TORONTO —
The novel coronavirus became a reality in Canada six months ago today.
A man who had travelled to Wuhan, China, had fallen ill after returning to his home in a Toronto suburb. He sought medical attention, and doctors diagnosed him with Canada’s first presumptive positive case of the virus. Two days later, test results on the man came back positive, and his wife was diagnosed as the country’s second presumptive patient.
As this was happening, health officials from B.C.to Ottawawere saying that there was little risk to Canadians, and the World Health Organization (WHO) was holding off on declaring the virus a global health emergency.
Much has changed since then. The disease caused by the virus has been given a name – COVID-19 – and the world is in the grip of the greatest pandemic in decades. There have been more than 15 million confirmed cases of the virus and more than 600,000 deaths worldwide, according to Johns Hopkins University. In Canada, there have been more than 110,000 cases – more than the entire population of Moncton, N.B. – and nearly 9,000 deaths.
Half a year after COVID-19 first showed itself in Canada, CTVNews.ca asked seven prominent epidemiologists, public health experts and infectious disease specialists to look back at the pandemic responses of Canada, the United States and the world as a whole, and put together a report card for each – assessing their strengths and weaknesses thus far, and assigning them a letter grade.
Our expert panel includes:
Dr. Anna Banerji, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Toronto
Dr. Lisa Barrett, an infectious disease specialist at Dalhousie University in Halifax
Dr. Zain Chagla, an infectious disease specialist at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.
Dr. Sumon Chakrabarti, an infectious disease specialist based in Mississauga, Ont.
Dr. Brian Conway, president and medical director of the Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre
Dr. Ronald St. John, the first director-general of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Centre for Emergency Preparedness
Ashleigh Tuite, an epidemiology professor at the University of Toronto
CANADA BETTER THAN AVERAGE
Although all of our experts said that our country’s response to the pandemic had obvious room for improvement, Canada was given high marks relative to the U.S. and the world.
“We’re in a position where we have low community spread all over the country, to a point that we even have the option of safely … opening indoor dining and bars and schools,” Chakrabarti told CTVNews.ca via telephone July 21.
“In the grand scheme of things, we have actually done a very good job and we should actually be proud of ourselves for that — but proud in a way that we don’t get complacent.”
Chakrabarti gave Canada an A-minus – the highest mark of any of our experts, though not by much. He noted that most other countries with similar caseloads went through periods where their hospitals were overwhelmed, which was never the case here.
“We never were at a point where we felt appreciably out of control,” he said.
Many of the experts praised Canada’s federal, provincial and municipal governments for often presenting a united front during the pandemic, learning from experiences elsewhere in the country and usually having clear, rational explanations for decisions around shutting down and reopening parts of the country.
“Even though we don’t necessarily agree on every level of risk, there is at least some methodology to it,” Chagla said July 21 in an emailto CTVNews.ca, in which he graded Canada’s performance as a B-minus.
“A lot of health-care workers and front-line workers and EMS really put themselves at risk at the beginning, because we didn’t have the supplies,” Banerji said in a telephone interview on July 22.
While governments may have fallen short at times, most of the experts had praise for how Canadians as a whole listened to public health advice.
“Canadians get an A-plus. Regardless of what the policy said, they generally did the right thing regardless,” Barrett told CTVNews.ca July 23 in a telephone interview. Barrett gave Canada as a whole a lower B-plus, due to foreseeable issues affecting long-term care homes and other vulnerable settings.
Canadians’ attitudes are also shifting around the accuracy of test results, Banerji said, as more evidence emerges that false negative results are a significant problem – leading to advice that anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home, even if they have tested negative.
Inaccurate tests are just one of several problems the experts warned will be on the horizon as provinces reopen the businesses and sectors of society that were closed in the spring. The long-term lack of federal funding for Indigenous health care is another, Banerji said, while Tuite noted that some parts of the country still lack the capacity to carry out effective contact tracing.
Conway, who gave Canada a B-plus, cautioned that young adults may see reopening as a sign that the country is returning to normal, which could be dangerous as long as the virus remains active.
“There is a lack of understanding that public health measures are still needed and that we are possibly not ever going back to the full-on old normal,” he said July 22 in an email.
Despite the challenges in the past and those that may be ahead, the experts’ grades reflect that they feel Canada has weathered the pandemic relatively well – especially considering the situationon the other side of the world’s largest international border.
Chakrabarti said that while he’d give New Zealand an A-plus for its coronavirus response, its geography gives it a built-in advantage over most other countries.
“We don’t have the luxury of being an island nation,” he said.
“We have the U.S. next door to us, and they have the worst outbreak in the entire world, and we were still able to get to this point.”
