Coronavirus

With the flip of a switch, UV-LED lights could be used to kill coronaviruses and other germs: U of T study

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 15:30:59 +0000

With the flip of a switch, UV-LED lights could be used to kill coronaviruses and other germs: U of T study

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 03/29/2022 - 11:30

Cutline

U of T researchers found that virus-containing droplets exposed to UV light lost around 90 per cent of their ability to infect after about 30 seconds, suggesting an 'underutilized' tool to combat the pandemic (photo by Douglas Sacha/Getty Images)

Alexa Battler

Topic

Breaking Research

Coronavirus

COVID-19

Department of Biological Sciences

Research & Innovation

U of T Scarborough

Lighting used in offices and public spaces could potentially be used to destroy coronaviruses and HIV.

In a study published this week in Virology Journal, researchers at the University of Toronto killed both viruses using UV-LED lights, which can alternate between white light and decontaminating ultraviolet (UV) light.

Moreover, the UV-LED lights could also be used in many standard lighting fixtures with a cheap retrofit, giving them a “unique appeal” for public spaces, says the study’s senior author Christina Guzzo.

Christina Guzzo

“We’re at a critical time where we need to use every single possible stop to get us out of this pandemic,” says Guzzo, an assistant professor in the department of biological sciences at U of T Scarborough. “Every mitigation strategy that can be easily implemented should be used.”

UV lights kill viruses through radiation. Working with PhD students Arvin T. Persaud and Jonathan Burnie, Guzzo first tested the lights on bacterial spores that are notorious for their resistance to this radiation (known as Bacillus pumilus spores).

“If you're able to kill these spores, then you can reasonably say you should be able to kill most other viruses that you would commonly encounter in the environment,” says Guzzo, principal investigator at the Guzzo Lab.

Within 20 seconds of UV exposure, the spores’ growth dropped by 99 per cent.

The researchers then created droplets containing coronaviruses or HIV to mimic the typical ways people encounter viruses in public, such as from coughing, sneezing and bleeding. The droplets were exposed to UV light and placed in a culture to see if any of the virus remained active. With just 30 seconds of exposure, the ability of the virus to infect dropped by 93 per cent.

Upon testing the viruses at different concentrations, the researchers found that samples with more viral particles were more resistant to the UV lights. But even with a viral load so high Guzzo calls it “the worst-case scenario,” infectivity still dropped by 88 per cent.

While the lights themselves aren’t harmless – UV radiation damages nucleic acid, and repeated, prolonged exposure is harmful – Guzzo says they could be easily employed when public spaces are empty – such as on vacated buses that have finished their routes or empty elevators travelling between floors. Escalator handrails, meanwhile, could be continuously disinfected by putting UV lights in the underground part of the track, cleaning it with each rotation, she adds.

Safe Antivirus Technologies, Inc., a Toronto-based start-up company that partnered with Guzzo for the study, is developing unique UV-LED lighting modules. With motion sensors, the lights automatically switch to UV light when a room is empty, then turn back to regular light with movement.

Though it wasn’t included in the study, Guzzo and her students compared UV light to two heavy-duty disinfectants used in lab research. They found the lights were similarly effective in their ability to deactivate viruses.

“I was really surprised that UV could perform on the same level of those commonly used lab chemicals, which we regard as the gold standard,” Guzzo says. “That made me think, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is a legitimate tool that's really underutilized.’”

While the lights left a small percentage of the virus viable, Guzzo says they could contribute to the “Swiss cheese model” of defence against COVID-19: Every strategy to fight the spread has its holes, but every layer is another chance to stop straggling virus particles.

Repeated exposure to UV light is key to catching those missed particles – and, fortunately, it’s as easy as flipping a switch. Guzzo notes that UV-LEDs are cheap and could be easy to retrofit in existing light fixtures, and that the bulbs are long-lasting and simple to maintain.

“You could disinfect in a way that wouldn’t be infringing on people’s enjoyment of that everyday ‘normal’ life that they long for,” Guzzo says.

The lights also benefit from automation. A standardized, germicidal dose of light can be delivered each time, while the process of wiping down spaces with disinfectants leaves room for human error. Plus, chemicals and waste from these disinfectants also end up in watersheds and landfills as hands are washed and wipes thrown away.

Guzzo says the research, funded by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Alliance COVID-19 Grant, suggests UV-LEDs are a tool that could be used to help prevent a future pandemic.

“Worldwide events like the COVID-19 pandemic, as terrible as they are, hopefully can still be learned from,” Guzzo says. “One thing we learned is that this is an underutilized tool we should think more about implementing.”

U of T psych prof on ‘the great snapback’ and tips for post-lockdown living

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 17 Feb 2022 20:06:53 +0000

U of T psych prof on ‘the great snapback’ and tips for post-lockdown living

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 02/17/2022 - 15:06

Cutline

As pandemic restrictions are lifted, Steve Joordens, a professor of psychology at U of T Scarborough, says most Canadians will likely have little difficulty adjusting to more in-person interactions (photo by Evan Mitsui/Getty Images)

Topic

After nearly two years of coping with COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions, there’s a host of new things to consider as pandemic measures begin to ease.

Steve Joordens

That includes navigating a return to life with far more in-person interactions.

“For the vast majority of us, there will be what I call the great snapback,” says Steve Joordens, a professor in the department of psychology at the University of Toronto Scarborough.

“People are going to worry beforehand, but once they’re in that environment for let’s say a day or two, I predict they’ll be behaving largely like they did pre-pandemic.”

