Colin Furness: Latest News

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09.10.2022 / 07:51

Caution should be on the table this Thanksgiving as new COVID variants swirl: experts

With Thanksgiving around the corner, health experts are advising Canadians to exercise caution as new variants of the COVID-19 virus swirl across the country.

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Random COVID-19 testing at Canada’s border forcing uninfected travellers to quarantine

COVID-19 and those currently infected by it, according to a statement from the government received by Global News.The mandatory measure, which affects roughly 1 in 20 fully vaccinated travellers entering Canada, is also leading to healthy travellers being forced to quarantine.The tests being used — PCR or molecular tests — are too sensitive to tell the difference between active infections and previous infections. Experts warn ArriveCAN app could be violating constitutionally protected rights Still, the government insists on using these tests because it says they’re the “gold standard” for detecting the virus, even if they may be catching people who fully recovered from it.“You’re shooting at a dartboard with a blindfold on,” said Colin Furness, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist at the University of Toronto.“I want us to do disease surveillance.

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Canada to end COVID-19 rapid test shipments. Experts say it could be ‘too soon’

COVID-19 rapid tests — a tool that experts consider vital to fighting the pandemic — will not be shipped to Canadian provinces and territories come year’s end, and some fear “it may be too soon” for such a decision.“Rapid tests are an amazing tool. So if not those, then what,” Colin Furness, infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s faculty of information, questioned while speaking to Global News Friday.

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COVID-19 free: How have so many people escaped the virus? Here’s what we know

COVID-19 free – or at least, have not tested positive for it.In Canada, nearly 3.5 million coronavirus cases have been reported, which is nine per cent of the total population — but what about the rest?Experts say due diligence with public health measures, the power of vaccination and a little luck have kept many COVID-19 free. COVID-19 will be with us for ‘foreseeable future’ PHAC says, warning of future waves “To not get COVID, you have to be careful, meticulously careful and also fortunate,” said Colin Furness, infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto.Your location and living arrangement can increase the likelihood of catching COVID-19, with studies showing that marginalized communities are at greater risk of infection.Genetic factors, that have not yet been identified, could also be playing a role with some people being simply impervious to COVID-19, said Furness.That can also explain why people have different reactions to the virus and experience varying symptoms.

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January 2022 third deadliest month in Manitoba since start of the pandemic

Number of COVID-19 deaths in Manitoba continues to rise Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto, says this shows just how far-reaching the Omicron variant is.“What it says is that the Omicron variant, while mild for many, is still really dreadful for some,” Furness told Global News.“Overall, across the population there’s less hospitalizations, there’s less severe outcomes. But the fact of the matter is that far more people are becoming infected.

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Boosters not enough to blunt Omicron wave, experts say: ‘There isn’t time’

COVID-19 booster shots on Monday morning — and in many regions, they were gone in minutes.While demand is high for third doses of COVID-19 vaccine, the supply can’t keep up, and experts say we can’t beat the Omicron variant wave through vaccination alone. COVID vaccine boosters snapped up in Ontario, new restrictions in effect in some provinces “There isn’t time,” said Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto.“The fact of the matter is that we have millions of these to deliver and we need time to do that.

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The latest on what’s known about the Omicron COVID-19 variant

Friday marked one week since the World Health Organization declared Omicron a variant of concern. Infection control epidemiologist Dr. Colin Furness answers some questions about the strain.

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Small but mighty: Vaccinating Canadian kids could see rates jump nearly 7%

COVID-19 vaccine, and experts say this could be a big help in Canada’s pandemic fight.“The difference is going to be huge. The impact is going to be huge,” said Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist at the University of Toronto.Health Canada approved Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11 on Nov.

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Canada’s 4th COVID-19 wave will be among unvaccinated, with fewer restrictions: experts

COVID-19 within Canada could be among the unvaccinated, but it likely won’t be enough to bring back sweeping restrictions previously seen, according to experts.“The next wave … is going to be primarily experienced by unvaccinated people,” University of Toronto epidemiologist Dr. Colin Furness said.