5 OUT OF 7 SAY U.S. FLUNKS
Is the American pandemic experience really the worst in the world? It depends how you measure it.
Our southern neighbour does have the highest raw numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths anywhere, and its testing rate is low enough that it cannot account for that. But several European countries have worse per capita death rates.
Regardless of whether the U.S. is at the absolute bottom of the list, our panel made it clear they can find little to praise in the American response. Five of the seven experts gave the U.S. a failing grade.
“[The U.S. is] a raging flunk. What’s your lowest letter?” St. John said July 21 during a telephone interview.
The greatest scorn, though, was reserved for what many of the experts described as a clear lack of federal leadership. Unlike in Canada, where provincial and local authorities have generally followed the federal handbook, mixed messages have abounded.
“There’s been conflicting messaging and communication and an overall anti-science feel to national response,” Tuite said July 21 in an email.
Tuite actually gave the U.S. the highest grade of anyone we asked – a D – but categorized the American response as disappointing, noting that the surges of the past month were “predictable and preventable.”
Those surges have led to “50 states [that] seem like they’re doing 50 different things,” as Chakrabarti put it, with no clear nationwide approach to stopping the virus or even fully understanding its progress.
“I don’t even know if this is a first wave or a second wave,” Banerji said.
Barrett noted that there has been “a lot less overall buy-in” from Americans than Canadians and others when it comes to adjusting lifestyles in order to halt the spread of the virus.
“You can open Disney World, but no one has to go – and everyone did,” she said.
St. John, who started his career at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, said he has been “amazed” by how small a role that organization has had in the American response.
“Ordinarily it would be the CDC that would be leading this and co-ordinating things across the entire country — and they’re nowhere to be seen,” he said.
The CDC may be nearly invisible in Washington’s response to the pandemic, but one public health leader has been much more prominent. Several of our experts singled out Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, for his work to keep science at the forefront of the American debate.
In giving the U.S. a D-minus, Chakrabarti described Fauci as “one of the brightest shining lights” of the American pandemic experience, noting that he was one of the first prominent voices to tout the staged approach to reopening now being used across Canada.
However, Fauci’s frank manner and willingness to contradict the White House have repeatedly put him at odds with U.S. President Donald Trump, who appears to be less rigorous about sticking to scientific consensus.
“You have to give [Fauci] credit for trying to talk about science, but you’ve got the head of the country that says maybe by injecting bleach, you can stop COVID,” Banerji said.
“There’s no consistency. There’s nothing there. To me, it’s unbelievable,” Banerji said.
And things could well get worse as community spread continues unchecked in some parts of the country. Even Trump has admitted that there will likely be further escalation of virus activity before the situation starts to improve.
“It is still early days, and the U.S. is in the worst possible position to deal with events going forward,” Conway said.
THE WORLD GETS A ‘C’
Ultimately, neither Canada nor the U.S. can eliminate COVID-19 on their own. As Health Minister Patty Hajdu has said, “as long as COVID is raging out of control in another country, Canadians will not be safe.”
So, how are we doing on that front? How is humanity doing at fighting off what might be the greatest collective threat to emerge in decades?
Our experts were nearly unanimous on this question, with six out of seven giving the world a C. Most said this was a sort of average grade, taking into account the parts of the world where the virus has been beaten back and those where it is still raging uncontrollably. Overall, though, there was a general air of pessimism.
“Globally we have learned that we were not prepared for a pandemic,” Tuite said.
Since it was first reported in Chinaat the end of 2019, the virus has followed a relatively straight pattern across the planet – first affecting South Korea, Japan and other Asian nations, then moving on to Europe and crossing the Atlantic Ocean to North America, before finally emerging in South America and Africa.
By following this track, the virus has been able to ramp up its activity in countries including Brazil, India and South Africa even as earlier-hit nations in Asia and Europe have largely got a handle on it.
Several of our experts said this should not come as a surprise, especially given the lack of proper health-care resources in some parts of the developing world – the gulf between “the haves and the have-nots,” as Banerji put it.
“At least the States has the ability to contain this. We don’t have that in other [countries],” Chakrabarti said.
“What’s happening in other parts of the world is likely going to get worse before it gets better.”
Barrett said that she fears the deteriorating situation in the developing world may be ignored by the developed world, presenting a major hurdle to eradicating the virus.
“The biggest challenge right now really, really, really is that we’re nowhere near done,” she said.
Several experts noted that the pandemic has shown the ability of many of the world’s countries to work together, both in sharing information about the virus and in working to develop vaccines and treatments for it – even though there has never before been a successful vaccine for a coronavirus.
“[There is] a clear understanding this is a pandemic and we are all in this together,” Conway said.
