, starting in kindergarten.
Dr. Scott McLeod, one of the authors and chair of the society’s mental health and developmental disabilities committee, said a key goal is to catch kids who may be falling through the cracks and to better connect families to resources, including quicker targeted help from schools.
“Collaboration in this area is so key because we need to move away from the silos of: everything educational must exist within the educational portfolio,” McLeod said in an interview from Calgary, where he is a developmental pediatrician at Alberta Children’s Hospital.
“Reading, yes, it’s education, but it’s also health because we know that literacy impacts health. So I think that a statement like this opens the window to say: Yes, parents can come to their health-care provider to get advice, get recommendations, hopefully start a collaboration with school teachers.”
McLeod noted that pediatricians already look for signs of low literacy in young children by way of a commonly used tool known as the Rourke Baby Record, which offers a checklist of key topics, such as nutrition and developmental benchmarks, to cover in a well-child appointment.
But he said questions about reading could be “a standing item” in checkups and he hoped the society’s statement to medical professionals who care for children “enhances their confidence in being a strong advocate for the child” while spurring partnerships with others involved in a child’s life such as teachers and psychologists.
The guidance said pediatricians also play a key role in detecting and monitoring conditions that often coexist with difficulty reading such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but McLeod noted that getting such specific diagnoses typically involves a referral to a specialist, during which time a child continues to struggle.
He also acknowledged that some schools can be slow to act without a specific diagnosis from a specialist, and even then a child may end up on a wait list for school interventions.
“Evidence-based reading instruction shouldn’t have to wait for some of that access to specialized assessments to occur,” he said.
“My hope is that (by) having an existing statement or document written by the Canadian Paediatric Society … we’re able to skip a few steps or have some of the early interventions present,” he said.
McLeod added that obtaining specific assessments from medical specialists is “definitely beneficial and advantageous” to know where a child is at, “but having that sort of clear, thorough assessment shouldn’t be a barrier to intervention starting.”
McLeod said the society was partly spurred to act by 2022’s “Right to Read Inquiry Report” from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which made 157 recommendations to address inequities related to reading instruction in that province.
He called the new guidelines “a big reminder” to pediatric providers, family doctors, school teachers and psychologists of the importance of literacy.
“Early identification of reading difficulty can truly change the trajectory of a child’s life.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.
