>>
>> Adrienne: THE MIDDLE OF SEPTEMBER IS USUALLY WHEN KIDS
SETTLE INTO THEIR CLASSES, BUT
THIS YEAR SOME HAVE ONLY JUST
STARTED GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.
THE PANDEMIC FORCING OFF
STARTED GOING BACK TO SCHOOL. THE PANDEMIC FORCING OFFICIALS
TO STAGGER START TI
THE PANDEMIC FORCING OFFICIALS TO STAGGER START TIMES, AND SO
TODAY THOUSANDS OF ELEMENTARY
STUDENTS AT CANADA'S LARGEST
SCHOOL BOARD BE
STUDENTS AT CANADA'S LARGEST SCHOOL BOARD BEGAN HEADING BACK,
PART OF THREE DAYS OF R
SCHOOL BOARD BEGAN HEADING BACK, PART OF THREE DAYS OF RETURN TO
LEARNING IN SHIFTS.
>> I DON'T KNOW.
HAVE TO THINK ON THAT ONE.
>> I'M REALLY NERVOUS, BUT THEY
HAVE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD
ROUTINES IN PLACE.
>> I'M PRAYING FOR THE BEST, AND
WE ALL DON'T KNOW WHAT'S REALLY
GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT WE HAVE TO
TRY.
TRY.
TRY. >>
TRY. >> Adrienne: ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
IN SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN OPEN
FOR WEEKS NOW, THE
IN SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN OPEN FOR WEEKS NOW, THERE'S ST
IN SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN OPEN FOR WEEKS NOW, THERE'S STILL A
SENSE OF UNEASE FROM STUDENTS,
PARENTS AND TEACHERS TRYING TO
NAVIGATE EVERYTHING FROM MASKS
TO PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
AND SO JOINING US TO HELP GUIDE
YOU THROUGH YOUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL
QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS IS
INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST
DR. SUZIE HO
INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST DR. SUZIE HOEDA AND
EPIDEMIOLOGIST RAYWAT DEONANDAN.
SO LET'S GET RIGHT INTO IT.
DR. HOEDA, L
SO LET'S GET RIGHT INTO IT. DR. HOEDA, LET'S START WITH THIS
QUESTION WE GOT FROM ALYSE, A
GRADE ONE STUDENT IN TORONTO.
>> HI, MY NA
GRADE ONE STUDENT IN TORONTO. >> HI, MY NAME'S ALYSE.
I WAS WONDERING WHAT DO YOU DO
WITH YOUR MASK AT RECESS.
>> THE MASK AT RECESS.
>> YEAH, A GREAT QUESTION FROM
ELIAS.
ELIAS.
ELIAS. IF
ELIAS. IF YOU'RE GOING OUTSIDE FOR
RECESS AND YOU THI
IF YOU'RE GOING OUTSIDE FOR RECESS AND YOU THINK YOU CAN
KEEP MORE THAN T
RECESS AND YOU THINK YOU CAN KEEP MORE THAN TWO METRES
DISTANCE BETWEEN YOURSELF AND
YOUR FRIENDS, YOU CAN TAKE OFF
YOUR MASK.
YOUR MASK. IF YOU DON'T THINK YOU CAN KEEP
THAT DISTANCE, YOU SHOULD
PROBABLY KEEP YOUR MASK ON, AND
I SUGGEST THAT YOU HAVE A LITTLE
PLASTIC OR PAPER BAG THAT YOU
CAN SLIP YOUR MASK INTO AND PUT
INTO YOUR POCKET OR MA
CAN SLIP YOUR MASK INTO AND PUT INTO YOUR POCKET OR MAYBE CARRY
A PURSE OR HAVE A FANNY PACK
THAT YOU CAN PUT IT INTO SO YOU
CAN EASILY GET IT AGAIN WHEN YOU
NEED TO GO BACK INTO THE
BUILDING.
BUILDING.
BUILDING. >> Adrienne: OKAY, GOOD ANSWER.
RAYWAT DEONANDAN, E
>> Adrienne: OKAY, GOOD ANSWER. RAYWAT DEONANDAN, EVEN LUNCHTIME
OBVIOUSLY ISN'T IMMUNE FROM THE
PANDEMIC.
PANDEMIC.
PANDEMIC. A LOT OF FAMILIES HAVE BEEN
WONDERING ABOUT HOW TO PACK
LUNCHES FOR THEIR KIDS.
LET'S HAVE A LISTEN.
>> MY CHILDREN'S SCHOOL HAS
RECOMMENDED AGAINST THE USE OF
RE-USABLE LUNCH KITS AND
CONTAINERS AS PART OF THEIR
COVID SAFETY PLAN.
MY QUESTION IS: DO THE
INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERTS THINK
THIS IS NECESSARY OR EFFECTIVE
IN REDUCING THE SPREAD OF
COVID-19?
COVID-19?
COVID-19? >> INTERESTING QUESTION.
SO THERE ARE THREE MAIN WAYS WE
THINK THIS DISEASE IS
TRANSMITTED.
TRANSMITTED. FIRST IS BY A RESPIRATORY
DROPLETS.