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Growing vaccine hostility in U.S. will be extremely difficult to fix, experts warn

Joe Biden’s administration had failed to “sucker” most of the American people into getting vaccinated against COVID-19.“Clearly that isn’t happening,” writer Alex Berenson said, drawing applause and cheers from the crowd.Despite the best efforts of some health and government officials, outright hostility against getting vaccinated has taken root among some conservative segments of America. It’s a trend that experts say will be extremely difficult to overcome, thanks to deep political polarization and the spread of misinformation.“It comes down to trust,” said Colin Furness, an epidemiologist at the University of Toronto.

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Hamilton reports 141 new COVID-19 cases, specialist concerned about variants amid reopening

Ontario government set to unveil a gradual COVID-19 reopening plan after a weeks-long stay-at-home order, a Toronto epidemiologist is suggesting that the province needs to be careful to not trade a great summer for a bad fall.Dr. Colin Furness, epidemiologist and associate professor with the University of Toronto says he expects several million people in Ontario will not be vaccinated by the end of the summer based on the speed of the current programs which will leave many susceptible to aggressive variants.“So in September, we’re going to have four or five million susceptible people and a very aggressive variant that could produce a very ugly wave if we let it,” Furness told Global News.

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Canada now vaccinating over 100K per day. Here’s what it will take to hit September target

COVID-19 vaccine rollout, administering more than 100,000 doses per day.This is a great start but more needs to be done if the federal government wants to achieve its goal of having most Canadians vaccinated by September, Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist at the University of Toronto, said in an email to Global News.“It’s not even remotely fast enough,” he said.

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Coronavirus: 6.3M travellers entered Canada and didn’t quarantine

coronavirus pandemic didn’t have to complete the mandatory 14-day quarantine, according to new statistics provided by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).This includes truck drivers and other people involved in the transportation of commercial goods, cross-border workers who travel to the United States regularly, and people who arrive in Canada by plane, either from the U.S. or other countries directly.“The border is not closed,” said Colin Furness, an infectious control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto.

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Experts say testing, sick leave, enforcement needed to slow workplace spread in Ontario

COVID-19, workplace spread has been singled out by public health experts, mayors and top health officials as a major source of infections.Experts and workers say government measures so far haven’t directly targeted the issue, but fairly simple practices would help track and reduce infections.Epidemiologist Colin Furness at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health said there should be clear consequences for employers that don’t take proper precautions at this point in the pandemic. More than 200K small businesses could close permanently amid pandemic: CFIB “We know from contact tracing data and outbreak investigations what some of the most risky environments are.

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Lockdowns, curfew, stay-at-home order: What’s next in Canada’s COVID-19 fight?

Coronavirus: Ontario declares 2nd state of emergency, issues stay-at-home order On Tuesday, the province issued a state of emergency and a stay-at-home order, which means all Ontario residents must stay at home except for essential reasons.Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto, argued that from a public health point of view, restricting travel between provinces will help stop the spread of COVID-19.“From a public health standpoint, I think travel is an incredibly unsafe thing to do,” he said.

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Coronavirus messaging hurt by ‘stupidity’ of travelling politicians, experts worry

coronavirus pandemic is selfish and hypocritical, health experts say.The move is “tone-deaf politically,” Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto, said.“I mean, to not be able to read the country, to not be able to read the mood and think somehow this was OK,” he said. “The stupidity is surprising.”Dr.

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Toronto sees stubbornly high cases despite restrictions

Infection control epidemiologist Dr. Colin Furness shares insight on whether the new restrictions will make a difference in bringing Toronto’s record high COVID-19 case numbers.

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Mixing coronavirus vaccines without necessary data ‘a huge gamble,’ experts say

coronavirus shouldn’t be mixed-and-matched, despite Britain’s recent decision to allow the practice to be used in rare occasions, health experts say.Mixing different coronavirus vaccines without any data to suggest the safety and efficacy of the practice is “a huge gamble,” Dr. Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto said.“I think it’s irresponsible … it’s unethical because we don’t know what that does,” he said.

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Canada could see ‘grotesque’ spike in coronavirus cases after holidays: expert

coronavirus which continues to spread rapidly across the country.Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto, said Canadians should expect to see a “grotesque” spike in the number of COVID-19 infections after the holidays “because of family visiting.”“This will tend to be in homes, in close quarters, with shared air, for prolonged periods, without masks, and involving mixing people from different households,” Furness wrote in an email to Global News.Furness said there will be a lot of “close physical contact.”“These are all risk factors for COVID,” he said.