And while disastrous COVID-19 situations in some countries can have some questioning the world’s readiness to deal with a pandemic, Banerji said that it’s important to remember the virus itself is a difficult enemy to defeat.
“This is one of the most highly infectious viruses that we’ve had at least in 100 years, maybe in several hundred years. This is as bad as it gets,” she said.
“Even with the best procedure or policy, it’s still very difficult to contain.”
MONTREAL – Matt Coronato scored the game-tying goal and the overtime winner in a dramatic finish, but video coach Jamie Pringle was the hero on Tuesday night.
Before Coronato powered a Calgary Flames comeback, Brendan Gallagher appeared to give the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 lead with 8:24 remaining in the third.
Pringle, however, instantly flagged the goal for offside. Then the Flames challenged successfully, and Coronato did the rest as Calgary flipped the script and won 3-2 in overtime.
“I was just saying that a post is normally a goalie’s best friend, but I think the video coach is now number two,” Flames netminder Dustin Wolf said.
Canadiens forward Josh Anderson had set up Gallagher on an odd-man rush, though it was unclear in real-time if Anderson had full control of the puck when he entered the Flames’ zone backward.
The Bell Centre’s roof nearly blew off with Canadiens fans celebrating like it was a sure thing, but Pringle thought otherwise.
“We’ve always been confident in Jamie,” Flames head coach Ryan Huska said. “He’s the best guy in the league. So another situation where he flashed it up, challenge right away.
“We don’t get this win if it’s not for the courage that he showed. You have a great guy in that chair for a reason. And Jamie did a great job for us, keeping us in this game tonight.”
Pringle, a 49-year-old from Picton, Ont., who’s also known as “Chips,” is in his 14th season with the Flames.
And it wasn’t the first time he played a crucial role in a victory this season.
In Calgary’s 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Oct. 13, the video coach successfully challenged two goals, including one Corey Perry deflection that the hockey world was convinced should have counted.
Pringle made the snap decision anyway, even though a failed challenge would put his team on the penalty kill.
“He’s hot this year,” forward Blake Coleman said. “You know what? He needed to redeem himself after a tough last year. We had some good chats down the stretch, and he’s been on fire.
“I’d say of all the guys on our team, he’s probably the one who hasn’t missed a night so far.”
Coronato showed up at the right time on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old winger tied the game with 2:46 remaining in regulation when he cruised into the slot and went off the post and in. He then buried the winning goal seven seconds into the extra period, coming one second shy of tying the fastest OT goal in NHL history.
“He’s remarkable. He’s had so many chances to score, and he’s kind of been snaked bit a few times,” Wolf said. “To see him score on two unbelievable shots, that’s a scouting report on him, his shot’s lethal.”
“The kid can shoot it,” Coleman added. “Couple big ones.”
Coronato, a 13th overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft, spent most of last season in the American Hockey League with the Calgary Wranglers.
This season, he’s played two games in the AHL and eight in the NHL. And with performances like Tuesday’s, he can expect plenty more in the big leagues.
“Sometimes with younger players, you put them in the American League for a bit and it’s hard on them,” Huska said. “There’s a long-term plan for sure. We know how good he’s going to be for us. We just want to make sure that we are putting him in situations that he’s going to be ready for and be able to have success.
“He’s done an excellent job of preparing himself to play, and we saw the result of his effort tonight.”
The Flames (7-5-1) picked up their second win in seven games to kick off a three-game road trip. Meanwhile, the Canadiens (4-7-2) dropped their fourth in a row ahead of four games away from home.
“We didn’t throw up on ourselves tonight, but we still feel a bit sick to our stomachs,” head coach Martin St. Louis said, referencing a post-game assessment he delivered after a 6-3 loss last week in Washington.
The Canadiens didn’t paint a picture of doom and gloom in the dressing room despite coming a couple minutes shy of securing two points and snapping their skid, but St. Louis said his players should leave this game “hungry” to get in the win column.
“If I was in their shoes, I’d wish we played tomorrow,” he said. “That’s what I would want to feel like. That’s what I want to be like.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis Blues forward Dylan Holloway left Tuesday night’s contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning and departed the rink on a stretcher after being struck by a puck late in the first period.
Holloway was hit in the neck area by a puck with 2:37 remaining in the period, and proceeded to finish his shift, continuing to participate in the play before skating to the bench under his own power.
As play was stopped with 1:11 remaining for a high-sticking penalty that was later called off, teammates started calling and gesturing for assistance.
Blues trainer Ray Barile and medical staff from both teams tended to Holloway for several minutes before emergency medical technicians carted him off the bench on a stretcher.
“I was just sitting beside him and saw something was happening,” Blues forward Alexey Toropchenko said. “I told Ray. He knows what he’s doing. I was just kind of curious to what’s going on. Doctors came in and, like, I think everything is good right now. But we were worried, everybody.”