DROPLETS.
DROPLETS. THAT'S WHEN FLUID FROM YOUR
LUNGS IS TRANSMITTED VIA TALKING
OR BREATHING ON SOMEBODY ELSE.
AND THE SECOND IS THE AEROSOL
TRANSMISSION, WHEN SMALLER
PARTICLES FLOAT ABOUT IN THE AIR
FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME.
AND THE THIRD IS PROBABLY FOMITE
OR SURFACE TRANSMISSION.
THAT'S WHEN ONE PERSON TOUCHES A
SURFACE AND SOMEBODY ELSE
TOUCHES THE SAME SURFACE AND
GETS INFECTED THAT WAY.
WHEN THEY ARE BANNING THINGS
LIKE RE-U
WHEN THEY ARE BANNING THINGS LIKE RE-USABLE LUNCH KITS THEY
ARE TR
LIKE RE-USABLE LUNCH KITS THEY ARE TRYING TO MINIMIZE FOMITE
TRANSMISSION.
TRANSMISSION. THAT'S NOT A BIG WAY THIS
DISEASE IS TRANSMITTED SO I
THINK IT'S PROBABLY NOT NEEDED.
IT PROBABLY HELPS A TINY BIT,
BUT NOT A LOT.
>> I F
BUT NOT A LOT. >> I FIND THAT ANSWER SO
INTERESTING BECAUSE IN THE
BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC WE
WERE ALL SO FOCUSED ON TOUCH.
I GUESS IT JUST -- THE EVOLUTION
OF THIS IS KIND OF FASCINATING.
>> 100%.
>> 100%.
>> 100%. >> Adrienne: DR. HOEDA, A LOT OF
YOUNGER KIDS ALSO HAVE SOME
TOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT GOING BACK
TO SCHOOL DURING THIS PANDEMIC,
OBVIOUSLY.
OBVIOUSLY. HERE'S ANOTHER ONE.
>> I WANT TO KNOW WHEN COVID
WILL END AND WILL I BE ABLE TO
HAVE LUNCH WHEN I GO BACK TO
SCHOOL?
SCHOOL?
SCHOOL? >> Adrienne: OH, GOOD ONE.
>> YEAH, THAT BREAKS THE HEART,
DOESN'T IT?
DOESN'T IT? I ME
DOESN'T IT? I MEAN, IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT
PART OF THE SOCIAL INTERACTION
OF KIDSA
PART OF THE SOCIAL INTERACTION OF KIDS, AND UNFORTUNATELY I
WISH I COULD SAY WHEN THIS WOULD
END AND THINGS WILL BE THE WAY
THEY WERE BEFORE.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE WA
THEY WERE BEFORE. I THINK WHAT WE'RE WAITING FOR
IS DEVELOPMENT OF AN EFFECTIVE
VACCINE AND HAVING IT OUT THERE
FOR PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY BE
AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE AND REALLY
GET UPTAKE OF THAT VACCINE
BEFORE WE CAN REALLY THINK ABOUT
LIFTING SOME OF THE
RESTRICTIONS.
RESTRICTIONS. I SUSPECT THAT MIGHT BE A COUPLE
OF YEARS AWAY EVEN, SO YOU KNOW,
THAT SORT OF IS WHAT I
OF YEARS AWAY EVEN, SO YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF IS WHAT I'M
POSITIONING IN MY HEAD.
SO UNFORTUNATELY NOT ANY TIME
SOON, IN MY OPINION.
>> Adrienne: AND TO HIS OTHER
QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KN
>> Adrienne: AND TO HIS OTHER QUESTION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CAN WE
HAVE FRIENDS WHEN WE GO BACK TO
SCHOOL?
SCHOOL?
SCHOOL? I
SCHOOL? I MEAN, ABSOLUTELY.
RAYWAT, THERE'S A LOT OF TALK
ABOUT HOW EXTRACURRICULARS CAN
CONTINUE SAFELY, AND ONE OF
THOSE CONCERNS COMES FROM A
QUESTION FROM A STUDENT WHO
SIMPLY IS ASKING: ARE S
QUESTION FROM A STUDENT WHO SIMPLY IS ASKING: ARE SCHOOL
SPORTS SAFE.
SPORTS SAFE. >> WELL, IT'S A COMPLIC
SPORTS SAFE. >> WELL, IT'S A COMPLICATED
QUESTION AND A COMPLICATED
ANSWER.
ANSWER.
ANSWER. IT DEPENDS ON THE SPORT AND
WHERE IT'S PLAYED AND HOW IT'S
PLAYED.
PLAYED.
PLAYED. IN GENERAL YOU D
PLAYED. IN GENERAL YOU DON'T WANT TO BE
FACE TO FACE WITH SOMEONE WHO IS
BREATHING WITH YOU FOR L
FACE TO FACE WITH SOMEONE WHO IS BREATHING WITH YOU FOR LONG
PERIODS OF TIME.
WRESTLING, FOR EXAMPLE, NOT A
GOOD IDEA.
GOOD IDEA. TENNIS IS PROBABLY OKAY.
YOU'RE AT A DISTANCE.
