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MEdia

Video Interview

GLOBAL NEWS MORNING BC

December 29, 2022

China opens up international travel as COVID-19 cases surge

Several nations, including the U.S., are introducing COVID-19 testing requirements for anyone travelling into their countries from China. It comes as China announces it's loosening travel restrictions, despite a surge in COVID-19 cases. Global News Morning speaks with SFU Canada Research Chair in Global Health Governance Kelley Lee about whether Canada should also be testing travellers from China.

December 29, 2022

2022 was the deadliest year of the COVID-19 pandemic in B.C. What's next?

The number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in 2022 has been higher than previous waves of the pandemic for sustained periods, with the highest death toll among people older than 70. Some scientists are calling for a proper reckoning of the rapidly-circulating virus's harms, and issuing reminders about the benefits of masking and self-isolating when sick. "What information do people need to manage their risk? Not just of COVID or of other respiratory viruses, but of the post-COVID impacts that can happen?" "Increased risks of long COVID, cardiovascular impact, impact on the brain, impact on the lungs. I think these are things that should be part of the public conversation."

The Financial Times

December 5, 2022

China’s elderly vaccine refuseniks pose obstacle for Xi Jinping

Nearly 90mn Chinese are insufficiently protected against Covid as Beijing begins to unwind pandemic control. Karen Grépin, a health systems expert at the University of Hong Kong, pointed out that China’s initial vaccination campaign prioritised health workers and working-aged people over the elderly, a strategy that “only made sense in the context of zero-Covid”.

October 23, 2022

New Simon Fraser University research could help prepare for COVID-19 variants

By using a combination of math and gene mapping, researchers say it could help the healthcare system learn beforehand about the spread of new variants.

October 20, 2022

Why A Pandemic Inquiry Is a Good Idea. And a Tough Sell

The SFU researchers argue that the government was trapped in “path dependency” — once it adopted a policy, changing it was almost impossible. They concluded that “the reliance on science-driven narratives, in this context, increased politicization in ways that ultimately undermined the use of science. There is a need to better understand these complex dynamics in national policy-making during the COVID-19 pandemic if we are to prevent the unco-ordinated and chaotic use of travel measures in future.”

Journal Article

Canadian Medical Association Journal

September 19, 2022

A better normal in Canada will need a better detection system for emerging and re-emerging respiratory pathogens

Clinical and outbreak management platforms have been essential tools during the COVID-19 pandemic, but expanded surveillance systems are needed to support effective and equitable public health policy-making and response efforts now and in the future. Multidisciplinary implementation actors should ensure that participation, community engagement, and data justice are embedded in the surveillance systems.