.
>> THE GREATEST CHALLENGE OF OUR
GENERATION.
>> WE WILL BE WITH OUR FRIENDS
AGAIN.
WE WILL BE WITH OUR FAMILIES
AGAIN.
>> Heather:  VOICES THAT HAVE
BEEN STRONG, URGENT AND PRESENT
IN OUR LIVES THAT WAYS THAT
WOULD HAVE BEEN HARD TO IMAGINE
ONLY WEEKS AGO.
GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO A
SPECIAL CBC NEWS PRESENTATION.
COVID-19 IN CANADA, A VIRTUAL
TOWN HALL.
I'M HEATHER HISCOX IN TORONTO.
>> Ian:  IT'S BEEN MORE THAN A
MONTH SINCE THE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION MADE IT OFFICIAL.
WE ARE IN A PANDEMIC AND IT
SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING HAS BEEN
TURNED UPSIDE TOWN.
CANADIANS ASKED TO MAKE
SACRIFICES SO WE CAN BEAT
COVID-19.
>> Heather:  IT'S BEEN A
TERRIBLE STRUGGLE FOR THIS
COUNTRY.
MORE THAN A THOUSAND PEOPLE DEAD
AS OF TODAY.
IN MANY CASES, THERE'S ECONOMIC
HARDSHIP.
DAYS OF STRESS TURNING INTO
WEEKS OF DREAD BUT ONE THING WE
KNOW FOR SURE, CANADIANS HAVE
DONE WHAT CANADIANS DO.
WE HAVE PULLED TOGETHER IN
REMARKABLE WAYS.
[ ♪♪♪ ]
>> Heather:  OVER THE NEXT TWO
HOURS ON CBC TV, CBCNEWS.CA.
WE'LL LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE AND
WHERE WE MAY BE GOING.
>> Ian:  THE MOST AAUTHOR DAYITY
VOICES.
CANADA'S CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER,
DR. TAM AND DR. HENRY AND
TONIGHTS YOU'LL HEAR FROM
FRONT-LINE HEALTHCARE WORKERS,
PEOPLE RECOVERING FROM COVID-19
AND OTHER SPECIAL GUESTS.
>> Heather:  TODAY'S CANADA
CONFIRMED CASES CLIMBED PASSED
28,000 AND THAT HAS BEEN RISING
BY A THOUSAND CASES A DAY SINCE
THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH AND
HERE IS SOMETHING THAT BRINGS
HOME THE WORST SUFFERING TODAY.
THE NUMBER OF COVID-19 DEATHS IN
CANADA SURPASSED 1,000.
NOW DR. TAM DID SAY TODAY THERE
ARE SIGNS THE EPIDEMIC IS
SLOWING DOWN IN CANADA.
SHE CAUTIONED IT DOESN'T MEAN
WE'RE OUT OF DANGER OR WE CAN
EASE MEASURES ANY TIME SOON.
PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU
UNDERSCORED THAT POINT MULTIPLE
TIMES DURING HIS DAILY BRIEFING
TODAY, APPEALING FOR PATIENTS.
IF WE REOPEN TOO SOON,
EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING NOW MIGHT
BE FOR NOTHING.
WE ARE MAKING SACRIFICES.
WE'RE THERE FOR EACH OTHER AND
WE NEED TO HOLD ON, STILL, AND
THEN, ONCE WE'RE READY, ONCE WE
FEEL WE'RE THROUGH AND ONCE THE
EXPERTS ARE TELLING US THAT WE
CAN TALK ABOUT REOPENING THE
ECONOMY A LITTLE BIT, WE WILL
TAKE VERY CAREFUL STEPS AND DO
THAT.
>> Heather:  SO THE PRIME
MINISTER THERE, IAN, WITH A
VARIATION WE HEAR EVERY
AFTERNOON AT 3:00 P.M. PACIFIC,
DELIVERED BY SOMEONE WHOSE DAILY
BRIEFING HAS BECOME AN ESSENTIAL
VIEWING FOR MILLIONS OF
CANADIANS.
>> Ian:  YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
DR. BONNIE HENRY.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ACROSS
THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN WATCHING
HER AND HERE IN BRITISH
COLUMBIA, I'LL HEAR PEOPLE SAY
THEY'LL STOP DOING WHATEVER
THEY'RE DOING AT 3:00, SO THEY
CAN LOOK AT THEIR PHONE AND SEE
THE BRIEFING FROM DR. HENRY WHO
JOINS US NOW FROM THE
PROVISIONAL CAPITAL, VICTORIA.
DR. HENRY, WE HAVE SPOKEN MANY
TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS
AND RIGHT NOW, I KNOW YOU WOULD
WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE THAT THERE
ARE THOSE WHO ARE STILL DYING
FROM COVID-19 AND THAT CERTAINLY
IS A TRAGIC HEADLINE TO THE
STORY.
BUT THE NUMBER OF
HOSPITALIZATIONS, THE NUMBER OF
NEW CASES SEEMS TO BE RELATIVELY
LOW IN B.C. COMPARED TO SOME
OTHER PLACES.
WHY IS THAT?
>> WELL, YES, THAT IS THE
QUESTION AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I
THINK THE FUNDAMENTAL THING IS
BECAUSE OF THE WORK THAT
EVERYBODY IS DOING IN OUR
COMMUNITIES AND ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE BANDING TOGETHER
AND WE'RE KEEPING THAT SAFE
DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER AND
THAT HELPS.
THAT BRINGS THE CHAINS OF
TRANSMISSION.
AND WE WERE PREPARED AND THAT IS
A LITTLE BIT OF LUCK, AS WELL.
LUCK FAVOURS THE PREPARED.
AND THAT WAS SOMETHING AS WELL,
THOUGH, IMPORTANT IN B.C. AND IN
CANADA.
>> Ian:  THROUGHOUT THIS
EVENING, WE'LL HEAR QUESTIONS
FROM VIEWERS AND WE HAVE ONE FOR
YOU FROM SOMEONE NAMEDDASM LBA
AND SHE WONDERS ABOUT THE W.H.O.
GUIDELINES, ABOUT THE TWO-METRE
DISTANCING AND, IN FACT, WONDERS
IF WE LEARN MORE ABOUT COVID-19
THAT MAY INCREASE TO THREE
METRES?
>> I DON'T THINK SO.
WE'VE ALWAYS SAID THAT THAT IS A
DROPLET SPREAD AND IT COMES FROM
DROPLETS WHEN WE COUGH OR SNEEZE
AND THAT'S THE MAIN REASON OR
THE MAIN WE WE TRANSMIT IT TO
PEOPLE.
THOSE DROPLETS FALL AWAY QUITE
QUICKLY.
WE SAY BETWEEN ONE AND TWO
METRES AND TWO METRES, SIX FEET,
IS PROBABLY A GOOD SAFE
DISTANCE, AND THAT'S THE
DISTANCE WE'LL ARE TO CONTINUE
FOR SOME TIME.
>> Ian:  IT'S BEEN VERY
INTERESTING LISTENING TO YOU AND
I'VE BEEN LISTENING CLOSELY EACH
DAY DURING THE BRIEFINGS.
AND THERE'S AND OVERLAP OF
MESSAGES FROM HEALTH OFFICERS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES
TO DISTANCING AND WHEN IT COMES
TO HANDWASHING.
YOU'VE BEEN DIFFERENT WHERE
YOU'VE BEEN MAYBE AN ADVOCATE,
CERTAINLY WELCOMING PEOPLE TO GO
OUTSIDE, TO EXERCISE, TO WALK
ONCE THEY MAINTAIN THEIR SAFE
DISTANCE.
WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT IS
APPROPRIATE OR EVEN SAFE TO DO?
>> I THINK IT HAS TO DO OR I
BELIEVE IT HAS TO DO WITH THE
NEED THAT WE HAVE TO CONNECT AND
WHEN WE COUPE PEOPLE UP FOR A
LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND THIS IS
GOING TO BE A MATTER OF WEEKS
AND THERE'S MORE TO COME.
SO BEING ABLE TO START HAVING
THAT LITTLE BIT OF AN OUTLET TO
GO OUTSIDE, TO GET SOME FRESH
AIR, TO RELEASE SOME OF THE
TENSION AND CONCERN AND ANXIETY
IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR HELPING
US TO COPE AND COPING TOGETHER.
AND IT TOOK AWHILE TOR US TO
FOR US TO DOTHAT SAFELY BUT PEON
BRITISH COLUMBIA AND I KNOW
ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE DOING
THAT.
WE'RE KEEPING A SAFE DISTANCE,
WASHING OUR HANDS AND MAKING A
DISTANCE.
>> Ian:  YOU'VE ANTICIPATED MY
NEXT QUESTION AND THAT HAS TO DO
WITH TIMING AND I BET YOUR
FRUSTRATED WHEN YOU HEAR IT.
AND THAT IS, AT SOME POINT, SOME
OF THE RESTRICTIONS WILL LOOSEN.
YOU HAVE SAID THIS CURRENT
SITUATION WILL CONTINUE FOR
AWHILE, BUT WHEN DO YOU THINK
WE'LL SEE A FEW CHANGES, AT
LEAST.
>> YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT WE ARE WATCHING VERY
CAREFULLY AND WE'VE HAD
DISCUSSIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT THINGS.
FROM THE VERY FIRST
IMPLEMENTATION OF ANY OF THESE
RESTRICTIONS, OUR FIRST THOUGHT
WAS, OK, WHEN WILL WE KNOW THAT
WE CAN STOP DOING THESE THINGS?
THERE'S SOME THINGS WE SHOULD BE
ABLE TO STOP DOING SOON, NOT
NOW, NOT IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO
WEEKS, BUT SOON.
AND  MANY WILL BE HOW CAN WE OPN
SOME BUSINESS AGAIN AND HOW CAN
WE LOOK AT OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM
IN PARTICULAR?
WE'VE PUT A LOT OF THINGS IN OUR
HEALTH SYSTEM ON HOLD?
SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE
LOOKING AT NOW.
THE THINGS NOT LIKELY TO CHANGE
IN THE NEAR FUTURE UNTIL WE HAVE
A VACCINE OR WE HAVE A LOT OF
COMMUNITY IMMUNITY AND THOSE ARE
THINGS LIKE OUR SAFE DISTANCING,
CLEANING OUR HANDS REGULARLY,
MAKING SURE WE COVER OUR COUGH
AND STAYING AWAY FROM OTHERS
WHEN WE'RE SICK AND WE HAVE TO
BE INCREDIBLY SENSITIVE ABOUT
THAT AND THAT'S FOR THE
FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
>> Ian:  WE HAVE ABOUT 30
SECONDS LEFT AND WE'VE SEEN IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA, FOR EXAMPLE,
SUPER MARKETS AND BIG PHARMACIES
THAT MANAGE TO DO BUSINESS AND
MAINTAIN SOME LEVEL OF SOCIAL
DISTANCING, PHYSICAL DISTANCING
INSIDE.
DO YOU SEE THAT BEING A MODEL
FOR OTHER BUSINESSES OPENING UP,
AS WELL?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT
WE DO, IT'S FRUSTRATING FOR
PEOPLE SOME TIMES AND I KNOW AS
WE HAVE THIS ANXIETY, THIS FEAR,
PEOPLE SOMETIMES TAKE THEIR
TENSIONS OUT WHEN THEY'RE
WAITING IN THOSE LINES, BUT THE
LINES ARE IMPORTANT AND WE NEED
TO BE PATIENT WITH EACH OTHER IS
WE NEED TO BE CALM AND WE NEED
TO STAY THOSE SAFE DISTANCES.
>> Ian:  CALM AND PATIENT,
CERTAINLY THE HALLMARKS OF YOUR
BRIEFING EACH AFTERNOON IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA.