OTHER KINDS OF SPORTS L
YOU'RE AT A DISTANCE. OTHER KINDS OF SPORTS LIKE
SOCCER YOU CAN PROBABLY DO
SAFELY IF YOU'RE OUTSIDE.
BUT IF YOU CAN FOLLOW THE RULE
OF NOT BEING C
BUT IF YOU CAN FOLLOW THE RULE OF NOT BEING CLOSE TO SOMEONE
FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, IT'S
PROBABLY DOABLE, BUT THAT'S A
SMALL LIST OF SPORTS, REALLY.
>> Adrienne: YEAH.
DR. HOEDA, SPORTS OBVIOUSLY NOT
THE ONLY EXTRACURRICULAR
ACTIVITY STUDENTS PARTICIPATE
IN.
IN.
IN. HERE'S A QUESTION FROM AMBER IN
SUDBURY, ONTARIO.
SUDBURY, ONTARIO. >> WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THE
MUSIC INSTRUMENTS?
MUSIC INSTRUMENTS? SPECIFICALLY THE WOODWINDS AND
THE BRASS ONES WHERE YOU HAVE TO
BLOW INTO THEM TO C
THE BRASS ONES WHERE YOU HAVE TO BLOW INTO THEM TO CREATE MUSIC?
>> YEAH, THIS IS REALLY
INTERESTING.
INTERESTING. I THINK YOU HAVE TO KIND OF
THINK ABOUT WHAT WE K
I THINK YOU HAVE TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR
ABOUT COVID-19 TRANSMISSION WITH
DIFFERENT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
AND ESPECIALLY THESE WOODWINDS
AND BRASS INSTRUMENTS, THE
HORNS.
HORNS.
HORNS. WHAT WE
HORNS. WHAT WE'VE S
HORNS. WHAT WE'VE SEEN SO FAR IS
EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE THAT
AEROSOLS CAN BE GENERATED WHEN
YOU BLOW INTO THOSE INSTRUMENTS.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THOSE
INSTRUMENTS CAN GET CONTAMINATED
ON THE OUTSIDE OR ON THE
MOUTHPIECE WITH BACTERIA AND
FUNGI, AND EVEN THE VIRUS THAT
CAUSES COVID-19 CAN LAST ON
STAINLESS STEEL AND COPPER TO A
LESSER EXTENT, BUT FOR, YOU
KNOW, HOURS TO DATE.
BUT WHAT WE HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN
IS EVIDENCE OF TRANSMISSION FROM
PERSON-TO-PERSON RELATED TO
PLAYING INSTRUMENTS, OR
OUTBREAKS RELATED TO PEOPLE
PLAYING INSTRUMENTS TOGETHER.
DOESN'T MEAN IT CAN'T HAPPEN,
BUT WE JUST HAVEN'T REALLY SEEN
THAT DEMONSTRATED YET.
SO PUTTING THAT ALL TOGETHER,
WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THE PRUDENT
WAY OF GOING FORWARD IS TO, A
WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THE PRUDENT WAY OF GOING FORWARD IS TO, AS
MUCH AS POSSIBLE, KEEP THE
INSTRUMENTS DEDICATED TO
INDIVIDUAL KIDS THROUGH A TERM,
AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE
WIPED DOWN AND CLEANED
IN-BETWEEN USES, SO BY END OF
DAY.
DAY.
DAY. >>
DAY. >> Adrienne: OKAY, EXCELLENT.
AND RAYWAT, THERE ARE LOTS OF
CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THE V
AND RAYWAT, THERE ARE LOTS OF CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THE VIRUS
COULD SPREAD INSIDE THE
CLASSROOM.
CLASSROOM. HERE IS A QUESTION FROM A P
CLASSROOM. HERE IS A QUESTION FROM A PARENT
WHO AS
HERE IS A QUESTION FROM A PARENT WHO ASKS: MY DAUGHTER'S SCHOOL
IS COMPOSED OF WINDOWLESS
CLASSROOMS.
CLASSROOMS. WOULD PORTABLE AIR PURIFIERS OR
CLEANERS IN EACH CLASSROOM BE
HELPFUL?
HELPFUL?
HELPFUL? >> THE ANSWER IS NOBODY KNOWS.
NO RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIALS
HAVE BEEN DONE TESTING THE
EFFICACY OF AIR PURIFIERS, BUT
IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.
ON ITS FACE IT LOOKS LIKE IT
SHOULD WORK, RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU
ARE ESSENTIALLY DRIVING AIR
THROUGH A FILTER.
MOVING THE AIR CAN DILUTE THE
DENSITY OF ANY VIRUS THAT'S
PRESENT, SO I THI
DENSITY OF ANY VIRUS THAT'S PRESENT, SO I THINK IT'S WORTH
TRYING.
TRYING.
TRYING. IT DEFINITELY CAN'T HURT.
IT MIGHT HELP A FAIR AMOUNT.
>> Adrienne: ALL RIGHT, RAYWAT
DEONANDAN, DR. SUZIE HOEDA,
THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR
INSIGHTS.
INSIGHTS.
INSIGHTS. WE ALWAYS NEED