Addressing misinformation and disinformation in social media -- the distinction between the two is important and its explained below -- is crucial to ending the pandemic and pursuing healthy public policy. The following is an article from the World Health Organization on the COVID-19 infodemic.
Ontario is doing very well with vaccination rollout, but we cannot bring our guard down. Epidemiologist David Fisman reports that Ontario has an R for the Delta variant firmly above 1 again, even as the R for earlier variants of concern falls away, and the expected decline in cases has ceased. In short, the Delta variant continues to spread and we urge the premier not to advance the reopening to Step 2 before the originally scheduled date.
On behalf of our 46,000 RNs, NPs and nursing student members, RNAO condemns the violent and fatal attack on the Afzaal family on June 6 in London, Ontario. Our members work to heal and save lives and, collectively, we are heartbroken by the loss of these precious lives and the injuries to their nine-year-old son. Such a despicable act of hate has no place in Canada or anywhere around the world and RNAO condemns – in the strongest terms – all acts of hate and terror.
COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the whole community – including nurses and other health professionals – in Ontario, Canada and internationally. We thank RNs, RPN/LPNs, and NPs – RNAO members and non-members – who have already responded to this international survey. If you have not yet done so, please consider the impact it will have. The aim of this survey is to find out how nurses are feeling about their work, and how they have been impacted by COVID-19, across a comparison of 150 countries. It will allow RNAO and the international community to learn what we have in common, and what is different, in terms of nurses’ wellbeing and the crisis in nursing human resources.
One question not addressed in the article above by Dr. Alexander Wong is the dosing interval between the first AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine, and the second dose (whether AZ or mRNA). This is a topical question, which I address in the commentary that follows.
Ontarians have received about 900,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, mostly as a first dose. These Ontarians now have the choice of getting a second dose of the AstraZeneca or an mRNA vaccine. The following article, addressing the question of which one they should choose, is from Alexander Wong, an associate professor of infectious diseases at the University of Saskatchewan.
RNAO continues to be active in the media to keep nurses, other health providers and the public informed of our views and advise during these challenging times. This month, we spoke out on many important issues, including long-term care (LTC), vaccinations, nurse burnout and the measures required to bring an end to the pandemic.
RNAO is keenly aware of the importance of schools for the mental, social and physical health of children, as well as for their academic development. The pandemic has been very hard for everyone and in particular for young students and their parents. However, the risk of reopening schools for the remaining three weeks of the academic year is too high.
RNAO is keenly aware of the importance of schools for the mental, social and physical health of children, as well as for their academic development. The pandemic has been very hard for everyone and in particular for young students and their parents. However, the risk of reopening schools for the remaining three weeks of the academic year is too high. Thus, RNAO fully supports Premier Doug Ford's June 2 decision to delay the reopening of schools for in-person classes until September.
Vaccine passports may become unavoidable as we gradually move out of the pandemic. RNAO supports the use of one if it is designed in the proper way, given the serious concerns about equity, safety and privacy. We started the conversation before and now continue with an article published March 23 by Laurin Weissinger, a lecturer in cybersecurity at Tufts University.