DR. HENRY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Ian:  SOME PEOPLE SUGGEST IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA THAT BONNIE
HENRY HAS BECOME SOMETHING OF A
FOLK HERO AND THESE PEOPLE ARE
WRITING SONGS ABOUT HER AND HERE
IS AN EXCERPT COMPOSED BY PHIL
DWYER FROM COQUITLAM ON
VANCOUVER ISLAND.
[ ♪♪♪ ]
♪ SHE COMES ON THE RADIO, JUST
AROUND 3:00.
♪ WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH NEWS
FOR THE FOLKS OF B.C.
♪ AND TO TALK OF A CRISIS YET
UNSEEN.
♪ THAT'S COVID-19.
>> Ian:  LET'S GO BACK TO
HEATHER IN TORONTO.
>> Heather:  IAN, THANK YOU VERY
EMERGENCY.
MUCH.
WE KNOW PEOPLE WHO DEVELOP
COVID-19 DEVELOP MILD SYMPTOMS
BUT 15% DEVELOP SEVERE DISEASE
AND 5% CRITICAL DISEASE, MEANING
THEIR ON A VENTILATOR IN THE
ICU.
OUR NEXT GUEST IS JUST 36 YEARS
OLD AND HE'S WITH US TONIGHT
FROM MONTREAL.
I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU.
I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE YOU FROM
YOUR HOSPITAL BED.
BUT HERE YOU ARE, YOU'VE BEEN
DISCHARGED AND HOW DOES IT FEEL
TO BE HOME?
>> IT FEELS AMAZING.
BEING AT THE HOSPITAL FOR SUCH A
LONG TIME AND BY YOURSELF,
BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED
VISITORS AND IT TAKES A TOLL ON
YOU AT SOME POINT AND I'M HAPPY
BEING BACK HOME.
I'M EATING HOME FOOD AND BEING
WITH MY GIRLFRIEND HELPS WITH
THE RECOVERY.
>> Heather:  WHEN YOU SAID IN
THE HOSPITAL FOR SOME TIME,
WEEKS AND WEEKS.
YOU CREATED THE CORONAVIRUS BACK
IN MID-MARCH AND WHEN YOU GOT
HOME, I KNOW YOU GOT QUITE ILL,
QUITE FAST AND HOW DID THEY
PROGRESS?
>> THEY WERE FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS,
MILE, BUT AS THE DAYS WENT BY,
IT WAS WORSE IS WORSE AND WORSE.
AT SOME POUND, THE FEVER WAS OUT
OF CONTROL.
I COULDN'T, LIKE, HANDLE MYSELF
PROPERLY, I COULDN'T WALK
PROPERLY AND THEN MY BREATHING
BECAME PROBLEMATIC AND SO WE
DECIDED TO CALL 9-1-1.
FIRST OF ALL, WE CALLED 8-1-1 TO
GET MORE INFORMATION IF WE
SHOULD GO THERE OR NOT AND THEN
TOLD US TO CALL 9-1-1 AND I DID
GO TO THE HOSPITAL.
THEY DISCHARGED ME THERE THE
NEXT MORNING BECAUSE I ONLY HAD
PNEUMONIA.
EVEN THOUGH I WAS BROUGHT IN FOR
COVID.
MY GIRLFRIEND SAW ME AND SAID,
YOU LOOK MISERABLE RIGHT NOW.
I STAYED HOME THAT NIGHT AND THE
NEXT MORNING I COULDN'T BREATHE,
LIKE, AT ALL AND WE CALLED 9-1-1
AGAIN.
I STAYED TWO DAYS IN THE ICU AND
SIX DAYS ON A RESPIRATOR AND
THERE WAS A BLOODCLOT ON MY LUNG
AND THEN I WENT BACK TO THE ICU.
>> Heather:  WHAT AN ORDEAL, BUT
TELL ME ABOUT THAT MOMENT WHEN
YOU GO TO HOSPITAL AND WHEN YOU
HEAR FROM THE DOCTORS THEY'RE
GOING TO PUT YOU ON A
VENTILATOR.
WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?
>> I WAS SO MUCH IN PAIN AND SO
MUCH IN DISTRESS AND TIRED AND
EXHAUSTED FROM EVERYTHING THAT
HAPPENED IN THE LAST WEEK
BECAUSE I SPENT A WHOLE WEEK AT
HOME BEING REALLY, REALLY SICK.
SO AT THAT POINT, I WAS, LIKE,
PLEASE, JUST HELP ME AND DO
ANYTHING.
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, BEING OUT
OF IT, IN A COMA, THIS IS GREAT
BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL THE FEVER
AND I WON'T FEEL THE PAIN FOR
AWHILE AND I MIGHT EVEN WAKE UP
BETTER.
I MIGHT DIE, BUT AT THAT POINT,
IT WAS REALLY DESPERATE
MEASURES.
SO I WAS, LIKE, DO WHAT YOU HAVE
TO DO.
>> Heather:  THAT POINT, I MIGHT
DIE.
THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO
GO ON TO A VENTILATOR DO, IN
FACT, PASS AWAY.
WHAT DID DOCTORS TELL YOU HOW
CLOSE YOU WERE TO DEATH AND HOW
YOU WERE ABLE TO PULL THROUGH?
>> THEY DON'T TELL YOU BECAUSE
THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO PANIC BEI
GUESS.
THEY TELL YOU WHAT'S GOING ON,
WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW AND THE
RISKS RELATED TO IT, BUT THEY
ALWAYS PUT YOU IN A PLACE WHERE
YOU KNOW YOU'RE AT THE RIGHT
PLACE WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND
THEY'RE DOING THEIR BEST.
AT THAT POINT, I DIDN'T FEEL
STRESSED ABOUT IT.
I WAS PRETTY CALM, VERY
EXHAUSTED AND TIRED.
WE KNEW WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING
BIG TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
>> Heather:  WELL, IT'S HAPPENED
AND WE'RE GLAD TO SEE YOU STRONG
AND CONTINUED RECOVERY AND THANK
YOU FOR SHARING YOUR STORY.
>> THANK YOU FOR CALLING.
>> Heather:  HE'S 36 YEARS OLD,
SHOWING US COVID-19 IS NOT JUST
A DISEASE THAT STRIKES THE
EDERLY.
>> Ian:  WHICH, I THINK, WOULD
SURPRISE A LOT OF PEOPLE.
SO TO TALK ABOUT THAT, LET'S
BEFORE IN AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE
EXPERT, A MEMBER OF THE FACULTY
MEM OF DENTISTRY IS JOINS US
EDMONTON.
DR. SAXSINGER, WHAT ARE WE
SEEING IN TERMS OF YOUNGER
VICTIMS.
>> THAT PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED IN A
20 TO 60-YEAR-OLD OLDING RANGE
AND CANADA IS AROUND 60% OR 20
OR 60 YEARS OLD.
AND THIS IS LOOKING AT U.S.
DATA, SO IN THE UNITED STATES
RATE RIGHT NOW, AROUND HALF OF
THE HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE IN THAT
AGE RANGE AND I THINK THE
INITIAL DATA UNDERESTIMATED THE
PROPORTION OF DISEASE IN YOUNGER
PEOPLE AND IT'S DEFINITELY NOT
TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.
>> Ian:  WE HAVE A QUESTION ON
VIDEO FROM ONE OF OUR VIEWERS,
LET'S LISTEN TO THAT AND YOU CAN
ANSWER.
>> Question:  I HAVE A
9-MONTH-OLD BABY AND WE MISSED
HIS PEDIATRICIAN CHECK-UP IN
MARCH BECAUSE I WAS NERVOUS TO
TAKE HIM.
OUR NEXT CHECK-UP IS IN A WEEK.
SHOULD I TAKE HIM AND WILL I
HAVE TO SELF-ISOLATE AFTERWARDS?
>> THIS IS A PERTINENT QUESTION
AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING TO
POTENTIALLY GOING WITH
TELEHEALTH VISITS OR PHONE
VISITS FOR NONURGENT CONCERNS SO
THAT YOU CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION
WITH YOUR DOCTOR.
YOU MIGHT DISCUSS WEIGHT GAIN
AND RESERVE THE IN-PERSON VISIT
FOR THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR
VACCINES, FOR EXAMPLE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A
REASONABLE WAY TO GO ABOUT IT,
IF YOU DON'T HAVE HEALTH
CONCERNS WHERE A PHYSICAL IS
NEEDED, STILL REACH OUT TO YOUR
DOCTOR, BUT MAYBE NOT HAVE THE
VISIT YET.
>> Ian:  WE HAVE 45 SECONDS LEFT
AND THE BRIEFING IN ALBERTA THIS
AFTERNOON, THE NUMBER OF ICU
CASES IN YOUR PROVINCE SEEM TO
BE RELATIVELY SPEAKING IN PRETTY
GOOD SHAPE FOR THE HOSPITALS.
ANY IDEA WHY THE IMPACT OF
COVID-19 MAYBE NOT HAS BEEN AS
HARD IN ALBERTA AS IN SOME OTHER
PLACES.
>> I THINK THAT WE HAVE
REASONABLY HIGH CASES BUT
BECAUSE WE'VE HAD EXTENSIVE
TESTING, WE'RE CATCHING PEOPLE
WITH MILD SYMPTOMS.
WE HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF OUR
DENOMINATOR AND A SMALLER OF
PEOPLE GOING INTO HOSPITAL AND
ICU COMPARED TO EARLIER
EPIDEMICS WHERE WE WERE COUNTING
ONLY THE SEVERELY ILL.
I THINK WE'LL ALL BE ADJUSTING
OUR MODELS FOR WHAT WE'RE SEEING
IN OUR AREAS, BUT WE MIGHT BE
DOING BETTER THAN WE ANTICIPATED
AT THIS POINT.
ALTHOUGH, OUR CASE NUMBERS ARE
CONTINUING.
>> Ian:  DR. SAXSINGER, THANK
YOU.
>>> COVID-19 HAS TAKEN LIVES,
ROBBED MANY PEOPLE OF THEIR JOBS
AND TODAY, STATISTICS CANADA
GAVE US A SENSE OF THAT,
RELEASING GDP NUMBERS FOR MARCH.
THE ECONOMY HAS CONTRACTED BY 91
THE%.
9%.
WE'LL CHECK IN WITH CBC LOCAL
HOSTS AND HERE IS TOM MURPHY.
>> Reporter:  HI, IAN.
THIS IS PORTLAND STREET IN
DOWNTOWN DARTMOUTH, HOME TO BREW
PUBS AND RESTAURANTS AND SMALL
BUSINESSES.
LOOK AROUND, NOT A LOT
HAPPENING.
SURE PEOPLE ARE GETTING
EXERCISE, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE
DOORS AROUND HERE, THERE IS NOT
MUCH ACTIVITY HAPPENING AT ALL.
THESE DOORS ARE, IN FACT, CLOSED
AND THESE SIGNS PRETTY COMMON
EVERYWHERE.
NOW THAT THE WEATHER IS NICE,
PEOPLE ARE ASKING THE QUESTION,
WHEN MIGHT SOME OF THE
RESTRICTIONS BE LIFTED, WHEN, OF
COURSE, IT'S SAFE TO DO SO.
THIS RESTAURANT HAS REOPENED,
SORT OF, AND NOT SELLING ANY OF
THE FOOD THE OWNERS MAKES BUT
TURNED THEIR RESTAURANT IN A
COMMUNITY KITCHEN MAKING UP TO
400 MEALS A WEEK TO BE DELIVERED
TO A CHARITY THAT DISTRIBUTED TO
THOSE IN NEED.
PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE, YOU SEE
AND HEAR A LOT ABOUT THAT
HAPPENING IN THESE PARTS, THREE
DAYS.