To learn more, U of T News writer Mariam Matti recently spoke with Joordens about life after the lockdowns.

Reflecting on the last two years, what kind of toll have lockdowns and other restrictions had on people?

It's really reduced our feeling of empowerment. One of the psychological concepts we talk about is something called locus of control. We talk about it being internal or external. Someone with an internal locus of control feels like they have the power to shape their future. Someone with an external locus of control feels like things happen to them. I think we've all shifted a little external over these times.

We’ve also run into something that some psychologists call learned helplessness, where we keep feeling like we're going to get out of this and then we get thrown right back in. That makes us start to feel like, “Wow, there’s nothing we can do to put an end to this.”

We’ve also learned the importance of our social connections and those random conversations. We don’t really know why, but we all feel like something is missing. That’s probably what’s missing – that social connection that we’re used to feeling.

What else have people been feeling?

So many things. The pandemic has been a real challenge to our mental health. At the beginning, the dominant feeling was anxiety. It wasn’t clear what we should do, and our systems have a special mode when we are anxious, which didn’t fit the pandemic very well. The special mode, which we call the sympathetic nervous system or the “fight or flight” reflex, usually kicks in when something threatens us. But those things that threaten us used to always be what we call acute threats. If a bear popped out of the woods, you’d fight or flee. Either way an hour from now, the situation would be over.

That system gets us up and ready for a challenge. But then it’s supposed to be able to go back to a rest state afterwards. We’ve been fighting a bear for two years now. The bear just isn’t leaving. Every morning, we would wake up and it’s there. When the fight or flight feeling is there for too long, it’s exhausting. We have hit the exhaustion stage.

It's hard to escape the anxiety of it when it’s always on the news, and it’s always changing. I think we all just want our old lives back, in a very desperate way. I think that’s where we kind of are in our minds now.

What tips do you have to manage these feelings?

Guided audio relaxations are great. If you can get to know relaxation and get comfortable with knowing how it feels, you can eventually start to command that feeling. So, when you’re feeling anxious, you cannot feel both anxious and relaxed. Rather than focusing on the anxiety, focus on the relaxation feeling. We all know this intuitively when we say things like, “Take deep breaths” – that’s the relaxation way of breathing. When you’re taking those deep breaths, you’re pushing your body into more of a relaxation state. You have to learn that skill.

Anxiety is produced by what we're thinking about in our head. If you watch the news, you’re loading your head up full of scary stuff, and you're going to walk away feeling anxious. You can just as easily use your environment to produce better things up here. Part of it is attending to what does that naturally. We know things like singing, dancing, laughing and social connection are big ones.

I suggest to people to learn what makes them feel good, and then use that as medicine. When our system is going nuts, we’re getting cortisol and adrenaline flushed into our body, and that’s what’s causing damage when it keeps being flushed in. When you sing or dance or have a social connection, you have lots of positive hormones start to enter.

You’ll never escape it completely, but you need vacations.

A lot of people have been very isolated or housebound for a long time. How do we go back to being social?

Once we get back into familiar situations, we all have habits about how things work in that context. I sometimes describe it as a warm blanket of familiarity – we’re going to feel OK and comfortable. The brain understands a familiar environment and how things work.

People are going to worry beforehand, but once most people are in that environment for let’s say a day or two, I predict they’ll be behaving largely like they did pre-pandemic. These social connections are critical and once we get back into those situations where we can interact with other people, I believe that’s going to feel natural to us. For the vast majority of us, there will be what I call “the great snapback.” They’ll be doing what they always used to do.

What can somebody do to feel more empowered?

First, I’ll recommend a hundred-year-old book, which is still relevant. It’s called How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. It was published in 1936, but it’s written very well. It’s the author talking to salespeople who were going door-to-door during that time. They’d go and knock on a door, and they would hope they could have some positive interaction with a stranger they just met. Carnegie provides tips and strategies about how to succeed in those situations. To get that empowerment, you need to feel some sense of competence. So, you need to feel like, “OK, I know how to do this.”

There is a science to meeting another person and striking up a conversation and it boils down to simple things. One of those things is called active listening. The idea is you’re talking to that person to better understand them and their perspective.

I try to tell students to have a few simple strategies. One of them is preparing six questions before a networking event so they’re ready to strike up a conversation with a stranger. As they talk, you will get what I call connection points. With those connection points, you can turn the listening into more of a conversation.

Where you will really get the empowerment is when people do this a few times and it goes well, and they walk away from that going, “You know, I was anxious going into that, but it went well and I think I made a new friend there.”

Once you have success doing that then it can almost start to feel addictive. You will feel like you have the tools to do this well, but it’s a process. Start with the knowledge, what are some tips, strategies, techniques and then add in the practice. It will start to feel less daunting.

False claims about COVID-19 must be repeatedly debunked, study finds

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 19:03:47 +0000

False claims about COVID-19 must be repeatedly debunked, study finds

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 02/04/2022 - 14:03

Cutline

A study involving U of T researchers found that COVID-19 "fact checks" can be effective, but that frequent exposure is necessary for addressing misinformation during the pandemic (photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Topic

Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy

Faculty of Arts & Science

Researchers at the University of Toronto, Dartmouth College, the University of Exeter and the University of Kent have found that fact checking can quickly correct misperceptions about COVID-19 – but that beliefs in wrong information often return.