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New COVID-19 modelling numbers should be a wake-up call for Canadians: expert

Infection control epidemiologist Dr. Colin Furness joins The Morning Show gives the latest COVID-19 updates from Canada.

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‘We need it now’: Experts say at-home coronavirus tests critical to fight 2nd wave

coronavirus tests?Infectious disease experts have been asking themselves — and public health officials — this for months.“If every Canadian had that in their medicine cabinet, we might be able to test our way out of this,” said Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto.“The stakes are high. We really do need it now.”But like any medical test, there are hurdles to cross before getting a stamp of approval.

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How can the feds step up their coronavirus response? Experts are divided

coronavirus cases across Canada, with Ontario shattering daily case count records and Manitoba placing the entire province under “Code Red” restrictions. In Quebec, the premier said Thursday that he’s considering a brief shutdown of the province’s schools in a bid to slow the ongoing spread of the virus.

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What is a ‘superspreader event’ and are gyms still safe?

A Hamilton Ont., spin studio recently reported 61 cases of COVID-19, one of the biggest outbreaks of the virus attributed to a business in Canada.The province and health experts are concerned about potential ‘superspreader events,’ even when preventative measures are followed within indoor places.

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What is a superspreader event and are gyms still safe?

Infection control epidemiologist Colin Furness explains what a ‘superspreader’ event is and the impact it can have on the spread of the coronavirus.

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Canada has approved another rapid coronavirus test. Here’s how it could help

coronavirus pandemic, experts say the approval of a new rapid test for the virus will allow for a more targeted and proactive approach.On Wednesday, Health Canada green-lit a rapid novel coronavirus test that can detect the respiratory illness in as little as 13 minutes.A day earlier, the government announced it had signed a deal to secure 7.9 million Abbott ID Now COVID-19 rapid tests once they were approved.The tests are the fourth to be approved by Health Canada, but are able to return results the fastest.

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Is Ontario doing enough to keep COVID-19 numbers down?

Epidemiologist Dr. Colin Furness shares his insights on what the province could be doing to keep COVID-19 numbers down, and how effective current measures are.

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Winter escapes in Alberta amid the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic is almost upon us.As the colder weather approaches and Albertans are forced to spend more time back indoors, residents may be looking for an escape.With several outdoor activities ready to enjoy, some questions have arisen as to how the virus can spread in the colder weather.Colin Furness, An infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto, noted germs may linger in the air longer this winter.“As the weather cools down, this means the coronavirus may actually stay in the air longer,” Furness said.As the virus leaves your body, the cold air helps preserve it and keep it alive longer, he explained.“That’s one of the reasons we have the flu season in the colder months.”That said,

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Coronavirus face coverings under the nose equivalent to ‘not wearing a mask’: experts

face mask needs to cover both the nose and the mouth in order to be effective.Yet, months after wearing non-medical masks became official coronavirus public health guidance in Canada, the “free nose” look has become a somewhat common sight. Majority of Canadians say wearing a mask during coronavirus pandemic is a civic duty: poll “I see it everywhere.

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Winter in a pandemic: How cold air could make the coronavirus spread more easily

coronavirus cases across Canada.Some parts of Canada are already experiencing a second wave, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday.

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Temperature checks and ‘deep cleaning’ aren’t good at stopping coronavirus. So why do we bother?

coronavirus transmission?The evidence is mixed, some experts say. And measures might not always be there for the reasons you think.Take temperature checks, which are currently being performed at several Canadian airports.

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Should Canadians be concerned with surging COVID-19 cases south of the border?

There was another record-breaking rise in new COVID-19 cases in the United States Thursday. Infection control epidemiologist Colin Furness joins Global News at Noon for a look at how that could impact us north of the border.

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Scientists warn coronavirus could be airborne — What does this mean for Canadians?

coronavirus may spread through the air more than we once thought.On Saturday, the New York Times reported that 239 scientists will warn the World Health Organization that the virus can linger in the air and infect those nearby. The researchers plan to publish their evidence in a journal next week.But some Canadian infectious disease experts stop short of it being a critical cause for concern just yet.While there’s value in looking more closely at the risk associated with smaller, aerosol particles carrying the virus, the main point of transmission will still be the larger droplets, said Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto.