YOU CAN ALMOST SMELL THE FEAR IN
THE AIR, PARTICULARLY AMONG THE
SMALL BUSINESS OPERATORS HERE,
AS WELL.
THE TOURISM SEASON IS ABOUT TO
COME UPON US AND WHAT MIGHT
THEIR SEASON LOOK LIKE THIS
YEAR?
THEY'RE ALL LOOKING FOR ANSWERS
TO THE QUESTION THAT REALLY NO
ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER
RIGHT NOW, WHEN WILL THINGS GET
BACK TO NORMAL?
TOM MURPHY, CBC NEWS, DARTMOUTH.
>> Ian:  HEALTH EXPERTS SAY WE
ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN
FINDING THE ANSWERS.
DOCTORS AND NURSES REMINDING US
TO DO OUR PART AS THEY DO
THEIRS.
>> Heather:  THESE ARE PEOPLE OF
INCREDIBLE DEDICATION AND TALENT
AND SOME OF THEIR TALENTS GO FAR
BEYOND MEDICINE.
THEY HAVE REMAINED OUT OF THE
SPOTLIGHT, REALLY, UNTIL NOW,
BUT WE'LL UNCOVER THEM, DISCOVER
THEM TONIGHT.
YOU'LL HEAR A CHOIR OF
PHYSICIANS IN TORONTO, PAYING
TRIBUTE TO HEALTARE COLLEAGUES
CALLING THEMSELVES VOICES ROCK
MEDICINE.
♪ WE LOOK TO OUR FRIENDS TO
WEIGH OUR LOVE.
♪ AS SURE THE SUNRISE, AS SHORE
AS THE SEA.
♪ AS SURE AS THE WIND IN THE
TREES, WE RISE AGAIN.
♪ IN THE FACES OF OUR CHILDREN.
♪ WE RISE AGAIN IN THE VOICES.
♪ WE RISE AGAIN IN THE WAVE OUT
ON THE OCEAN.
♪ AND WE RISE AGAIN.
>> Heather:  WELCOME BACK TO OUR
CBC VIRTUAL TOWN HALL.
IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO
SET A STRONG AND REASSURING
TONE, LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THE
QUEEN.
>> WHILE WE HAVE FACED
CHALLENGES BEFORE, THIS ONE IS
DIFFERENT.
THIS TIME WE JOIN WITH ALL
NATIONS ACROSS THE GLOBE IN A
COMMON ENDEAVOR, USING THE GREAT
ADVANCES OF OUR INSTINCTIVE
COMPASSION TO HEAL.
WE WILL SUCCEED AND THAT SUCCESS
WILL BELONG TO EVERYONE OF US.
WE SHOULD TAKE COMFORT THAT
WHILE WE MAY HAVE MORE STILL TO
ENDURE, BETTER DAYS WILL RETURN.
WE WILL BE WITH OUR FRIENDS
AGAIN.
WE WILL BE WITH OUR FAMILIES
AGAIN.
WE WILL MEET AGAIN.
BUT FOR NOW, I SEND MY THANKS
AND WARMEST GOOD WISHES TO YOU
ALL.
>> Heather:  IT WAS THE FIFTH
TIME IN 70 YEARS ON THE THRONE
THE QUEEN DELIVERED THAT IN
WHICH SHE WAS APPLAUDED AROUND
THE WORLD.
IN CANADA, IT'S THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL AND TONIGHT FROM RIDEAU
HALL IS HER EXCELLENCY.
YOUR OFFICE LAUNCHED AN ONLINE
PLATFORM CALLED CARING NATION
AND IT'S A PLACE FOR CANADIANS
FOR CANADIANS TO SHARE STORIES
AND I'M WONDERING WHAT YOU'VE
SEEN IN THE STORIES YOU'VE SEEN
SO FAR.
>> WE'VE SEEN EVERY WALK OF LIFE
IS WRITING TO US.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE WRITING
EVERYWHERE.
THEY ARE SHOWING THEIR
RESILIENCE AND COURAGE AND
CAPABILITY AND INGENUITY.
BUT FIRST AND FOREMOST, THEY ARE
THANKING THEIR FELLOW CANADIANS
THAT ARE KEEPING OUR SOCIETY
GOING, THOSE COURAGEOUS PUBLIC
HEALTH WORKERS ON THE FRONT LINE
KEEPING US SAFE.
>> Heather:  IT CERTAINLY IS, SO
THERE ARE COMMON THEMES AND
SHARED EXPERIENCES AND AS YOU
READ THOSE AND THINK ON THEM AND
LOOK ELSEWHERE, HOW DO YOU THINK
OVERALL CANADIANS ARE PREPARINGG
TO THIS CRISIS?
>> LIKE EVERYONE, WE ARE SEEING
THE ENORMOUS TOLL THAT THIS
PANDEMIC HAS ON US.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE
FINANCIALLY PREOCCUPIED, PEOPLE
WHO ARE SICK AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE
LOST THEIR LIVES.
IT'S TERRIBLE, BUT AT THE SAME
TIME, I'M PROUD OF THE
RESILIENCE THAT CANADIANS HAVE
SHOWN AND THE SOLIDARITY AMONGST
OURSELVES AND AS WE CONTINUE THE
CONFINEMENT, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE
BEING ON THE LOOK-OUT FOR ONE
ANOTHER.
AFTER A LITTLE WHILE, THE
ROUTINE SETS IN AND IT BECOMES A
LOT HARDER.
WE HAVE TO CONTINUE AND HOLD THE
LINE.
>> Heather:  YOU'VE ACKNOWLEDGED
RIGHT THERE THAT THERE ARE
DIFFICULT TIMES AND THESE ARE
DARK DAY, PLENTY OF CHALLENGES
TO COME, BUT WHERE DO YOU SEE
HOPE RIGHT NOW, YOUR EXCELLENCY?
>> I'VE TURNED A LOT TO MY
COLLEAGUES.
I HAVE A COLLEAGUE THAT IS ON
BOARD THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING A
LOT BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE ON
BOARD A SPACESHIP FAR AWAY, FOR
YOU TELECONFERENCING OR
TELEMEDICINE OR CONFINED SPACE
ISOLATION IS THE NORMAL AND
THERE ARE WAYS TO COPE.
, FOR SURE
TO COUNT ON ONE ANOTHER.
ON BOARD A SPACESHIP, THERE'S A
CREW BUT RIGHT HERE, WE'RE ALL A
PART OF THIS CREW AND ALL
TOGETHER INTO THIS FIGHT AGAINST
THE VIRUS AND ONLY TOGETHER WE
WILL PREVAIL.
SO WE HAVE TO TREAT IT AS SUCH.
WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ONE
ANOTHER AND WE HAVE TO RELY ON
EACH OTHER AND TAKE CARE OF
OURSELVES.
>> Heather:  WHEN YOU SAY WE
WILL PREVAIL, THAT WAS CERTAINLY
THE CORE, THE CRUX OF THE
MESSAGE YOU DEVELOPED EARLY ON
IN THIS CRISIS.
BUT WE'RE A MONTH INTO THIS
RESTRICTIVE LOCKDOWN AND I
WONDER WHETHER YOU MIGHT HAVE
ANOTHER MESSAGE AND IN
PARTICULAR SPEAKING TO PEOPLE
LIKE YOURSELF.
YOU'RE THE MOTHER AFTER TEENAGE
SON AND PARENTS OF YOUNG
CANADIANS STRUGGLING TO STAY THE
COURSE AND FOLLOW THE RULES THE
LONGER THIS CONTINUES.
HOW ABOUT A MESSAGE FOR THEM.
>> IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE FOCUS
ON THE POSITIVE EVEN THOUGH
THERE'S SO MANY WORRIES AND
PREOCCUPATIONS OUT THERE.
IT'S FUNDAMENTAL.
IT'S ATTITUDE, IT'S CHARACTER
AND WE HAVE THAT WILL AND WE CAN
FOCUS ON THAT.
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH AND
THE COHABITATION GETS MORE
DIFFICULT, RELY ONLY THINGS YOU
LIKE.
WE OFTEN SAY IN THE ASTRONAUT
WORLD, DON'T FOCUS ON WHAT YOU
CAN'T CONTROL BUT FOCUS ON WHAT
YOU CAN.
YOU HAVE CAN MEALS TOGETHER,
CHANGE ACTIVITY, DECIDE ON A
HOBBY AND YOU CAN VOLUNTEER IF
YOU'RE HEALTHY IF THAT'S NEEDED
IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOU CAN
DEFINITELY SHOW YOUR GRATITUDE
TO PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO ARE
HOLDING EVERYTHING TOGETHER.
>> Heather:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FOR THAT MESSAGE AND I KNOW AS A
PROUD BETTER OF THE OTTAWA
CHOIR, YOU'LL ENJOY THE MUSIC WE
HAVE COMING UP.
IAN, CANADIANS HAVE BEEN SHARING
THEIR STORIES WITH THE GOVERNOR
GENERAL AND SHARING THEM WITH US
EVERY SINGLE DAY AND SOCIAL
MEDIA IS FILLED WITH UPLIFTING
PHOTOS AND VIDEOS AND WE JUST
HEARD VOICES, ROCK MEDICINE, FOR
EXAMPLE, BUT THAT'S JUST ONE
EXAMPLE.
>> Ian:  ABSOLUTELY.
WE'VE SEEN JUNO AWARD WINNERS
OFFERING ONLINE SESSIONS
PERFORMED AT PHYSICAL DISTANCE
FROM THEIR BANDMATES AND 29
MEMBERS FROM THE SYMPHONY AND
THERE'S SOMETHING WE WILL PLAY
AS WE GO TO BREAK.
A HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR FROM
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, GOT
AMBITIOUS AND FOUNDS OTHERS WHO
WANTED TO TAKE PART IN A
PERFORMANCE.
["OH CANADA"]
>> Ian:  COVID-19 IS HAVING A
FLATTENING EFFECT ON EVERYDAY
LIFE BUT OVER AND OVER AGAIN,
CANADIANS SHOW YOU CAN'T KEEP
THEM DOWN AND YOU CAN'T STOP
THEM FROM SAYING THANK YOU.
THEY'RE LOOKING AT SOME OF THE
DAILY TRIBUTES PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
PAYING TO HEALTHCARE WORKERS
ACROSS THIS COUNTRY.
WELCOME BACK TO OUR CBC NEWS
TOWN HALL ON THE IMPACT OF KUHN.
COVID-19.
IT'S BEEN THE DOCTORS, NURSES
AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM WHO HAVE
INSPIRED CANADIANS AND AS CBC
NEWS HAS COVERED THIS STORY OF
COVID-19, WE'VE HEARD FIRST-HAND
ACCOUNTS OF PEOPLE DEALING WITH
THE DISEASE.
DR. ALLEN SHARED THIS TWEET OF A
LONG NIGHT OF TREATING PATIENTS
WITH COVID-19 INCLUDING ONE MAN
WHO DIDN'T WANT TO BE ON A
VENTILATOR.
>> HE TURNED TO ME AND SAID IF I
DIE FROM THIS, I WOULD RATHER
DIE LOOKING AT THE SKY AND
TALKING TO MY FAMILY.
AND SO, I SAT WITH HIM AND WE
LOOKED AT THE SKY AND IT WAS A
BEAUTIFUL, SUNNY DAY AND WE
TALKED ABOUT HIS FAMILY.
I LOVE BEING A DOCTOR.
THERE'S NO.EDU ABOUT THAT.
I'M SCARED.
I'M AFRAID
>> SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID TO
ME, I'M SCARED, TOO.
I HAVE HAD PATIENTED WHO CALLED
ME IN MY FAMILY PRACTISE WHO
HAVE SAID, I SAW YOU ON CBC AND
I'M SCARED, TOO.