The study, published in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, asked respondents from the United States, Great Britain and Canada to rate the perceived accuracy of four claims on COVID-19 that have been debunked by scientific and public health authorities: that the Chinese government created the coronavirus as a bioweapon; that a group funded by Bill Gates patented the coronavirus; that antibiotics are effective in preventing and treating COVID-19; and that the medication hydroxychloroquine is proven to cure or prevent COVID-19.

They found that fact checks did indeed reduce people’s misperceptions, but that the changes did not persist over time.

“Our findings suggest that fact checks can successfully reduce misperceptions about COVID-19 immediately after people read them,” said study co-author Peter Loewen, director of U of T’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and a professor in the department of political science in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

“Now that we know those misperceptions often return, we can expect that convincing someone to adopt new understanding about COVID-19 may include setbacks. We also know that frequent exposure helps so what this tells us is that the best approach is a long term strategy.”

Study participants shared political and demographic information about themselves and rated the accuracy of both true and false claims about COVID-19. They were then randomly assigned to receive fact-checked or unrelated placebo articles. The research team then compared belief in the claims over time between respondents who were shown the fact checks and those who weren’t.

The study’s findings have implications for how we dispel misinformation around the coronavirus pandemic.

“Our results suggest that effectively addressing misbeliefs about COVID-19 will require repeatedly debunking false claims about the coronavirus. Otherwise, people will tend to revert back to the level of belief that they had before,” says co-author Brendan Nyhan, the James O. Freedman presidential professor in the department of government at Dartmouth.

“Fact checks were most effective among people who are more vulnerable to misperceptions of COVID-19 at baseline,” said Nyhan.

These groups included supporters of conservative leaders, those with high conspiracy predispositions and those with low trust in health institutions. However, these effects did not persist over time in follow-up surveys conducted in the U.S. and Britain.

“By comparing U.S. data on the effects of COVID-19 fact checks to that of Great Britain and Canada, we found that our results are parallel across all three countries, which suggests that the effects are not an artifact of polarization over COVID-19 in the U.S.,” says co-author Jason Reifler, a professor of political science at University of Exeter.

The study is the first to estimate the effects of fact checks on COVID-19 misperceptions over time and across countries. The results provide evidence that COVID-19 fact checks can be effective but that frequent exposure is necessary for addressing misinformation during the pandemic.

John M. Carey from Dartmouth, Andrew M. Guess from Princeton University, Eric Merkley from U of T, and Joseph B. Phillips from the University of Kent also contributed to the study, which was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Economic and Social Research Council, and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and the dean of U of T’s Faculty of Arts & Science .

With files from Amy Olson / Dartmouth.

Masks, ventilation and vaccines: Three key ways U of T is preparing for a safe return to in-person activities

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 17:07:22 +0000

Masks, ventilation and vaccines: Three key ways U of T is preparing for a safe return to in-person activities

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 02/02/2022 - 12:07

Cutline

(Photos by Pixelfit/Getty Images and Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

UTogether

U of T Mississauga

U of T Scarborough

University Health Network

Vaccines

With Ontario beginning to lift COVID-19 restrictions as experts predict we’re past the peak of the latest Omicron-driven wave, universities and colleges across the country are preparing to return to in-person learning activities with appropriate safety measures in place.

That includes the University of Toronto, which will resume some in-person learning and activities across its three campuses on Feb. 7.

“As we plan for an increasingly vibrant in-person experience for our students, we want to reiterate our commitment to doing all we can to provide safe conditions for working and studying at our campuses,” Cheryl Regehr, U of T’s vice-president and provost, and Kelly Hannah-Moffat, vice-president, people strategy, equity and culture, said in a recent memo to the community.

“We remain vigilant about evolving public health conditions and continue to adjust and adapt our plans based on the guidance of our community of experts.”

Salvatore Spadafora, special adviser on COVID-19 to U of T’s president and senior adviser to the dean of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, says the reality is that “probably very few things in our society right now are zero risk,” but that U of T’s 12-step plan to address COVID-19 remains highly effective at limiting transmission in a university setting.

In particular, he cited the importance of vaccines, masking and ventilation — all areas where U of T has robust measures in place.

Spadafora, who is an anesthesiologist, and Alon Vaisman, an infectious disease specialist at the University Health Network and assistant professor in the department of medicine, recently spoke to U of T News about the role each of those three measures plays in reducing risk – and the updates that have been made following the emergence of the Omicron variant.

Masks

Masks continue to be required in all indoor spaces on campus, with the university currently recommending medical masks rated ASTM level two or three.

“These are basically the blue procedure masks you see worn in medical settings and clinics,” Spadafora says.

A single-layer cloth mask doesn’t provide enough protection on its own, he adds, but may be worn over a surgical mask.

The university is working to make the appropriate masks available, as supplies allow, to U of T community members who are unable to obtain them due to cost or supply chain issues.

As for how they should be worn, Vaisman says masks should fit snugly, covering one’s nose, mouth and chin without gaping. High-quality surgical masks can be molded to fit tightly over the bridge of your nose.

“What you basically want to do is make sure [your mask] is flush and there isn’t air escaping when you breathe,” says Vaisman, who adds that N95, KN95, and high-grade well-fitting medical masks are all reasonable options.

KN95 masks are one-size-fits-all, whereas N95s come in a variety of sizes and require proper fit testing.

“You don’t necessarily have to wear an N95 or KN95 to go to class or out in public settings – the most important aspects of mask wearing are that they are well-fitted and can be comfortably worn for prolonged periods,” Vaisman says.