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Opening middle seats on airplanes amid coronavirus pandemic risky, experts say

Air Canada and WestJet both announced they will begin selling the middle seats on their aircrafts again as Canada slowly reopens amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, but experts caution that crowded cabins are risky and could lead to further outbreaks.As of July 1, both airlines will have their middle seats available for sale.The moves come after the International Air Transport Association (IATA) released a report earlier this month, calling for an end to physical distancing measures aboard aircraft.However, Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto, said he was “appalled” to learn that airlines have decided to return to selling middle seats, saying that this should “absolutely

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Kindergarten to Grade 12: What schools could look like in September, by region

Canada after coronavirus-related closures, questions remain about what measures may be in place when students and teachers return to school in the fall.It’s likely that physical distancing and robust hand hygiene will be top priorities for most regions, but experts worry about the effectiveness of physical distancing measures for children.“Kids want to hug, they want to be close,” Colin Furness, an infection control epidemiologist at the University of Toronto, previously told Global News.“I have two young kids. You can explain to them what’s going on and they can understand it, but it’s the kind of self-restraint it takes.

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Home Depot outbreak uncovers problems in shopping rules amid COVID-19: experts

coronavirus are popping up in Canada, even as cases gradually subside.Since provinces have started to reboot their economies, recreational shopping has become an increasing concern for infectious disease and public health experts. The outbreak at a Home Depot in Richmond Hill, Ont., is a prime example.“To have 14 staff members test positive, they’re clearly infecting each other.

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Health experts say COVID-19 cases will go up as Alberta reopens many activities

[ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ]Dr. Colin Furness, an epidemiologist and assistant professor in the faculty of information and the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, said testing is part of Alberta’s narrative.Furness said he initially felt anxiety when he saw how much Alberta was planning to open Friday.

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Bending the rules to go to the cottage? Here’s how to be safe

coronavirus pandemic first began, the advice was to stay put.Public health officials unanimously agreed that it was safest for everyone if Canadians didn’t travel to their cottages, cabins or summer homes until the threat of spreading the virus had significantly lessened.Now, as the weather gets warmer and provinces like Ontario begin to allow short-term rentals, including lodges, cabins, cottages, homes and condos, Canadians are wondering if they’re allowed to head north and, if so, how can they do it without spreading COVID-19?The top worry for health officials is people who live in densely populated cities with high rates of COVID-19 moving into smaller, more rural communities where the virus may not exist yet, said Colin Furness, an

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Why do long-term care homes have more coronavirus outbreaks than hospitals?

Despite both being health-care facilities that care for the vulnerable and often have patients in close quarters, hospitals have not seen nearly as many COVID-19 outbreaks as long-term care centres.

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Will we ever shake hands again?

In Canada, the handshake is a ubiquitous greeting.

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Can we really keep kids distant in school amid COVID-19? It won’t be easy, experts say

Teachers in masks. Classroom sizes reduced. Spray bottles of sanitizer ready for little hands at doorways.

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Months after coronavirus was first detected, many questions remain unanswered

More than four months after the first case of the novel coronavirus was detected in Canada, health officials and researchers are still working around the clock to better understand the virus and to develop treatments and vaccines to protect against it.

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Coronavirus: When can I date, have sex with someone new again?

The novel coronavirus outbreak has not been easy on anyone, and more than half of Canadians report feeling isolated, lonely and anxious.

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Is it safe to go running during the coronavirus pandemic?

The novel coronavirus has forced many Canadians to spend more time indoors, but for avid runners, the thought of missing a run can completely throw off your routine.

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How rapid coronavirus testing could help Canada flatten the curve

Health Canada recently approved a test for COVID-19 that claims to deliver results in half an hour — much faster than most testing methods currently being used across Canada.

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Coronavirus: How rapid testing kits could lead to more targeted screenings

Amid criticism about a lack of widespread testing for COVID-19, Ottawa and the provinces have turned to rapid testing kits to help reduce the test backlogs, and this could change how people are selected for quarantine when lockdowns are lifted.

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United States	Cases: 46 252 513 Deaths: 750 423 Recovered: 0
India	Cases: 34 321 025 Deaths: 459 652 Recovered: 0
Brazil	Cases: 21 835 785 Deaths: 608 235 Recovered: 0
United Kingdom	Cases: 9 215 683 Deaths: 141 607 Recovered: 0
Russia	Cases: 8 494 589 Deaths: 237 619 Recovered: 0