THANK YOU FOR TALKING ABOUT IT
AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME
TALK ABOUT IT.
>> Ian:  AND THAT WAS JUST --
SORRY TO INTERRUPT, THAN WAS
JUST IT.
I KNOW YOU WERE RELUCTANT TO GO
THERE IN THE INTERVIEW BUT ROSE
ROSEMARY SAID, TELL US HOW YOU
FEEL AND YOU GAVE A VOICE TO
WHAT SO MANY DOCTORS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY ARE FEELING, AS WELL.
BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE
PATIENT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT
THERE.
WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING WITH
HIM?
>> SO HE IS STILL ALIVE.
HE STILL ON OXYGEN AND HE'S
FIGHTING.
HE'S FIGHTING SO HARD FOR THIS.
I VISITED HIM YESTERDAY.
I WAS AT THE HOSPITAL YESTERDAY
WORKING AGAIN AND WHEN I HAD A
MOMENT, I SLIPPED DOWN TO HIS
ROOM AND SAT WITH HIM AND HIS
FAMILY HAS COVID-19 AND SO
THEY'RE ISOLATING AND THEY CAN'T
VISIT HIM.
AND SO I SAT AND I HELD HIS HAND
AND, AGAIN, IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL
SUNNY DAY WITH BLUE, BLUE SKIES
AND FLUFFY, COTTON-BALL CLOUDS
AND WE TALKED ABOUT HIS
GRANDKIDS THIS TIME AND HE TOLD
ME ABOUT HIS EXTENDED FAMILY.
ONE OF HIS NIECES FOUND ME ON
TWITTER AND WE TALKED ABOUT HER
AND THE WORK SHE DOES.
AND THEN WE JUST SAT, WE JUST
SAT QUIETLY FOR AWHILE, TOO.
I LOVE THIS PATIENT, I DO.
I LOVE HIS STRENGTH, HIS
DETERMINATION.
HE WANTS TO BEAT THIS AND GO
HOME AND I WANT HIM TO, AS WELL.
>> Ian:  YOU KNOW, AS I WALK
FROM HOME TO WORK WHEN I DO COME
INTO THE NEWSROOM HERE, I GO
PASSED VANCOUVER GENERAL
HOSPITAL AND I WONDER WHAT'S
HAPPENING INSIDE THOSE WALLS AS
I GO BY.
YOU WORK JUST OUTSIDE OF OTTAWA
AND YOU'RE GIVING US A SENSE OF
THAT.
IN YOUR HOSPITAL, WHAT IS IT
LIKE ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS THESE
DAYS?
>> IT'S NOT TOO BAD.
WE CAN SEE THE SURGE SLOWLY
COMING TOWARDS HALTING HILLS.
THE HOSPITAL I WORK AT,
GEORGETOWN HOSPITAL, IT HAS A
GREAT, FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT.
EVERYBODY IS NERVOUS, CAREFUL
AND ON GUARD BUT THEY FEEL READY
TO DEAL WITH WHAT THEY HAVE TO.
THEY FEEL READY TO MAKE THE
DECISIONS THEY HAVE TO.
THEY'RE TRYING TO COMFORT THE
PATIENTS THAT ARE THERE BECAUSE
MANY ARE ON ISOLATION AND WE
KNOW, WE KNOW THAT THIS TAKES A
HUGE MENTAL TOLE, NOT JUST ON
THE HEALTHCARE WORKERS BUT ON
THE PATIENTS WHO HAVE COVID-19
AND WHO ARE ISOLATED.
AND ALL OF THE OTHER PATIENTS WE
HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF WHO MAY NOT
HAVE COVID-19 WHO HAVE COME TO
THE HOSPITAL FOR OTHER REASONS
LIKE ECTOPIC PREGNANCIES OR
RUPTURED APPENDIX.
YES, COVID-19 IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT BUT THE OTHER DISEASES
ARE STILL GOING ON.
SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
READY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM
WITHIN HOSPITAL AND IN THE
COMMUNITY, AS WELL.
>> Ian:  WE REALLY APPRECIATE
YOU HEARING YOUR VOICE.
AND AS YOU TOLD ROSIE, YOU LOVE
BEING A DOCTOR AND IT CERTAINLY
SHOWS.
NADIAM, THANK YOU.
>> Heather:  THANK YOU FOR THAT
CONVERSATION AND TO DR. ALAM.
THROUGH OUR TOWN HALL, WE'LL
BRING YOU REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES
AND LOOK NEXT TO QUEBEC AND
THAT'S THE PROVINCE HARDEST HIT
BY THIS AND PARTICULARLY FROM
LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES.
HERE IS THE HOST OF THE MONTREAL
NEWSCAST, DEBBR ARBECH.
>> Reporter:  THIS CRISIS IS
UNFOLDING OUR SENIOR'S HOMES.
ALL BUT A FEW HAVE BEEN AMONG
THE EDERLY.
A HORRIFIC SCENE AT ONE SENIOR'S
RESIDENT IN MONTREAL SIGNALED
JUST HOW GRIM THE SITUATION
REALLY IS.
>> MOST OF THE STAFF DESERTED
THE RESIDENCE.
>> Reporter:  ABANDONED SENIORS
AT THE HERRON RESIDENCE LEFT
UNFED, DEHYDRATED AND SOILED IN
THEIR BEDS.
31 OTHERS DIED THERE OVER A PANN
OF A MONTH.
MARY SNYDER IS ONE OF THEM.
>> SHE WAS OLD, WEAK, AND
COULDN'T HEAR.
>> Reporter:  SENIOR'S HOMES ARE
OFF LIMITS TO VISITORS.
FAMILIES ARE DESPERATE FOR NEWS
AND WAIT FOR CALLS THAT RARELY
COME.
ALREADY CHRONICALLY
UNDERSTAFFED, KEEPING FAMILIES
UP TO DATE JUST HASN'T BEEN A
PRIORITY.
NOT EVEN PAID CAREGIVERS HAVE
BEEN ALLOWED IN.
>> WHEN THEY TOOK ME OUT AND
WOULDN'T LET US TAKE CARE OF THE
PEOPLE WE LOVE, I THOUGHT,
ANOTHER DOWN.
I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE AND
THEY WOULDN'T LET ME.
>> Reporter:  HER 94-YEAR-OLD
CLIENT, NANCY NEWTON, DIED LAST
WEEK.
DOZENS OF SENIOR'S HOMES ARE
STRUGGLING CRITICALLY.
2,000 EMPLOYEES JUST STOPPED
SHOWING UP FOR WORK AND MANY OF
THEM SICK.
TO RESUSCITATE THE SYSTEM,
ANYONE WITH EXPERTISE IN
HEALTHCARE IS BEING ASKED TO
HELP OUT NOW, INCLUDING
CAREGIVERS.
IT'S TOO LATE FOR NANCY NEWTON,
BUT AS THE PROVINCE APPROACHES
THE PEAK OF THIS PANDEMIC, THEY
COULD BE A LIFE-LINE FOR
HUNDREDS MORE.
[ ♪♪♪ ]
>> Ian:  WE WANT TO BRING YOU
THE PERSPECTIVE OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING INSIDE OF INTENSIVE
CARE UNITS.
TWO UNIQUE VIEWS FROM THE
CANADA-U.S. BORDER.
FIRST, LET'S HEAR FROM A
PHYSICIAN IN OTTAWA AND WORKS IN
THREE OF THE CITY'S FOUR ICUS
AND I KNOW, DOCTOR, YOU WERE ON
SHIFT TODAY AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE
IN THE ICU?
>> HONESTLY, IAN, THINGS WERE
RELATIVELY QUIET.
I THINK THE MEASURES THAT PEOPLE
ARE MAKING TO DOING A SOCIAL
DISTANCING AND DOING THEIR
PHYSICAL DISTANCING IS TRULY
MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY, SPECIFICALLY IN OTTAWA,
PUT IN QUITE A BIT OF EFFORT ARE
MAKING SURE WE HAVE CAPACITY TO
SURGE IF WE SAW INCREASED
VOLUME.
BUT RIGHT NOW, I JUST WANT TO
REINFORCE THE MEASURES THAT
PEOPLE ARE DOING IS MAKING A
DIFFERENCE.
>> Ian:  I'VE HEARD THAT FROM AN
EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN IN
METRO VANCOUVER, FROM A DOCTOR
IN EDMONTON, THE SAME KIND OF
STORY AND ALL, LIKE YOU, POINTS
OUT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOING THE
PHYSICAL DISTANCING.
BUT AMONG YOU AND YOUR
COLLEAGUES, IS THERE ANY UNEASE
OR ANXIETY AT ALL ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL FOR A SURGE?
>> YEAH, I THINK THERE WAS A LOT
OF ANXIETY AND LOW MORALE EARLY
ON IN TERMS OF WHEN COVID
STARTED TO COME UP.
I THINK WITH THE INCREASE IN
VOLUME.
SO WE ARE STARTING TO SEE MORE
CASES AND WHEN YOU GET TO BE
MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE CASES,
THINGS SEEM TO, IN TERMS OF
ANXIETY, HAVE SETTLED DOWN.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THE FACT THAT
THINGS HAVE GOTTEN QUITE
STABILIZED -- LIKE, WE DON'T
KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE
WITH ALL CERTAINTY, BUT THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COPE
AND THE FACT THAT WE CERTAINLY
HAVE CAPACITY AND HAVE CREATED
CAPACITY IS VERY REASSURING.
>> Ian:  IT'S REASSURING FOR US
TO HEAR THAT MESSAGE.
WE HAVE LESS THAN A MINUTE AND
WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE FOR PEOPLE
WATCHING NOW ACROSS THE COUNTRY?
>> I WANT TO SAY A COUPLE OF
THINGS AND ONE, THANK YOU.
AS A FRONT-LINE STAFF, AS A
PERSON THAT SEES THE IMPACT
COVID CAN HAVE ON PATIENTS AND
CAREGIVERS, WE WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR DOING YOUR PART.
AND I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE
THERE'S A LOT OF UNSUNG HEROES
IN TERMS OF BATTLING COVID-19.
LIKE THE PERSONAL CARE WORKERS
THAT HELP TURN PATIENTS AND
ASSIST WITH CARE.
THE RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS AT
THE BEDSIDE PUTTING THEMSELVES
AT HIGHEST RISK OF CONTRACTING
COVID-19 AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE
IN OUR PATIENT'S CARE.
THE NURSES, THE
PHYSIOTHERAPISTS, ALSO A LOT OF
UNSUNG HEROES THAT ARE PROVIDING
EXCELLENT CARE AND PUTTING THEIR
LIVES AT RISK.
I HONESTLY WANT TO THANK THEM
AND I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE
FOR DOING THEIR PART.
>> Ian:  IT'S A REALLY NICE
MESSAGE BECAUSE WE HEAR A LOT AS
WE SHOULD ABOUT DOCTORS AND
NURSES, BUT AS YOU POINT OUT, A
LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING HARD
INSIDE THOSE HOSPITALS.
DR. KWARDO, THANK YOU FOR
SPEAKING WITH US.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> Ian:  LET'S GO TO TORONTO NOW
AND HEATHER.
>> Heather:  THANK YOU.
AND I WANT TO SHOW YOU IMAGES
I'M SURE YOU WILL REMEMBER,
AMONG THE MOST STRIKING.
MASS GRAVES ON NEW YORK'S HARD
ISLAND.
THE MORGUE WAS FULL.
COVID-19 HAS UNLEASHED CHAOS IN
NEW YORK STATE.
IT'S A PLACE THAT OFFERS
PERSPECTIVE AND LESSONS FOR US
HERE IN CANADA.