While masks in some health-care settings are single-use only, Vaisman says medical masks can often be used more than once in lower risk environments as long as they aren’t damaged, moist, or contaminated.

“The recommendation from the Public Health Agency of Canada is to wear a well-fitted mask, so certainly a high-grade medical mask works.”

Vaccines

U of T is encouraging all members of its community to get a booster shot as soon as they become eligible.

While infection among fully vaccinated people, or breakthrough cases, can occur with the Omicron variant, studies show that a third dose offers more protection against infection compared to two doses or none.

“Omicron can potentially outpace the vaccine even if you have three doses, but we do know based on recent data that a third dose is still highly protective, up to 70-plus per cent,” Spadafora says.

Importantly, a third dose also does a good job of preventing severe outcomes, Vaisman says. A test negative case control study, cited in a Public Health Agency of Ontario report, found that a third dose was associated with a 74 per cent reduced risk of hospitalization two-to-four weeks after vaccination, and a 55 per cent to 65 per cent reduction between five and nine weeks.

To date, 99 per cent of U of T community members are in full compliance with the university’s current vaccination mandate after uploading proof-of-vaccination receipts to UCheck, the university’s online tool for self-assessments – with most of the remaining one per cent on their way to full vaccination.

UCheck is being updated this week to allow community members to voluntarily upload proof of additional (booster) doses.

Spadafora says he hopes that U of T’s Dec. 15 decision to delay a return to in-person learning and activities following the holiday break has given U of T community members the extra time they may have needed to receive booster shots.

For those who still need a boosters, new appointments are being added daily to the provincial booking system and at local pharmacies.

On the St. George campus, the Discovery Pharmacy in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy campus is now booking vaccinations for all members of the U of T community, including those without an Ontario health card.

At U of T Mississauga, the province’s GO-VAXX mobile vaccine clinics will be visiting in February. U of T Scarborough, meanwhile, is planning to host one or more pop-up clinics in the coming weeks – with details to be posted on the Utogether vaccine page when they are available.

Spadafora also reminded community members to remember to fill out the UCheck self-assessment before coming to campus – and to stay home if they are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms.

Ventilation

The university has assessed buildings on its three campuses and upgraded all centralized HVAC system filters to MERV 13, or the highest compatible with existing infrastructure. Moreover, demand-control ventilation measures in all buildings (typically in place to support energy conservation efforts) were disabled to maintain consistent in-air flow.

Ventilation systems are turned on two hours before occupancy every morning to introduce fresh air into buildings, a process known as flushing.

In addition, U of T measured air flow in classrooms and set a standard of six equivalent air changes per hour after consulting experts and research on COVID-19 transmission. Upgrades were made as required.

U of T and other universities were among the first organizations to move quickly to upgrade ventilation systems, Colin Furness, a U of T expert in infection control epidemiology, told U of T News and University Affairs last fall.

“We didn’t wait for others to say air matters,” he said. “The leading voices in Canada are here at the U of T with respect to infectious disease and epidemiology. We consulted our own internal expertise.

“U of T jumped in from the beginning and started prioritizing air and ventilation, which is really smart.”

Learn more at UTogether

U of T to increase in-person learning and activities in February

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:27:29 +0000

U of T to increase in-person learning and activities in February

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 01/19/2022 - 11:27

Cutline

(Photo by Daria Perevezentsev)

Topic

The University of Toronto plans to increase in-person learning and activities across its campuses as of Feb. 7 as it seeks to balance the learning needs of students with ongoing efforts to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Specific plans for the return to in-person learning will vary depending on the particular needs and considerations of campuses, divisions and departments – and, in the case of health sciences faculties, will take into account the current strain on the health system, U of T said in a memo to community members Wednesday. Students and instructors will be contacted in the coming days to confirm arrangements, as needed, and more information will be posted on the UTogether site as it becomes available.

In order to support the increased in-person learning, teaching and related activities, U of T employees who are currently working remotely should be ready to return to campus as of Feb. 7.

Cheryl Regehr, U of T’s vice-president and provost, said the university believes the continuation of all levels of education, from pre-school through post-secondary, is vital to students’ mental health, as has also been noted by the Ontario Science Advisory Table.

“Our students have told us how important physical presence on campus is to them – both for their academic work and for their mental well-being,” Regehr said. “U of T currently hosts thousands of students in our residences, many of whom have travelled far from home to learn and interact with their professors, classmates and friends.

“For these reasons, in the coming weeks, we will return to more in-person activities across the three campuses. We know there will be some uncertainty and apprehension around in-person study and work – and we are relying on expert advice to support our community with enhanced safety measures.”

Those ongoing safety measures – part of U of T’s 12-step plan for a safe reopening – include U of T’s vaccination requirement, upgraded ventilation in classrooms and buildings, mask-wearing in indoor spaces and self-screening via the UCheck online tool.

U of T’s decision to resume in-person learning and activities comes five weeks after it said on Dec. 15 that it was cancelling in-person exams and delaying a return to in-person learning due to the emergence of the Omicron variant.

At present, 99 per cent of U of T community members are in full compliance with the vaccination mandate, with most of the remaining one per cent on their way to full vaccination.

The university is encouraging all members of its community to get a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they become eligible. New appointments are added daily to the provincial booking system and at local pharmacies. The Discovery Pharmacy in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy is now booking vaccinations for all members of the U of T community, including those without an Ontario health card.

Almost 110,000 people have uploaded their vaccine information to UCheck, which will be updated the week of Jan. 31 to allow for voluntary uploads of booster dose documentation.

