First Ever Canadian Public Health Week The Canadian Public Health Association’s inaugural Canadian Public Health Week takes place this week. While the COVID-19 pandemic helped to shine a light on who and what public health is, there really is much more to what we do than mass vaccination campaigns and managing outbreaks. Public health units, like CK Public Health, have long … Read More
What’s the Deal with the 3rd Dose?
With so many vaccinated and unvaccinated people being infected by COVID-19 lately, you’ve probably questioned the need for a 3rd dose or “booster” shot, at all. If you’re likely going to get the virus anyways, why go through the hassle of attending a clinic and getting another poke in the arm? Well, this is what we know, for sure: Two … Read More
The Pfizer Safety Report: A Deeper Look
If you have spent any amount of time online lately, you may have noticed a “Pfizer Safety Report” floating around the internet, specifically on social media. Although there isn’t anything particularly ‘new’ or ‘scary’ about the document itself, the way that it has been misrepresented has it reading more like a tale from the Cryptkeeper than an actual Safety Report … Read More
Canada’s 1st Ever Safe Sleep Week
Last week we celebrated Canada’s first ever “Safe Sleep Week”. We wanted to recap the week with 8 great tips that will help to reduce the risk of accidental deaths and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in infants. To practice safe sleep with your infant, ensure that you are doing the following: • Breastfeed your baby* — this has been … Read More
Navigating Changing Public Health Measures with Kindness.
As COVID-19 restrictions begin to lift, it is important to remember that everyone will be walking towards recovery at their own pace, for their own reasons. Let’s be kind and considerate to others as they navigate what feels right to them. As with everything related to the pandemic, things change quickly, often due to more information becoming available. People’s feelings … Read More
Booster Doses: You Have Questions, We Have Answers
You’ve heard the word booster get talked about a lot lately and are probably wondering what it all means. You got vaccinated, so why are you being asked to go get another dose? What is a booster dose exactly, and why should you be getting one? What is a COVID-19 booster dose and why do I need it? Over time … Read More
Facing Omicron: What’s Changed, What’s the Same and What Do I Need to Do Now?
Omicron is here and it is spreading fast. With this variant being so contagious, it is causing a huge rise in cases. These rising numbers are putting our local hospital at risk. As numbers rise, we must do all that we can to stop the spread of Omicron. In the fight against Omicron, no single action is perfect. The … Read More
Navigating Changes to Case and Contact Management
Recently, the Province of Ontario changed how public health units will contact people who test positive for COVID-19. This change is in response to rising cases across the province and will focus on protecting members of our community that are in high-risk settings like schools, retirement homes, other congregate living settings, and acute healthcare settings. With the change, there is … Read More
Omicron: Fact Check
There is a myth going around that Omicron is mild. We need to address this myth now. The fact is Omicron is not mild. We know this because: For every 100 new Omicron infections that happen, it will create 332 new (or secondary) infections. Compared to other variants, 100 new infections create 127 other infections. The doubling time, which … Read More
Air it Out! COVID-19 and Home Ventilation
Air it Out! COVID-19 and Home Ventilation With the colder weather and the holiday season upon us, people are more likely to gather indoors. Staying home and gathering with only those in your immediate household remains the safest option. However, understanding how ventilation in indoor spaces can help control the spread of the COVID-19 virus is important to making small … Read More
Two Truths, One Lie
Two Truths, One Lie Which would you pick as the lie? Case counts are rising. Vaccination rates are rising. Vaccines don’t work. With rising case counts and rising vaccination rates, it can appear that COVID-19 vaccines don’t work. But that is not true. COVID-19 vaccines do work and are, in fact, highly effective. So, if you picked #3 as the … Read More
Infection vs. Vaccination: Breastmilk and COVID-19 Antibodies
Since the COVID-19 vaccines have been available, many pregnant and breastfeeding parents have had some hesitation about vaccination. Some of this has been led by misinformation while some has been led by genuine and understandable concern. All expecting and new parents want to do what is best for their little one — this is what CK Public Health wants too. … Read More