DR. ROBIN VARGESE IS A PHYSICIAN
IN NEW YORK BUT RIGHT NOW HE IS
TRYING TO GET CONTROL OVER
COVID-19.
DR. VARGESE, WELCOME, AND THANK
YOU FOR COMING HOME FOR THIS
TOWN HALL.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Heather:  YOU'RE JUST COMING
OFF SHIFT AT MT. SINAI HOSPITAL,
YOUR HOSPITAL, AND HOW HAS IT
BEEN TONIGHT?
>> WE'RE AT A DIFFERENT STAGE OF
THE DISEASE PROCESS NOW, WHERE
WE'VE PEAKED, IT SEEMS AND WE'RE
RECOVERING PATIENTS AND WE'RE
SEEING THE LIGHT AT THE END OF
THE TUNNEL AND SEES PATIENTS
IMPROVE.
IT'S MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THREE
WEEKS AGO IN THE SURGE PHASE
WHERE WE WERE OPENING UP
INTENSIVE CARE UNITS AND FILLING
THEM UP IN HOURS.
HERE AT MT. SINAI, AT THE MAIN
CAMPUS, THERE IS 120 INTENSIVE
CARE UNITS.
FOR EXAMPLE IN CARDIOVASCULAR
SURGERY, WE HAVE 20 ICU BEDS.
WE FILLED THEM UP AND OPENED UP
ADDITIONAL SURGE UNITS AND
PATIENTS WOULD REQUIRE INTENSIVE
CARE AND THESE PATIENTS REQUIRE
A LOT MORE CARE THAN THE
STANDARD PATIENT AND WE'VE HAD
TO REPURPOSE A LOT OF STAFF TO
HELP US OUT.
AFTER THE SURGE PHASE, THEN WE
GOT INTO A PHASE WHERE THE
PATIENTS SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE
NOT GETTING BETTER AND WE COULD
NOT SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF
THE TUNNEL.
WE'RE SEEING ONCE INTUBATED, IT
TAKES TEN DAYS TO TWO WEEKS
BEFORE WE SEE THE IMPROVEMENT
AND THAT'S WHERE WE ARE NOW AND
WE'RE GETTING THE BREATHING
TUBES OUT AND PATIENTS ARE
LIBERATED FROM THE VENTILATOR
AND THEY'RE WAKING UP AND WE'RE
SEEING THEM SMILE AND WE CAN
GIVE THEM A THUMBS-UP THEY'RE
HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
AND WILL SEE THEIR LOVED ONES
SOON.
>> Heather:  FOR YOU BEING
THERE, WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BEING
ABLE TO OFFER THAT OPTIMISM TO
THOSE COVID-19 PATIENTS?
>> IT'S ENCOURAGING TO US AS
STAFF MEMBERS BECAUSE DURING
THIS TIME, THEY'RE HEAVILY
SEDATED AND WE DON'T KNOW THEM
AS A PERSON ASIDE FROM WHAT
THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS TELL US.
THEY WAKE UP AND WE CAN HEAR
THEIR STORIES AND IT'S PATIENTS
WHOSE HANDS WE'VE HELD NOT
KNOWING WHAT THE RESULTS WOULD
BE OR THE OUTCOME WOULD BE, JUST
TELLING THEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO
DO OUR BEST AND GET THEM THROUGH
IT.
AND NOW WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THE
PATIENTS COME THROUGH IT.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, WE
INTUBATEDTWO COUSINS, BOTH VERYD
TWO WEEKS LATER, THEIR BREATHING
TUBES CAME OUT AND BOTH LEAVING
THE INTENSIVE CARE UNITS.
SO GREAT STORIES.
>> Heather:  I WAS ANTICIPATING
DARK NEWS BUT I'M HAPPY BECAUSE
NEW YORK CITY IS SO MUCH AHEAD
OF CANADA IN TERMS OF WHERE THE
SURGE IS.
DR. ROBIN VARGHESE, THANK YOU.
>> Ian:  IT IS NICE TO HAVE SOME
SURPRISING GOOD STORIES THERE.
THE SCENES OUT OF NEW YORK CITY
HAVE BEEN STRIKING.
TIMES SQUARE IS COMPLETELY EMPTY
AND THE SAME IN TORONTO.
AND HERE IS DWIGHT DRUMMOND.
>> Reporter:  IAN, USUALLY THIS
AREA WOULD BE FILLED WITH
TOURISTS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
WHO LIVE AND WORK IN TORONTO'S
DOWNTOWN TOWERS.
BUT AS YOU CAN SEE RIGHT NOW,
THIS AREA IS EMPTY.
MANY OF THE CITY'S BEST-KNOWN
LANDMARKS FROM THE CN TOWER TO
THE ROGERS CENTRE ARE ALL CLOSED
AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE
TAKING PRECAUTIONS AND ISOLATING
THEMSELVES BUT THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE IN ONTARIO HAVE BEEN
INFECTED AND MORE THAN 400 HAVE
DECIDE.
DIED.
MANY DEATHS ARE IN LONG-TERM
CARE HOMES AND THE ONTARIO
GOVERNMENT LIKE BRITISH COLUMBIA
IS PREVENTING STAFF MEMBERS FROM
WORKING AT MORE THAN ONE
LONG-TERM CARE HOME.
>> WE HAVE SOME BUSHFIRES AND
WE'LL PUT EVERY RESOURCE WE CAN
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FOCUS ON
THE LONG-TERM CARE RIGHT NOW.
>> Reporter:  THE DANGEROUS WORK
THAT PEOPLE IN THE HEALTHCARE
SECTOR ARE DOING IS CERTAINLY
BEING APPRECIATED BY THE PEOPLE
IN THIS PROVINCE.
EVERY NIGHT PEOPLE ARE BANGING
POTS AND PANS IN NEIGHBORHOODS
ACROSS ONTARIO AND AT CBC
TORONTO, WE'VE BEEN ASKING OUR
VIEWERS TO PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON
THEIR OWN FRONT-LINE HAFER ROWS.
IT WAS INSPIRED BY DR. GRAY
MUNON WHO WANTED TO CELEBRATE
PEOPLE HE WAS SEEING DURING
IMPORTANT WORK EACH DAY.
>> I WANTED TO BRING A CERTAIN
LEVEL OF HUMANITY TO THIS CRISIS
AND PUT A FACE AND A QUOTE
BEHIND SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT
ARE BOTH DIRECTLY RELATED IN
HEALTHCARE AND MORE PERIPHERAL
TO HEALTHCARE.
>> Reporter:  AS DR. MUNON SAYS,
WE CAN GET THROUGH THIS IF WE
ALL STAY TOGETHER.
AN IMPORTANT REMINDER DURING
THESE DIFFICULT TIMES.
DWIGHT DRUMMOND, CBC NEWS,
TORONTO.
[ ♪♪♪ ]
[ ♪♪♪ ]
>> Heather:  WEATHER YOU'RE
WATCHING ON C.N. TELEVISION,
"CBC NEWS NETWORK," ONLINE AT
CBCNEWS.CA OR TUNING INTO SIEGE
RADIO, WELCOME BACK TO OUR
SPECIAL VIRTUAL TOWN HALL,
COVID-19 IN CANADA.
IF YOU'RE JUST JOINING US
TONIGHT, WE ARE ASSESSING
CANADA'S SITUATION TO DEFEAT A
NEW AND KILLER DISEASE.
I'M HEATHER HISCOX IN TORONTO.
>> Ian:  WE'VE HEARD A WIDE
RANGE OF PERSPECTIVES IN OUR
FIRST HOUR AND WE'LL BRING YOU
MORE INSIGHTS FROM HEALTHCARE
WORKERS, A COVID-19 PATIENT AND
WE'LL CHECK IN WITH OUR
COLLEAGUES IN THE CBC NEWSROOMS
FOR THEIR LOCAL PERSPECTIVES.
BUT WE'LL BEGIN THIS HOUR WITH
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT VOICES
IN THE NATION-WIDE RESPONSE.
>> Heather:  THROUGHOUT THIS
CRISIS, CANADA'S CHIEF PUBLIC
HEALTH OFFICER, DR. THERESA TAM
HAS BEEN OUT IN FRONT TELLING
THE CANADIANS IN THE BRIEFINGS
WHAT THEY NEED TO KNOW, AS
SCIENTISTS GATHER THE BEST
INFORMATION AND DR. TAM JOINS US
NOW.
WELCOME TO OUR PROGRAMME,
DR. TAM.
>> HELLO, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.
>> Heather:  AS I WATCHED TODAY
LIVE, THERE WAS AN OPTIMISM WHEN
YOU SPOKE ABOUT HOW THE RATE HAS
SLOWED IN THE COUNTRY AND HOW
CASES WERE DOUBLING EVERY THREE
DAYS AND NOW WEEK DOUBLING EVERY
TEN DAY.
WHAT DOES THAT TELL US WHERE WE
ARE ON THE CURVE?
ARE WE STILL ON THE UPSWING?
>> WELL, IT'S TOO EARLY TO TELL,
BUT IT'S A REALLY GREAT SIGN
THAT THE EPIDEMIC SEEMS TO BE
SLOWING DOWN.
AS YOU SAY, THE RATE OF DOUBLING
OF OUR CASES HAVE SLOWED DOWN
FROM EVERY THREE DAYS TO EVERY
TEN DAYS.
I'M ALWAYS CAUTIOUS BECAUSE WE
HAVEN'T NECESSARILY SEEN THE
PEAK YET AND SOMETIMES WE WON'T
ACTUALLY KNOW THAT WE'VE PASSED
THE PEAK UNTIL WE'VE ACTUALLY
PASSED THE PEAK.
BUT MY MAIN MESSAGE WAS, GOOD
JOB, CANADIANS.
I THINK ALL OF YOUR WORK HAS
HELPED US SLOW DOWN THE EPIDEMIC
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT MUCH
WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE AND WE
NEED EVERYBODY TO MAINTAIN ALL
OF THE GOOD WORK IN TERMS OF
PHYSICAL DISTANCING OR STAYING
AT HOME, WASHING YOUR HANDS AND
THE HYGIENIC MEASURES IS HELPING
US SLOW DOWN THIS EPIDEMIC, BUT
WE NEED TO BE REALLY CAUTIOUS
RIGHT NOW THAT WE'RE DOUBLING
DOWN TO ENSURE THAT WE GET
PASSED THE PEAK AND SLOWLY LET
OURSELVES DOWN ON THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE CURVE.
>> Heather:  THAT STRONG,
CONSISTENT MESSAGE YOU HAVE
DELIVERED EVERYDAY AT YOUR
BRIEFING.
YOU RAISE SOMETHING BECAUSE I'M
WONDERING WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING
FOR.
HOW WILL WE KNOW WHEN WE'RE AT
THE PEAK?
>> WELL, AS I SAID, OUR DATA CAN
SOMETIMES LAG A LITTLE BIT, SO
WHEN SOMEONE IS INFECTED OR
EXPOSED, THEY NEED TO GO TO THE
DOCTOR AND MAY NEED TO BE TESTED
AND THEY GET REPORTED.
SO THERE IS A TIME LAG OFTEN OF
ABOUT TWO WEEKS OR SO FROM THAT
TIME TO WHEN WE ACTUALLY DETECT
THE CASE AND SO, WE'RE PRETTY
CAUTIOUS, BUT WE KNOW THAT MANY
OF THE MEASURES THAT WE'VE PUT
IN PLACE IN CANADA HAPPENED
AROUND THE MIDDLE OF MARCH TO
THAT WEEK THAT HAS JUST PASSED,
THE 15th OF MARCH OR
THEREABOUTS, AND WE KNOW THAT
ALL OF THAT GOOD WORK, THE
RESULTS OF WHICH SHOULD BE
OBSERVABLE AROUND THIS TIME.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M KEEPING A
CLOSE EYE ON HOW THE EPIDEMIC IS
EVOLVING AND I'M HAPPY TO SEE
THAT THIS GROWTH RATE HAS BEGAN
TO SLOW DOWN.