U of T is also working to make medical masks available, as supplies allow, to community members who are unable to obtain them elsewhere. The university will also prioritize the use of rapid screening kits – supplies are limited at this time – for higher-risk situations. More information on both masks and rapid screening can be found at UTogether.

Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities has confirmed that, due to the public health measures implemented on campuses, as well as the high level of compliance with vaccination mandates, post-secondary institutions are not subject to restrictions on distancing or capacity limits in instructional spaces.

Kelly Hannah-Moffat, U of T’s vice-president, people strategy, equity and culture, said that U of T is grateful to employees for adapting to evolving working conditions during the pandemic.

“We are extremely proud of our employees for adapting to the challenges posed by COVID-19 – particularly those staff who have been working in-person on our campuses throughout the pandemic, including caretakers, residence and library staff, lab technicians, grounds and maintenance staff, and campus safety services,” Hannah-Moffat said.

“We continue to remain vigilant about evolving public health conditions and will adapt our plans in order to provide a safe and supportive work environment for all our employees.”

Hannah-Moffat said staff will be contacted by their managers to discuss specific plans for the return to campus. She added that U of T continues to encourage flexibility and support for employees with child-care responsibilities resulting from potential cancellation of in-person schooling and daycare.

Hannah-Moffat noted that faculty members and librarians can contact their dean, chair, director or supervisor to discuss their workload assignments – and that all employees can take advantage of the Employee & Family Assistance Program, provided at no cost 24 hours a day, to address their wellness needs.

The Robarts and Gerstein Libraries on the St. George campus, U of T Mississauga Library and U of T Scarborough Library are open to members of the U of T community, as are other libraries on the three campuses. Divisions will also make non-classroom spaces available to students so they can study and eat between classes while observing physical distancing.

Students who need wellness support are encouraged to reach out to the My Student Support Program (My SSP) for confidential, 24-hour support.

Regehr said the university is committed to providing safe conditions for working and studying on all three campuses – and will continue to remain vigilant about evolving public health conditions.

“We are confident that our enhanced safety measures, high vaccination rate and the continued efforts of the entire U of T community will allow for a safe and vibrant in-person experience for our students,” she said.

Reopened vaccine clinic on St. George campus set to deliver more than 30,000 doses during latest wave

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 19:24:24 +0000

Reopened vaccine clinic on St. George campus set to deliver more than 30,000 doses during latest wave

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 01/14/2022 - 14:24

Cutline

Erin Bearss, chief of family medicine and an ER doctor at Mount Sinai Hospital, is pictured last spring in the vaccine clinic at U of T's Exam Centre, which is operated by University Health Network (Photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

Mount Sinai Hospital

St. George

University Health Network

Vaccines

When the Omicron variant hit Ontario late last year, Erin Bearss remembers thinking to herself: “Here we go again.”

Chief of family medicine and an ER doctor at Mount Sinai Hospital, Bearss helps run a vaccine clinic – operated by University Health Network, with significant participation by Sinai Health and University of Toronto clinicians, administrators and faculty – that’s located in U of T’s Exam Centre on McCaul Street.

The McCaul Street clinic re-opened its doors on Dec. 19 (it was previously in operation from March through September last year) and has since delivered roughly 1,500 shots a day and will soon surpass the 30,000-mark. Appointments can be made online through the provincial booking system.

More than 23 months into the pandemic, Bearss said it’s disappointing to see case counts at record highs, but stresses that her staff remain eager to get shots in arms.

“As soon as it became apparent that there was going to be a demand for boosters and that our clinic was going to be needed again, everybody was right back in there putting their hand up, wanting to help out,” said Bearss, an assistant professor in U of T’s department of family and community medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

She spoke to U of T News while she was self-isolating after family members contracted the virus and were experiencing mild symptoms.

“Anyone who visits our clinic will be impressed with the efficiency, processes and organization and what have you – and that’s in large part due to the people who are here day in and day out.”

The McCaul Street clinic – which will be the subject of an upcoming art exhibit – follows the vaccine eligibility criteria and ethical guidelines set by the province. In recent weeks, staff have mainly been delivering booster shots, but have days reserved for children aged five to 11 receiving their first or second dose.

“Adults who need their first or second dose are obviously very welcome,” Bearss noted.

U of T is also offering COVID-19 vaccinations at the Discovery Pharmacy at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, where members of the U of T community who do not have an Ontario Health Card – such as international students – can register for an appointment. U of T Scarbough is hosting a testing centre on its campus.

From March to September last year, roughly 56,000 people received their shots at the McCaul Street clinic. The university also hosted a large vaccine clinic at U of T Mississauga in partnership with Trillium Health Partners and Peel Public Health last spring, a regular pop-up clinic at U of T Scarborough in partnership with Scarborough Health Network and several pop-up clinics across the city, delivering hundreds of thousands of additional doses. There were also special pop-up clinics that allowed Indigenous community members to get their doses in a culturally safe space.

The ongoing immunization drive at U of T is a co-ordinated effort involving faculty and students in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy. Actors from the standardized patient program, which provides patient simulations for students in health-care fields, work as clerical staff.

U of T pharmacists, pharmacy students, along with pharmacists and technicians from hospital partners belonging to the Toronto Academic Health Science Network, work behind the scenes to prepare vaccines at the McCaul Street clinic. They also supported a low-barrier, one-day vaccination clinic recently at Zanzibar Tavern, an adult entertainment nightclub on Yonge St. As part of a pilot project, the pharmacy team prepared vaccines at the McCaul Street clinic – where there was more space – and sent the doses to Zanzibar using a specialized courier service.

