Emergency Medicine

Canadian Cardiovascular Society issues first clinical practice guideline on assessment and management of syncope

A new study shows that moist heat treatment of N95 masks eliminates severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and bacteria, which would allow reuse of these scarce resources. The study is published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

My troubled personal history with the telephone before and during the pandemic

Until recently, few had heard of this obscure code. Recently the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) disclosed that during the pandemic, a at least $623 million had been paid to civil servants—especially in the Canada Revenue Agency and Correctional Services. According to Yves Giroux of the PBO (Jennifer Chevalier, CBC News, July 24, 2020), this amount of lost productivity was the “absolute minimum.” Federal employees were permitted to stay at home during the pandemic and receive full pay while not working—all thanks to the pay code 699 policy. This involved at least 76,000 persons, or a quarter of all government employees. Randall Denley (Ottawa Citizen, July 29, 2020) put this number at 79,000. (By comparison, there are 86,000 practising physicians in Canada.)

Siemens Healthineers announced the availability of its molecular Fast Track Diagnostics (FTD) SARS-CoV-2 Assay test kit used to detect the severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus that causes the COVID-19 disease.

Health Canada has approved the use of remdesivir to treat patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19. The federal agency says the antiviral drug may be used to treat patients who have pneumonia and require extra oxygen to help them breathe. It's the first drug that Health Canada has authorized for the treatment of COVID-19. Health Canada approved its use in adults and adolescents.

School is not exclusively a positive force in the lives of children, and sending them back before it is safe to do so could do more damage than good

In support of the ongoing fight against COVID-19 and as part of the province's plan to end hallway health care, the Ontario government is announcing five new Ontario Health Teams and is providing additional funding to better connect care. "Over the past several months, Ontario Health Teams have demonstrated remarkable responsiveness to the COVID-19 outbreak by simplifying the purchase of personal protective equipment, supporting the staffing of long-term care homes and assessment centers, and expanding virtual care options," said Christine Elliott, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health, in a press release. "They've done so by breaking down long-standing barriers to better connect care, both in support of patients and our brave frontline heroes. (This) announcement of five new teams will build on this success as we continue to implement our plan to defeat COVID-19."