>> Heather:  THE QUESTION
BECOMES WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?
AND LET ME PUT IT TO YOU IN THE
WORDS OF CARMEN CHOY.
>> IN A COUNTRY AS BIG AS IN
CANADA, HOW ARE WE AS A NATION
GO ABOUT RELAXING WITH THE
PHYSICAL DISTANCING MEASURES
WHEN THE TIME COMES?
EACH PROVINCE AND TERRITORIES
HAVE ITS OWN NUMBERS AND THE
PASSENGERS ARE DIFFERENT.
WILL THE PROVINCE AND THE
TERRITORIES GO ABOUT DOING THAT
AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND IF SO,
WHAT ARE THE RAMIFICATIONS OF
DOING THAT?
>> Heather:  SO HOW DO WE
REOPEN, DR. TAM?
AND PUT POLITICS ASIDE, WHAT ARE
THE PUBLIC HEALTH CRITERIA FOR
LIFTING THE LOCKDOWN AND
REOPENING THINGS?
>> WELL, IN ORDER TO MOVE WHAT
WE CALL THE NEW NORMAL, BECAUSE
I DON'T THINK THAT WE'LL BE
REVERTING BACK TO LIFE AS WE
KNOW IT BEFORE THE START OF THIS
PANDEMIC WAVE, BECAUSE THE
POPULATION IMMUNITY IS LIKELY SO
LOW.
WE NEED TO GET A BETTER HANDLE
OF WHAT THAT POPULATION IMMUNITY
IS.
BUT THE FIRST THING AND OUR KEY
FOCUS, IT'S REDUCING
TRANSMISSION TO A VERY LOW LEVEL
AND THAT MEANS TESTING.
THAT MEANS CONTACT TRACING AND
MAKING SURE WE ISOLATE CASES AND
QUARANTINE THE CONTACTS.
THAT MUST STILL CONTINUE.
AND WITH THAT, WE'LL BE ABLE TO
TEST USING SOME OF THE NEW
TESTING THAT WE WILL BE MAKING
AVAILABLE, SUCH AS ANTIBODY
TESTS TO SEE WHAT LEVEL OF
IMMUNITY WE ACTUALLY HAVE IN THE
CANADIAN POPULATION.
WE WILL THEN ALSO BE ABLE TO
ADJUST THOSE PUBLIC HEALTH
MEASURES ACCORDINGLY.
EVEN IF WE MAINTAIN, WE NEED TO
PHYSICAL DISTANCE BECAUSE OF
THIS VIRUS IN CANADA.
AND I THINK THE VIEWER WHO IS
POSING THE QUESTION IS RIGHT IN
THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE DIFFERENT
EPIDEMICS GOING ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
BRITISH COLUMBIA MAY BE
DIFFERENT TO ONTARIO WHICH MIGHT
BE DIFFERENT TO THE COMMUNITIES
IN THE NORTH, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO THE HELP IS CONTINUOUSLY
TRACKING WHAT'S HAPPENING ACROSS
THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF CANADA.
THE TIMING MAY BE DIFFERENT
DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE.
>> Heather:  THE CAPABILITY OF
THE COUNTRY IS NOT WHERE YOU
WANT IT TO BE AND WHERE IT NEEDS
TO BE AND IT IS A KEY CRITERION
FOR ALLOWING SOCIETY TO RETURN
TO NORMAL AND FOR THINGS TO
REOPEN.
>> Ian:  OUR NEXT GUEST IS
SOMEONE WHO KNOWS A LOT ABOUT
COVID-19.
SHE SEEMED TO RECOVER AND HAD
THE ALL CLEARED ISOLATION AND
THE STORY KEEPS CHANGING.
MELANIE FORNEY WORKING IN THE
HEALTHCARE SECTOR AND HAS BEEN
TOLD TO ISOLATE FOR ANOTHER WEEK
AND JOINS US NOW FROM MONTREAL.
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S BEEN A LONG,
FRUSTRATING STORY, MELANIE AND
HOW ARE YOU FEELING TONIGHT?
>> PHYSICALLY, I'M FEELING FINE
AND EMOTIONALLY, I THINK I'M A
LITTLE FRUSTRATED BECAUSE I WAS
HOPING TO ALL CARED TO GO BACK
TO WORK AND DOING WHAT I LOVE DO
AND NOW I HAVE TO ISOLATE FOR
ANOTHER 14 DAYS.
>> Ian:  LET'S GO BACK TO THE
BEGINNING, 25 DAYS, I
UNDERSTAND, SINCE YOU FIRST
STARTED FEELING SYMPTOMS.
WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE LIVING
WITH COVID-19?
>> WELL, THE FIRST, I WOULD HAVE
TO SAY TEN DAYS, WAS THE
ABSOLUTELY WORSE AND I WAS VERY,
VERY ILL.
I HAD TO STAY AT HOME.
I HAD NO HELP.
I WAS PANICKING.
I WAS SO SICK AND I REALLY HAD
TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF.
THANKFULLY, I DIDN'T GET TO THE
POINT WHERE I WAS CRITICAL AND I
NEEDED HOSPITALIZATION AND HAD
TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING ON MY
OWN.
SINCE THE 12th OR 13th DAY,
I'VE BEEN FEELING FINE, JUST
LIKE I HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A
COLD AND NOW I FEEL 100%.
>> Ian:  AND SO, DURING THE TIME
THAT YOU WERE FEELING MORE SICK,
WERE PEOPLE CHECKING OR WERE YOU
CHECKING WITH PEOPLE BY PHONE OR
HOW DID YOU MAKE THE DECISION
THAT EVEN AS SICK AS YOU FELT,
YOU WEREN'T SICK ENOUGH TO CHECK
IN AT A HOSPITAL?
>> WELL, WHAT THEY TOLD ME WAS
TO BASICALLY STAY AT HOME AS
LONG I COULD AND THAT IF I WAS
HAVING DIFFICULTY BREATHING OR I
COULDN'T BREATHE OR CATCH MY
BREATHE, THAT'S WHEN I NEEDED TO
CALL 9-1-1.
>> Ian:  YOU HAVE TWO TEENAGERS
AT HOME, AS WELL AND I GUESS
THEY HAVE NOT TESTED POSITIVE.
HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO KEEP YOUR
INFECTION AWAY FROM THEM?
>> YOU KNOW, IT WAS VERY
DIFFICULT.
WE SHARE A KITCHEN AND BATHROOM
AND THEY DON'T SHOW SYMPTOMS
YET.
THEY'RE SELF ISOLATING AND WE'RE
TRYING TO BE AS CAREFUL AS WE
CAN BUT THEY HAVEN'T SHOWN ANY
SYMPTOMS YET.
>> Ian:  YOU'RE IN A STRANGE
SITUATION FEELING A LOT BETTER
BUT TECHNICALLY STILL HAVE
COVID-19.
SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU?
>> SO, BECAUSE I WORK IN THE
HEALTH SECTOR THEY WANT ME TO
TEST EVERY WEEK TO SEE IF I'M
STILL POSITIVE.
I JUST PASSED MY FIFTH COVID-19
TEST AND IT WAS STILL POSITIVE
AND I HAVE TO WAIT ANOTHER WEEK
BEFORE I GET TESTED AGAIN.
>> Ian:  OF COURSE, WE WISH YOU
THE BEST OF LUCK IN TERMS OF
STAYING HEALTHY AND TESTING
HEALTHY AS WELL.
MELANIE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Ian:  LET'S GO BACK TO
HEATHER IN TORONTO.
>> Heather:  THANK YOU SO MUCH,
IAN.
AND WE'LL GO BACK TO TORONTO AND
EDMONTON AND TO REJOIN OUR
EXPERT TONIGHT, DR. SAXSINGER, A
MEMBER OF THE FACULTY OF
DENTISTRY IN ALBERTA.
I'M DELIGHTED TO HAVE SOME
QUESTIONS WITH YOU AND THANK YOU
FOR BEING OUR GUEST AND
ANSWERING VIEWER QUESTIONS.
LOU JANE HAS ONE FOR YOU AND
LISTEN LET'S TOGETHER.
>> HI, I'M FROM LONDON, ONTARIO,
AND I'M WONDERING IF THE
CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES ARE
SCREENING BLOOD DONATIONS FOR
COVID-19 AND IS IT POSSIBLE FOR
PEOPLE TO BECOME INFECTED DUE TO
THE TRANSMISSION OF DONATED
BLOOD?
>> Heather:  THAT'S AN
INTERESTING QUESTION.
WHAT DO WE KNOW IN THE DISEASE,
IN THE EVOLUTION OF TRANSMISSION
OF THE BLOOD?
>> WELL, EVERYTHING IS AN
EVOLUTION, AS YOU'VE SAID.
I THINK WE HAVEN'T SEEN CASE
REPORTS THROUGH BLOOD
TRANSFUSION.
I BELIEVE THIS VIRUS DOES HAVE
THE POSSIBILITY BEING FOUND IN
THE BLOOD FOR A BRIEF PERIOD
DURING INFECTION, BUT THAT'S NOT
100% CLEAR AND WHEN WE LOOK BACK
TO OUR EXPERIENCES WITH SARS IN
2003, THAT DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE A
BIG RISK.
PEOPLE MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT
BLOOD TRANSFUSION BECAUSE SOME
HAVE BEEN USING THAT TO MONITOR
FOR PRESENCE OF DISEASE FOR THE
TESTING OF ANTIBODIES, FOR
EXAMPLE.
AND THAT MIGHT BE WHAT PEOPLE
HAVE HEARD OF.
SO BLOOD TRANSFUSION DOES NOT
APPEAR TO BE HIGH RISK FOR
TRANSMISSION OF COVID AND I
THINK WE WILL BE SEEING BLOOD
TRANSFUSION SCREENING FOR COVID
INCREASINGLY, BOTH TO TRY TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN
THE COMMUNITY AND TO ENSURE
SAFETY OF THE BLOOD SUPPLY, BUT
I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT'S A
PRELIMINARY ANSWER.
>> Heather:  WE HEAR ABOUT THE
CANADIAN BLOOD SERVICES TO
DONATE BLOOD AND THEY CONTINUE
TO WANT TO PROVIDE TO PATIENTS
WHO NEED IT.
THIS PERSON WAS SICK WITH A
RESPIRATORY ILLNESS IN JANUARY
AND FEBRUARY AND HOW DO THEY
KNOW IT WASN'T COVID-19?
THEY HAD A FEVER, A COUGH AND
DIFFICULTY BREATHING?
>> SO DECEMBER AND JANUARY WAS
BEFORE WE HAD DOCUMENTED
TRANSMISSION IN THIS COUNTRY.
OF COURSE, THE POSSIBILITY IT
MIGHT HAVE ARRIVED WITH
TRAVELERS, BECAUSE DECEMBER WAS
REALLY A BIG MONTH IN CHINA AND,
I THINK THE WORLD BECAME MORE
AWARE AT THE END OF DECEMBER.
IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE WERE
STILL IN THE THROES OF A FAIRLY
BAD FLU SEASON AT THE TIME AND
THERE'S A HIGH LIKELIHOOD IT WAS
INFLUENZA.
PEOPLE WHO HAD A COMPATIBLE
ILLNESS DURING THE PERIOD COVID
WAS AROUND WOULD BE ABLE TO BE
TESTED TO SEE IF THEY HAD
ANTIBODIES WHICH WOULD DOCUMENT
IF YOU HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY
INFECTED AND ALL OF THE
PROVINCES ARE LOOKING AT HOW TO
USE THAT TESTING ONCE IT'S
AVAILABLE.