“The University Health Network team wanted to use our pharmacy team as a way to try this model – to see if it could be an efficient and effective way to get doses mass produced and safely transported to another nearby site,” says Linda Dresser, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy. “We were there in the background, as pharmacy often is – the cog that makes the magic happen out front.”

The demand for shots at Zanzibar exceeded expectations, with a line that at times stretched from the front door to Yonge-Dundas Square. Although they only planned to prepare 800 doses for that day, the pharmacy team ended up making 1,100, Dresser said.

“It resulted in, sometimes, a little bit of catching up to do … but everybody was very patient, and more people got vaccine that day than we had planned – so that was all good,” Dresser said.

One upshot of organizing the vaccine clinics has been the opportunity to collaborate with faculty and clinicians across U of T and Toronto-area hospitals, Dresser added.

“The university will be richer for this whole endeavour that we’ve gone through, and faculties that maybe haven’t collaborated in such a way before now have something they can draw on again in the future.”

With gyms closed, online programs to keep U of T community fitness – and spirits – high

lanthierj — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 20:54:18 +0000

With gyms closed, online programs to keep U of T community fitness – and spirits – high

lanthierj Tue, 01/11/2022 - 15:54

Cutline

(Photo by hobo_018/Getty Images)

Topic

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Fitness

Health

If you’re looking for ways to keep physically active despite the closure of indoor sport and recreational fitness facilities, experts at the University of Toronto have got you covered.

“Our faculty’s mission is to develop and advance knowledge about the interactions of physical activity and health,” says Professor Gretchen Kerr, dean of the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education. “Having to hit the pause button on our sport and recreation programs – just as they were starting to fully reopen – is difficult, but we’ve been down this road before and are ready to pivot once again to support our students and community as best we can.”

Although the reintroduction by Ontario of COVID-19 restrictions means buildings operated by the faculty’s Sport & Rec program are closed and indoor sport and recreation activity paused until at least Jan. 26, virtual fitness programs remain available to U of T students and Sport & Rec members.

“We know that physical activity is a critical tool for maintaining overall wellness – now, more than ever,” says Beth Ali, executive director of athletics and physical activity at U of T. “We will continue to provide online programs for different interests and abilities in an effort to support the wellbeing of our students and the broader U of T community.”

Virtual Fitness Studio, a partnership between Sport & Rec, Hart House and U of T Mississauga, offers daily, live workouts and access to an extensive on-demand library of workouts that can be used any time.

MoveU Anywhere! workout videos promote physical activity and a healthy active lifestyle – no equipment required. They have been benefitting all of U of T’s community since the pandemic started in 2020.

“It’s really important for people to stay physically active during these trying times,” says Adrian Lightowler, manager of fitness and performance at Sport & Rec.

Lightowler says you can get the same benefits from working out in your home as you would in the gym – it just requires a bit more creativity. The online workouts require no special equipment. All participants need to do is pick a class that fits their schedule.

“Gym regulars are going to get a good workout out of these classes, but for those who don’t go to the gym regularly or ever, this is an opportunity to get in some exercise in the comfort of their own homes,” he says.

And – in case you missed it – here is a collection of tips, tricks and research KPE experts shared when it comes to staying happy and healthy during the pandemic:

Stay Active

(Bruno Nascimento via Unsplash)

Is it safe to keep exercising amid COVID-19? Does it help build immunity? How do you motivate children and seniors to stay active indoors? Experts Ira Jacobs, Catherine Sabiston, David Frost and Daniel Santa Mina weigh in.

Eat well

(Photo by Brooke Lark via Unsplash)

Having trouble staying physically distanced from your fridge? How can you eat healthily while keeping your grocery bill in check? Sport nutritionist Katherine Jessop shares some advice on the dos and don’ts of pandemic eating.

Snack ... on exercise

(Photo by Andrey Popov/123RF)

Slipped up and ate two bowls of ice cream instead of one? Here’s some good news: Even short exercise “snacks” improve blood sugar regulation following a meal, according to a KPE study.

Healthy body, healthy mind

(Photo by baona via Getty Images)

Professor Catherine Sabiston unpacks the well-documented relationship on how exercise and the simple act of moving your body can improve mental health – and offers several tips for people seeking to ramp up their activity levels while staying at home.

How far does a little kindness go? U of T researcher examines how doing good improves mental health

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 18:10:36 +0000

How far does a little kindness go? U of T researcher examines how doing good improves mental health

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 01/03/2022 - 13:10

Cutline

(Photo by xavierarnau via Getty Images)

Topic

Research & Innovation

U of T Mississauga

Most of us intuitively know that kindness can not only alleviate the suffering of others, but help us feel better. Now, researchers at the University of Toronto are taking steps to confirm the relationship between kindness and well-being.

Andrew Miles, an associate professor of sociology at U of T Mississauga, is exploring how our mental and emotional well-being during the pandemic can be safeguarded by prosocial behaviour, which are acts focused on the welfare of others.

At a time when heightened fear, uncertainty, isolation and economic hardship are causing greater anxiety and depression, Miles says we need to better understand the healing effects of kindness.

“If there’s anything we can contribute to help people remain emotionally stable during the pandemic and stave off some degree of the mental health challenges – that is the imperative behind this study,” says Miles, principal investigator of U of T Mississauga’s Morality, Action and Cognition Lab.

