ZOOMER SQUAD: IS THE PROVINCE PRIORITIZING THE RIGHT NEIGHBOURHOODS IN ITS VACCINE ROLLOUT?

Bob Komsic is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. He is joined by David Cravit, Vice President of Zoomer Media and Chief Membership Officer at CARP, Bill VanGorder, Interim Chief Policy Officer of CARP and Peter Muggeridge, Senior Editor of Zoomer Magazine.

Today’s discussion: The province is reporting 4,041 COVID-19 cases of COVID-19 and 15 deaths. Meanwhile, according to data from ICES, a research institute that covers health issues pertaining to Ontario, five neighbourhoods that are designated as hot spots actually have COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths that fall below the provincial averages. Meanwhile, a CMAJ study makes the case for pivoting away from a rollout strategy that prioritizes those with health conditions as well as the older demographic. Our Zoomer Squad weighs in on the latest.

BREAST SCREENING DELAYS AND A PAUSE ON ELECTIVE SURGERIES AMID THIRD WAVE

Bob Komsic is filling in for Libby Znaimer today. He is joined, first, by France Gélinas NDP MPP for Nickel Belt and the health critic followed by Dr. Jean Seely, head of the breast imaging section at The Ottawa Hospital and president of the Canadian Society of Breast Imaging and then Dr. Chaim Bell, Physician-in-Chief at Sinai Health.

In the news: starting today, Ontario hospitals will be putting a pause down on elective and non-emergency surgery appointments in an effort to ease the burden on ICUs and other units amid the third wave. The directive comes from Ontario Health. For now, hospitals in the northern part of the province don’t have to follow this but are being asked to be prepared for this reality in future. The official opposition NDP is calling on the Ford government to do something to confront the delays and backlogs. Meanwhile, members of the medical community are expressing concern over delays in cancer screening appointments.Finally, Dr. Bell details what is happening on the ground at Mount Sinai.