SO THE ANSWER IS THAT SOME
PEOPLE MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND OUT
IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE A SWAB BUT
NOT QUITE YET.
>> Heather:  DOCTOR, THANK YOU
AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS
TONIGHT.
BACK TO YOU IN VANCOUVER.
>> Ian:  A LOT OF PEOPLE MAY
ASSOCIATE THIS WITH CROWDED
CITIES BUT IT SPARES NO
COMMUNITY OR PROVINCE AND LET'S
HEAR FROM NORTH BEAT FOR A
NORTHERN PERSPECTIVE.
>> Reporter:  I'M HERE IN
YELLOWKNIFE WHERE IT'S LIKE MANY
OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
QUIET.
SO FAR THE NORTH HAS 13 CASES OF
COVID-19, EIGHT IN YUKON, ZERO
IN NUNAVUT AND FIVE IN THE NWT.
WHAT'S BEEN AN INTERESTING TOPIC
OF DEBATE IS HOW THE TERRITORIES
ARE DISCLOSING INFORMATION ABOUT
WHICH COMMUNITIES HAVE COVID-19.
THE NWT AND YUKON HAVE A POLICY
IN PLACE TO NOT NAME
COMMUNITIES, CITING PRIVACY
REASONS.
NUNAVUT SAYS IT WILL NAME
COMMUNITIES WITH CASES IN AN
EFFORT TO LESSEN WIDE-SPREAD
PANIC.
NUNAVUT HAS SEVEN VENTILATORS
AND THAT MEANS ANY PATIENT ON A
VENTILATORS MUST BE MEDEVACED TO
A SOUTHERN HOSPITAL.
MEANWHILE, PEOPLE IN THE NORTH
ARE ALSO HELPING IN THE LARGER
EFFORT TO STOP THE SPREAD OF
COVID-19.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE NWT
CHIEF PUBLIC HEALTHSTER USED
EMERGENCY POWERS TO GIVE MEDICAL
SERVICES TO MAKE HAND SANITIZER.
NOW HEALTH CANADA IS
FAST-TRACKING LICENSING FOR
62-DEGREES NORTH SANITIZER FOR
THE NORTH'S HEALTHCARE
FACILITIES.
>> Heather:  SO COMPANIES LIKE
THOSE JUANITA WAS HIGHLIGHTING,
PRODUCING THINGS WE NEED SO
BADLY, SHOWING THE SPIRIT OF
CANADIANS PITCHING IN AND
FINDING WAYS TO SUPPORT EACH
OTHER.
>> Ian:  WE HAVE MORE EXAMPLES
AS WE GO TO BREAK AND CANADIANS
BEING, WELL, CANADIANS.
>> PRODUCING MEDICAL COMPONENTS
AND SPECIFICALLY FOR SUPPORTING
THE SHORTAGE IN VENTILATORS.
>> SO, YEAH, WE'RE ACTUALLY
HELPING FEED THE FRONT-LINE
WORKERS.
>> WE TOUCHED 6500 PEOPLE IN
NOVA SCOTIA EVERYDAY AND THIS
WILL IMPACT NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE
WE TOUCH BUT THEIR STAFF AND
THIS IS A MAJOR EFFORT.
>> WE WANT TO PROTECT THEIR
FAMILIES.
THEY'RE ON THE FRONT LINES
RISKING THEIR LIVES AND FAMILY'S
LIVES AND WE JUST WANTED TO
HELP.
>> 25,000 IN NOVA SCOTIA, 25,000
FOR THE COVID-19 RESPONSE FUND
AND THERE IS A NEED IN THEIR
COMMUNITY AND IT DOESN'T MATTER
WHAT.
>> THEY'RE RISKING THEIR LIFE
FOR US TO BE SAFE.
SO WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING FOR
THEM AND THEY DON'T HAVE TO
WORRY ABOUT THE MEAL WHILE
THEY'RE SAVING LIVES.
[ ♪♪♪ ]
HENDERSONVILLE WELCOME BACK TO
OUR VIRTUAL TOWN HALL, COVID-19
IN CANADA.
THERE ARE 31 DEATHS IN LAVAL
SINCE MARCH AND FIVE CONNECTED
WITH COVID-19 AND THE CAUSES ARE
UNDETERMINED.
.LEEANNE, YOUR STORY IS ALMOST
UNBEARABLE, BUT HEAR IT WE MUST.
YOUR MOTHER, CAROL STEWART, HOW
MUCH LONGER DO YOU THINK YOU'LL
HAVE HER?
>> ACCORDING TO THE DOCTOR
YESTERDAY, 72 HOURS TO MAYBE 48,
YEAH.
AND SHE'S IN PALLIATIVE CARE
NOW.
>> Heather:  SHE'S IN PALLIATIVE
CARE AND CHOSE NOT OTHER
TREATMENT.
>> CORRECT.
>> Heather:  TELL ME ABOUT THAT
DECISION.
>> THAT WAS DECIDED PRIOR
BECAUSE SHE WAS BEDRIDDEN FOR
THE LAST TWO YEARS AND FOR
HERSELF, SHE DIDN'T FEEL SHE HAD
A QUALITY OF LIFE AND I
RESPECTED THAT.
WE DIDN'T EXPECT IT TO HAPPEN
LIKE THIS OR RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I
HAVEN'T SEEN HER IN THREE WEEKS
ALMOST.
>> Heather:  I WAS GOING TO ASK
YOU, YOU'VE HAD THAT DIFFICULT
DISCUSSION TO DETERMINE HER
WISHES, BUT HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE
TO SEE HER AND WHEN WERE YOU
ABLE TO SEE HER AND HOLD HER AND
SAY YOUR GOODBYES?
>> I HAVEN'T HAD THAT
OPPORTUNITY YET.
THE HOSPITAL WILL CALL ME.
THEY USUALLY HAVE AN IDEA WITHIN
HOURS OF WHEN SOMEBODY WILL
PASS.
SO THEY'LL CALL ME WITHIN A FEW
HOURS AND I'LL GO TO HOSPITAL
AND SEE HER.
BUT AT THIS POINT, MOST LIKELY,
SHE WON'T BE LUCID AT ALL BUT
I'LL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO
SAY GOODBYE.
THE LAST TIME I SAW HER WAS
MARCH 20th.
>> Heather:  WAS THAT THE DAY
YOU FOUND OUT SHE HAD COVID-19?
OR HOW DID YOU COME TO LEARN
THAT?
>> THAT WEEK SHE HAD NOT BEEN
FEELING WELL AND I OFTEN GO AND
VISIT HER AND I KNEW THAT WE
WERE GOING INTO SOCIAL
DISTANCING.
I WASN'T GOING TO GO SEE HER AND
AT THIS POINT, THE RESIDENTS,
NOR THE HOSPITAL HAD LOCKED DOWN
YET.
BUT I WANTED TO GO AND EXPLAIN
TO HER THAT I WOULDN'T BE
VISITING.
SO I WENT ON THE FRIDAY AND I
SPENT A FEW HOURS THERE.
AND I WALKED OUT THE DOOR AND
THEY CALLED ME AND SAID THAT
THEY WERE LOCKING DOWN.
>> Heather:  AT THAT TIME,
BECAUSE OF THAT, WHEN YOU SPOKE
TO THE STAFF ABOUT THE FACT YOUR
MOTHER TESTED POSITIVE, HOW DID
THEY RESPOND WHEN THEY FOUND OUT
SHE, TOO, HAD COVID-19?
>> WELL, SHE HAD GONE TO THE
HOSPITAL TWICE AND THE SECOND
TIME, I'M THE ONE WHO CALLED THE
RESIDENCE AND SAID YOU NEED TO
CALL AN AMBULANCE.
THE FIRST TIME MY MOTHER HAD
GONE ON THE FRIDAY, I THINK IT
WAS THE 24th OR 25th AND SHE
HAD FALLEN OUT OF BED, AND I
DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED.
BUT SHE FELL OUT OF BED AND THEY
SAID SHE HAD A FEVER.
I THINK, ACTUALLY, COVID WAS IN
THE RESIDENCE, THAT'S MY GUT
FEELING.
I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I THINK
THEY KNEW ABOUT THAT.
THEY SENT HER TO THE HOSPITAL.
THE HOSPITAL CALLED ME THE NEXT
DAY TELLING ME THEY WERE
RETURNING MY MOTHER TO THE
RESIDENCE BUT THAT THEY HAD
TESTED HER COVID BECAUSE THERE
WAS A CASE IN HER RESIDENCE BUT
THEY SENT HER BACK.
AND THAT, APPARENTLY, WAS
PROTOCOL, THOUGH.
>> Heather:  AND YOU VISITED, OF
COURSE, AT THIS TIME.
AND YOU YOURSELF HAVE CONTRACTED
COVID-19.
WHAT ARE YOUR REGRETS IN ALL OF
THIS LEANE?
>> REGRETS?
I GUESS MY BIGGEST REGRET IS
THAT SHE WAS STILL THERE.
I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN HER
OUT PRIOR.
BUT THEY WERE NOT VERY
TRANSPARENT IN LETTING US KNOW
THE SITUATION THAT WAS GOING ON
IN THE RESIDENCE.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE SUNDAY
WHEN I CALLED, BECAUSE SHE HAD
BEEN TEXTING ME, SAYING SHE
WASN'T WELL.
SHE WAS COUGHING UP BLOOD.
I CALLED THE NURSES DESK ON HER
FLOOR, THE SECOND FLOOR, AND
THAT NURSE WAS NOT AWARE SHE ADD
COVID.
I THINK I WAS LETTING HER KNOW.
>> Heather:  IT HAS BEEN, IT
SOUNDS, JUST THE WORST POSSIBLE
SITUATION FOR YOU AND YOUR
FAMILY AND WE HOPE FOR YOUR
HEALTH, LEANE, AND WE'LL KEEP
YOU IN OUR PRAYERS.
THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR GUEST.
IAN?
>> Ian:  WE HAVE KNOWN ALL ALONG
THAT COVID-19 IS DIFFICULT FOR
OUR ELDERS AND WE WANT TO TALK
TO SOMEONE WHO HAS EXPERTISE IN
DEALING WITH GERIATRIC MEDICINE,
THE DIRECTOR OF GERIATRICS FOR
TORONTO'S UNIVERSITY HEALTH
NETWORK HOSPITALS.
DR. SINHAU, WHEN YOU FIRST HEARD
THAT STORY, WHAT WAS YOUR
REACTION?
>> HONESTLY, IAN, MY HEART
BROKE.
IT WAS JUST SO SAD HEARING ABOUT
SOMETHING THAT WAS GOING ON FOR
AWHILE AND HOW RESIDENTS WERE
SUFFERING AND JUST THE SCENES
THAT THE FIRST RESPONDERS SAW
WHEN HE GOT IN THE DOORS, PEOPLE
THAT WERE DEAD AND ABANDONED.
IT'S SOMETHING WE HEARD ABOUT
HAPPENING IN SPAIN BUT NOBODY
BELIEVED THAT IT COULD ACTUALLY
HAPPEN IN CANADA AND THEN IT
DID.
MY HEART GOES OUT TO ALL THOSE
FAMILIES AND ALL OF THE
INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THAT SHOULD
NEVER HAVE EVER HAPPENED IN OUR
COUNTRY.
>> Ian:  IN MONTREAL, THE POLICE
SAY THEY HAVE BEGUN A CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION INTO WHAT HAPPENED
THERE AND IS IT A ONE-OFF, A
TERRIBLE EXCEPTION OR ARE THERE
THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THAT
LONG-TERM CARE HOME THAT ARE A
BIT OF AN ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT'S
HAPPENING ELSEWHERE?