Miles is collaborating with Meena Andiappan, assistant professor at U of T’s Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Laura Upenieks, a U of T alumna and assistant professor of sociology at Baylor University in Texas, and U of T Mississauga sociology student Christos Orfanidis. The study received support from U of T’s Toronto COVID-19 Action Fund, which was set up by U of T and its hospital partners in 2020 to support high-impact research that contributes to the global fight against the coronavirus.

About 1,000 participants recruited online from Canada and the U.S. are being randomly assigned to perform either prosocial, self-focused or neutral behaviours three days a week for three weeks. Among the prosocial acts reported to researchers so far: volunteering to deliver food to the elderly; donating money to Doctors without Borders; spreading sand on an icy sidewalk; helping a couple carry their groceries; and pushing a stranger’s car out of the snow.

Five weeks after the start of the intervention, the participants are being extensively surveyed to determine the effects of these behaviours on their emotional well-being: how happy they perceive themselves to be, whether they believe their life is valuable and their mental health – specifically anxiety and depression.

Miles says the study builds on the growing positive psychology movement, which is concerned with understanding what makes life most worth living – both at the individual and societal levels. Rooted in millennia-old religious and philosophical discourses, the area of study only became a formal discipline about two decades ago.

“In some respects, the scientific world is catching up with things that have been long recognized or taught in philosophies, so this is not a new idea, but it’s starting to be given scholarly attention,” Miles says.

The discipline’s scientific literature currently includes few insights on whether the positive impacts of kindness endure over the long term.

“We know that when we do nice things for others, it makes us feel good, it uplifts our emotions, and it has us feeling like we’re a better person,” Miles says. “We want to see if these effects are short term blips, or have lasting benefits.”

‘Extraordinary times’: Art installation to capture U of T’s mass vaccination effort

mattimar — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 17:20:52 +0000

‘Extraordinary times’: Art installation to capture U of T’s mass vaccination effort

mattimar Tue, 12/21/2021 - 12:20

Cutline

Nine paintings by Greg Ellwand, a staff member at the vaccine clinic hosted on the St. George campus, document U of T's effort to support the province's COVID-19 immunization campaign and will be put on display next year (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Topic

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

University Health Network

Vaccines

On a quiet day in the COVID-19 vaccine clinic hosted on the University of Toronto’s St. George campus earlier this year, Greg Ellwand, a staff member, picked up his iPad and began sketching the scene around him.

“When there was a lull, I’d start talking to my colleagues and find out who they are and what they do,” he recalls. “While I did that, I’d start sketching.

“It happened in the little spaces between reality.”

What began as a pastime for Ellwand soon turned into a focused project to document an unprecedented moment in U of T’s history when all three campuses, local public health authorities and hospital partners came together to help with Canada’s largest mass-vaccination drive.

Nine of Ellwand’s paintings will be put on display next year as part of a planned art installation. The works reflect what it was like to receive a vaccine at the St. George clinic, located in the Exam Centre on McCaul Street, that was run by the University Health Network, U of T and Sinai Health. The clinic recently re-opened to deliver third shots amid the Omicron wave.

To date, university-hosted vaccine clinics on the St. George, U of T Mississauga and U of T Scarborough campuses have delivered nearly 420,000 doses to their local communities in Toronto and Peel Region.

“I’m so proud of the members of the U of T community for offering their time and expertise to support the province’s mass vaccination effort,” said Trevor Young, acting vice-president and provost, and dean of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.

“It’s a great example of how our incredible faculty, staff and students came together during this unprecedented time.”

Greg Ellwand conducted check-ins at the clinic and was later tapped to document the effort after his iPad sketches were noticed by the clinic’s manager (photo by Johnny Guatto)

From day one, the operation of the U of T-hosted clinics was – and continues to be – a team effort.

At the St. George clinic, health-care workers administered vaccines according to the province’s guidelines alongside staff from U of T’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, who prepared doses and ensure cold chains are properly maintained throughout the vaccine’s transport.

The exam centre clinic also relied on staff from the Standardized Patient Program in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine to help with check-ins, registration, health screenings and other administrative tasks. The program recruits and trains people to portray the role of a patient. It allows students to learn in a clinical environment as well as practice physical exam and communication skills.

Susan Camm, the clinic manager and clinical team lead at U of T’s Health & Wellness, says she was amazed by the “enthusiastic and committed” group.

“Most of the improvements, regarding process, operation and flow, came from that team,” she says.

As a member of the program, Ellwand was charged with conducting check-ins at the clinic – until Camm noticed his sketches and saw an opportunity to document the clinic’s work.

“It took someone like Susan Camm to see the possibilities,” Ellwand says. “I wish the world was full of more people like her.”

After Camm saw his drawings, Ellwand’s role officially changed to artist-in-residence. He started going to work – not to conduct check-ins, but to observe and draw what he saw.

“I felt the weight of responsibility in it being a historical event,” he says.

The university’s effort to support the country’s mass vaccination effort began at U of T Mississauga, which opened the doors to the first U of T-hosted mass vaccination clinic on March 1 – near the height of the pandemic’s third wave. Working in collaboration with Trillium Health Partners and Peel Public Health, staff administered 335,000 doses to local members of the community over the course of five months. A few weeks later, the St. George clinic was up and running – and went on to deliver 55,000 doses before winding down eight months later. U of T Scarborough, meanwhile, worked with the Scarborough Health Network to deliver nearly 27,500 doses at weekly pop-up clinics in Highland Hall.