Holloway was seen raising his arm as he was carted off. The Blues later announced that Holloway was alert and stable and was rushed to a St. Louis area hospital for further observation.
“I think the only way I can put is if you’re at work, and you get a call, and one of your family members is sick, and you rush to the hospital,” Blues coach Drew Bannister said.
“Holly’s a family member. That was tough. I thought we, as a group, showed a lot of fortitude, and the way mentally being able to push through that, because the easiest thing to do is your head goes somewhere else. But, we were able to get updates on Holly and kind of put our minds at ease a little bit and refocus ourselves.”
Referees Wes McCauley and Cody Beach sent the teams to their locker rooms and started the first intermission after Holloway was transported off the bench due to the nature of the injury.
“It’s hard,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said. “It’s your teammate. Then we got news that he’s going to be fine. And then, you have to wrap your head around it a little bit and go play a hockey game again, right?
“So that’s just, unfortunately, the reality of the sport, and it took us awhile to get going.”
St. Louis rallied to score three goals after falling behind 1-0 early in the second period to beat Tampa Bay 3-2.
WINNIPEG – Nino Niederreiter showed his veteran savvy in his 900th NHL career game on Tuesday.
The Winnipeg Jets forward scored twice and Connor Hellebuyck made 21 saves in a 3-0 victory over the Utah Hockey Club that kept the team’s early-season success rolling with a fourth consecutive win (12-1-0).
On his first goal, the 32-year Niederreiter lifted a Utah opponent’s stick in Winnipeg’s end, allowing the Jets to get the puck and head toward the visitor’s net.
Niederreiter then joined the rush, deked and put the puck around netminder Karel Vejmelka for a 2-0 lead at 7:30 of the third period with his sixth goal of the season.
“Obviously, the game wasn’t very pretty,” Niederreiter said. “There wasn’t a whole lot of flow out there. I think that is something that we knew and just had to stick with and do the little things right.
“Eventually, we would create our own luck and that’s what happened there.”
And what about his deke in front of 12,932 fans at Canada Life Centre?
“I still got it somewhere in there,” Niederreiter said with a smile. “It’s a great feeling, like I said. It’s a cool night to score a goal like that.”
His second goal — the 230th of his career — was into an empty net with 2:59 remaining. He also has 225 assists for 455 career points.
Gabriel Vilardi scored the first goal at 17:57 of the second period on the power play and Adam Lowry picked up two assists.
Hellebuyck recorded his second shutout of the season and 39th of this career.
Niederreiter signed a three-year contract extension with the Jets last December. The $12-million deal kicked in this season.
He’s now scored against 33 NHL teams, including the Jets.
“It’s a cool stat, but I think it also says that I’ve been traded a few times,” he said. “But I guess it gives me the chance to do that.”
Niederreiter was drafted in 2010 by the New York Islanders (fifth overall), becoming Switzerland’s highest NHL pick.
He’s also played for the Minnesota Wild, Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators before being traded to the Jets in February 2023.
Jets head coach Scott Arniel was impressed by Niederreiter’s quick-thinking stick lift.
“We’ll throw that on the old system video,” he said. “But that’s just going the distance, coming all the way back and he creates that.
“We’re never out of it. You never know how a puck’s going to bounce. He just kept coming and obviously we turned that offence the other way.”
Arniel said the team recognized Niederreiter’s milestone.
“That’s special. That’s a lot of games,” Arniel said. “We had a little tribute to him, saw all his pictures from all the jerseys he’s worn and the places he’s played.
“He hasn’t changed a bit. He’s a big power forward and that line I thought was really good. They take that (Clayton) Keller line on, those skill guys. They did a really good job.”
Niederreiter is on a line with Lowry and Mason Appleton.
“Those guys on the PK were really strong,” Arniel added. “When that line plays like that they’re a force, they’re hard to handle. They wear teams down because they spend so much time in the offensive zone.”
Utah (5-5-3) ended a run of picking up points in three consecutive games (1-0-2).
Vejmelka stopped 25 shots for Utah in its second game of a four-game road trip.
“They know what to expect of each other. They play a really, really structured game, and they were patient tonight,” Utah head coach Andre Tourigny said of the Jets.
“I think that was a good chess game. They got one on the power play and from there they waited for the opportunity to have a killer goal. They did a good job.”
NOTES: Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey picked up his 14th assist of the season when his point shot with five seconds left in a power play was tipped in by Vilardi. … Kyle Connor had his franchise-record, season-opening points streak end at 12 games. He almost picked up an assist until Vilardi tipped in Morrissey’s shot.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 5, 2024.
