COVID-19

Residents in their final year had prepared to write their certification exams[1] this spring. Then the pandemic struck. Now, with exams delayed until at least the fall, recent resident graduates are having to make some changes. In addition to having to adjust for the new exam timing and all that goes along with that, many are dealing with financial impacts as well.

British Columbia's health minister says the province has hired more staff and increased operating-room hours to catch up on cancelled surgeries but a significant surge in COVID-19 cases could impact recovery. Adrian Dix said Tuesday that 32,400 procedures were postponed or not scheduled as of mid-March to retain beds that may have been needed for COVID-19 patients.

Premier Doug Ford is defending a controversial new law granting his government powers to extend emergency orders despite recent opposition from within his own party. Ford ejected a member of the Progressive Conservative caucus—legislator Belinda Karahalios—Tuesday after she voted against the bill.

Front-line staff in Ontario hospitals held a five-minute, in-hospital protest on Tuesday as their union continues its fight against the proposed extension of the province's emergency orders. The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, a division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, said it does not want the province's emergency order extended in its current form because their collective bargaining agreement would be suspended.

For most jurisdictions where they were legal, alcohol and marijuana were available at every stage of the pandemic. In North America, the shops selling marijuana and alcohol were deemed an “essential service” which meant that they were open throughout the pandemic, in the same way as grocery stores and pharmacies were open.

A team from Lawson Health Research Institute is seeking 500 Canadian health care workers to participate in a study on moral distress and psychological wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will complete online surveys once every three months for a total of 18 months. The goal is to better understand the pandemic’s impact on health care workers in order to minimize moral distress and support wellbeing during future pandemic events.