The university also hosted a vaccine clinic pow wow and pop-up clinics in June to provide Indigenous Peoples with a culturally safe place to receive their vaccinations. Volunteers danced and played hand drums while community members received their shots inside Varsity Stadium. More recently, U of T partnered with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Metrolinx to bring a mobile vaccine clinic to the St. George Campus over the fall.

U of T faculty, staff and students also helped run pop-up clinics in hot spots across the city.

Much like the vaccine clinics themselves, the planned art installation that’s meant to commemorate the effort on the St. George campus has taken a team to put together.

Funding was made provided by U of T’s Facilities & Services – with Camm noting Ron Saporta, chief operating officer, property services and sustainability, sponsored the installation and has been “incredibly supportive” of the idea from day one.

To create the installation itself, Ellwand has been working closely with Sherry Chunqing Liu, a first-year student in the master of visual studies program at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design. Liu has spent many afternoons in the exam centre, observing the traffic flow of the building, drafting floor plans and measuring spatial dimensions.

“The overarching narrative is twofold – one is about Ellwand’s creative process from sketching what he was experiencing to later incorporating more futuristic, vibrant and imaginative elements,” Liu says. “Another aspect is about the spatial dialogues among the artworks, the experience of members of the clinic, and the viewer of this exhibition.”

Sherry Chunqing Liu, left, a master of visual studies student at the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, is working with Ellwand, right, to create an installation (photo by Johnny Guatto)

Liu hopes that when visitors see the artwork, it “can evoke contemplation or even interpretation around what happened in this space during the time of the clinic.”

Ellwand says he first sketched in black and white, but later was inspired to incorporate colour and space as a theme in his artwork.

“In the early days of the clinic, it felt like we were flying a spaceship in the blackness of the unknown,” he says.

Ultimately, he wants people to have fun with his work. “People can let their imagination run a little wilder.”

When Camm first asked Ellwand to take on the artist-in-residence role, she had no idea that an art installation would be the result.

“When we started, no one was vaccinated. The workers were exposing themselves to the public every day, which was not without risk,” she says. “I think his artwork really captures the essence of our work and the experience.”

Ellwand, who has returned to work at the reopened St. George clinic, says he’s excited for the public to see his art when the installation is finally ready.

“The clinic was here during extraordinary times,” he says. “My paintings honour those who put themselves on the front lines.”

Web-based version of U of T researcher's CARD game helps improve kids’ vaccination experience

Christopher.Sorensen — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 21:32:38 +0000

Web-based version of U of T researcher's CARD game helps improve kids’ vaccination experience

Christopher.Sorensen Thu, 12/16/2021 - 16:32

Cutline

The online version of the CARD game, originally developed by U of T's Anna Taddio, educates children, parents and caregivers on how to use evidence-based pain and anxiety management strategies during vaccination (photo by Steve Southon)

Topic

Hospital for Sick Children

Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy

Vaccines

With COVID-19 vaccines now available in Canada for kids five to 11 years old, many parents and caregivers are looking for ways to help younger children have a positive vaccination experience – and a system created by a University of Toronto researcher may be able to help.

Anna Taddio, a professor in the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy and a senior associate scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and her team have developed a web-based version of the CARD game (short for Comfort, Ask, Relax and Distract) she originally created to help kids receiving vaccines in school-based programs. The system addresses fear of needles through pain management and coping strategies.

The new web-based version of the game is intended for younger kids who are currently being encouraged to get vaccinated.

“We want to help younger kids, especially now that they are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines,” Taddio said. “They can play the game on their own or with caregivers to learn how to cope with fear and pain during vaccination.”

Earlier this year, Taddio received federal funding to “design and implement pain mitigation strategies for adults” in support of the country’s mass vaccination campaign to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As vaccines for COVID-19 first began to rollout in 2021, Taddio’s system was shared with health-care networks and the public to help people feel more comfortable when receiving their vaccinations. The CARD system has been used across the province including in specialized vaccination clinics run by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in Toronto, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health and Ottawa Public Health.

In collaboration with Immunize Canada, the game was developed by Anthony Ilersich, a fourth-year student in the Faculty of Mathematics at the University of Waterloo.

“We developed the web-based game because if the material is interactive and easy to play online, it should be all the more effective,” said Ilersich who was the lead-developer on the CARD game project.

“Vaccination is our strongest defense against preventable diseases. It keeps our children, families, and communities healthy,” said Lucie Marisa Bucci, senior manager, Immunize Canada. “Immunize Canada is proud to have partnered on the CARDweb game because it applies the best evidence and all that we know to make the vaccination experience more positive for everyone.”

The CARD game addresses a fear of needles through pain management and coping strategies (photo courtesy of Immunize Canada)

The new game is web-based and accessible on any mobile device. Parents and kids can visit the Immunize Canada website to play the game and learn about coping strategies ahead of time. Children can then use the game as a coping strategy during the actual vaccination procedure.

“The new online CARDgame is not only an exceptional all-in-one resource for teaching kids how to reduce pain and anxiety during vaccination; it is also an important tool for every parent and caregiver preparing to vaccinate their child,” Bucci said.

Prior to the pandemic, Niagara Region implemented a paper-based CARD program across all schools in the area and, in 2015, Taddio’s HELPinKids&Adults Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) about mitigating pain during vaccination was adopted across Canada and internationally, including by the World Health Organization.

Additional partners who collaborated on the CARD game include: Anxiety Canada, the Hospital for Sick Children, and the University of Guelph.