>> I'M HOPING IT COULD NEVER
HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT WE NEVER SAY
NEVER, NEVER SAY ALWAYS.
WE HAVE OVER 1,000 HOMES IN THE
COUNTRY IN OUTBREAK.
AS OF LAST WEEK, THERE WERE 813
IN QUEBEC ALONE AND OVER 10% OF
ONTARIO'S HOMES ARE NOW IN
OUTBREAK, B.C. AND ALBERTA HAS
STRUGGLED, AS WELL.
AND IT JUST TELLS US THAT MANY
HOMES RIGHT NOW IN TORONTO, IN
OTHER PLACES, THEY'RE STRUGGLING
TO MAINTAIN THEIR STAFFING
LEVELS.
THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO GET THE
TESTING DONE.
THEY'RE STRUGGLING TO FIND PPE
AND THIS IS WHY, I THINK, IN
ONTARIO TODAY, THE PREMIER CAME
OUT ANNOUNCING AN ACTION PLAN
SAYING WE NEED TO ACTUALLY DO
MORE THINGS TO STABILIZE THE
SITUATION SO WE DON'T HAVE
ANOTHER INCIDENT HAPPEN AGAIN.
>> Ian:  WE HAVE HEARD STORIES
ABOUT BAD CARE AT LONG-TERM CARE
FACILITIES FOR EDERLY PEOPLE.
MY ENTIRE LIFETIME AND MANY ARE
WONDERING, WILL THINGS CHANGE
AFTER THE COVID-19?
>> THERE ARE 4,000 PEOPLE IN
CARE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN THESE
HOMES AND THE FAR VAST MAJORITY
OF THE WORKERS IN THESE HOMES
ARE HEROIC INDIVIDUALS DOING
INCREDIBLY PERSONAL CARE.
MANY HAVE DEMENTIA AND
BEHAVIORAL ISSUES AND THEY HAVE
TO WASH THEM, FEED THEM AND
SUPPORT THEM AND I DON'T
THINK -- I THINK THE MESSAGE
THAT'S COME LOUD AND CLEAR
DURING THIS WHOLE CRISIS IS IT
HAS EXPOSED HOW POORLY WE
TREATED AND HOW LARGELY THIS
POPULATION OF RACIALIZED WOMEN
WORKERS WHO WE'VE NEVER REALLY
DIGNIFIED ON THE MAJORITY WITH
FULL-TIME PAY, WITH BENEFITS AND
SICK DAYS, THING THAT MY
COLLEAGUES GET IN MY HOSPITALS
BUT THINGS THEY HAVEN'T GOTTEN.
THAT ALONE STARTED CREATING A
CHALLENGE OF TURN-OVER, STAFF,
PEOPLE GETTING A JOB IN A
HOSPITAL BECAUSE IT WOULD PAY
BETTER.
AND THAT'S WHERE IT ALL STARTED.
I THINK THE CHALLENGE IS THAT
WHEN WE TRY TO FOCUS ON WHY
THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG IN THE
PAST, THINGS WILL HAPPEN
ANYWHERE WE WORK, BUT I THINK
THIS SITUATION HAS SHOWN HOW
PRECARIOUS THIS WAS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
IT SHOWS THERE NEEDS TO BE
CHANGE AND THERE ARE PROVINCES
MAKING MAJOR CHANGES THAT I
THINK WILL BE PERMANENT AND
LASTING.
>> Ian:  THOSE KIND OF CHANGES
ARE CERTAINLY WITHIN OUR
CONTROL.
THANK YOU FOR THE INSIGHT.
DIRECTOR OF GERIATRICS FOR THE
NETWORK HOSPITAL.
BACK TO HEATHER IN TORONTO.
>> Heather:  WE'LL GET A
PERSPECTIVE FROM A PROVINCE THAT
ALL THINGS CONSIDERED IS DOING
QUITE WELL CONTROLLING COVID-19.
CONFIRMED CASES IN ALBERTA HAVE
NOT SPIKED THE WAY WE HAVE SEEN
ELSEWHERE AND WE'VE SEEN THE
PROVINCE SHOWING ITS SURPLUS OF
PPE.
HERE IS NANCY CARLTON OF CBC
EDMONTON.
>> Reporter:  THANKS, HEATHER.
I'M HERE IN OLD STRATHCONA IN
EDMONTON.
YOU WOULD SEE PEOPLE HERE HAVING
COFFEE, SHOPPING, IT HAS GREAT
NIGHT LIFE.
I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN A FEW
WEEKS AND I HAVE TO ADMIT, IT A
REALLY, REALLY STRANGE.
COVID-19 COMPLETED A TRIPLE
WHAMMY FOR THIS PROVINCE AND
THAT'S ACCORDING TO PREMIER
JASON KENNEY.
THE PROVINCE IS ALREADY DEALING
WIT GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWN-TURN.
COMBINE THAT WITH LOW OIL PRICES
AND THIS PANDEMIC WAS THE LAST
THING THE PROVINCE NEEDED AS IT
TRIES TO TURN THINGS AROUND.
CALGARY HAS BEEN HIT THE
HARDEST.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF CASES
THERE AND THERE'S AN OUTBREAK AT
A CONTINUING AIR CENTRE.
THE McKENZIE CARE CENTRE HAS
HAD MORE THAN 12 DEATHS IN THAT
ONE FACILITY ALONE.
I HAVE TO NOTE THAT ALBERTA HAS
NOT BEEN HIT AS HARD AS OTHER
PROVINCES.
OUR HEALTH MINISTER, TYLER
SHEANDRO SAYS OUR HEALTHCARE
SYSTEM IS POISED TO HANDLE
WHENEVER THIS PANDEMIC PEAKS.
SO IT GOES TO SHOW THAT EVEN
THOUGH WE KEEP HEARING WE ARE IN
THIS TOGETHER, IT IS AN EXAMPLE
OF HOW CANADA IS IN THIS
TOGETHER.
NANCY CARLSON, CBC NEWS,
EDMONTON.
>> Ian:  WELL, AS WE'VE SEEN
THROUGHOUT THE EVENING, STREETS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY MAY BE EMPTY,
BUT CANADIANS ARE STILL OUT AND
MAKING WONDERFUL SOUNDS.
>> Heather:  WE'VE BEEN
CAPTURING SOME OF THEM TONIGHT
AND AS WE TAKE A QUICK BREAK, A
LITTLE MORE MUSIC TO SHARE.
THIS IS JUST WEST OF TORONTO.
WHEN THEIR CONCERT WAS CANCELED,
THEY MOVED THEIR CONCERT ONLINE.
HERE IS THE STRING'S PROGRAMME
AND A LITTLE STARSHIP FOR YOU,
NOTHING IS GOING TO STOP US NOW.
[ ♪♪♪ ]
[ ♪♪♪ ]
>> Ian:  COVID-19 HAS
TRANSFORMED THIS COUNTRY'S
HOSPITALS, ALWAYS VIGILANT,
DOCTORS AND NURSES ARE NOW
HYPERSENSITIVE TO THIS NEW
THREAT THAT CAN ENTER THE
EMERGENCY ROOM AT ANY TIME.
COHOST TO "THE NATIONAL,"
ADRIENNE ARSENAULT WAS GRANTED
ACCESS TO THIS HOSPITAL.
HERE IS DR. NINJEE SPEAKING WITH
ADRIENNE.
>> THE HARDEST PART WAS WHEN
THAT FAMILY MEMBER IS WEEPING
AND WHEN THAT FAMILY MEMBER IS
BEGGING YOU TO DO EVERYTHING
THAT YOU CAN AND WHEN THAT
FAMILY MEMBER CAN'T BE HERE,
IT'S IMPORTANT TO LET THE FAMILY
MEMBERS KNOW THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO
AND ANYONE ELSE IN THAT POSITION
THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE
CAN FOR THE PEOPLE THAT YOU
LOVE.
>> Ian:  ADRIENNE JOINS US NOW
AND REMARKABLE ACCESS FOR YOU
AND OUR CREW.
TELL US WHAT DOCTORS ARE
NOTICING WITH THE PATIENTS WHO
ARE COMING IN?
>> Adrienne:  WELL, FIRST, JUST
IN TERMS OF WHAT I'VE SEEN WITH
THE DOCTORS, EVERYTHING
DR. NIMJEE WAS REITERATED BY
EVERYBODY ELSE IN THERE AND
THAT'S GENUINELY HOW THEY FEEL.
PART OF WHAT DISTURBS THEM IS
THAT PEOPLE SEEM TO BE AFFECTED
VERY, VERY QUICKLY.
PATIENTS THAT CAME IN NOT DOING
GREAT AND WITHIN A HALF AN HOUR,
THEY NEED TO BE INCIDENT FEW IND
WITHIN A 15-MAN WINDOW, THEY-MIE
ARE EMOTIONAL PHONE CALLS AND
THEN THEY'RE ALONE.
AND I THINK THAT DISTURBS THEM.
AT LEAST THEY WERE TELLING THEM
IT DISTURBS THEM HOW QUICKLY AND
HOW YOUNG SOME OF THE PATIENTS
ARE.
THEY KEEP REITERATING, IT'S NOT
SIMPLY A MATTER OF A VIRUS THAT
ATTACKS THE EDERLY BUT IT'S
ATTACKING A WHOLE BUNCH OF
PEOPLE.
>> Ian:  THEY END UP BEING ALONE
AND FAMILIES HAVE TO STAY OUT
THERE AND TELL US MORE ABOUT
TAKING A TERRIBLE SITUATION IN
THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND MAKING IT
EVEN WORSE.
>> Adrienne:  YOU KNOW, PEOPLE
ARE TERRIFIED AND A COUPLE OF
STRANGE THINGS IN THE EMERGENCY
ROOM.
IT DOESN'T FEEL THAT BUSY.
YOU LOOK AROUND AND SOME OF THE
BAYS ARE EMPTY AND THAT'S
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TOO SCARED TO
GO TO THE ERS AND PEOPLE ARE
SAYING, PLEASE COME, WE'RE HERE
TO HELP YOU.
WE MET AN EDERLY WOMAN WHO CAME
AND SHE WAS CLEARLY VERY SAD AND
AFRAID TO BE ALONE AND THERE WAS
A LANGUAGE BARRIER AND THIS IS
REALLY DIFFICULT FOR THE
DOCTORS, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO
PHYSICALLY BE THERE AND COMFORT
SOMEONE, BUT THEY HAVE TO KEEP
THEIR DISTANCE AND THE PPE
CREATES THIS BARRIER THAT
MUFFLES THE SOUND OF THEIR
VOICES AND IT'S HARD TO SEE
THEIR EYES AND MUFFLES THE
HUMANITY AND DOESN'T ERASE IT
AND I THINK THAT'S A STRAIN FROM
WHAT MANY OF THE NURSES AND
DOCTORS TOLD US, THAT THEY SEE
HOW SAD AND ALONE THE PATIENTS
ARE AND THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING
THEY CAN TO TRY TO HELP OUT A
LITTLE BIT.
>> Ian:  I RECOGNISE WHERE
YOU'RE STANDING, BUT IT'S WHERE
YOU STAND FOR "THE NATIONAL."
>> Adrienne:  I MISS YOU.
>> Ian:  I MISS YOU, TOO.
>> Heather:  OUR FINAL
PERSPECTIVE AS WE HEAD OUT EAST
TO ANTHONY GERMAIN WITH A
BEAUTIFUL FEW FROM St. JOHN'S.
>> Reporter:  I'M AT CAPE SPARE,
I PLACE I KNOW YOU HAVE VISITED,
THE MOST EASTERBLY PLACE IN
NORTH AMERICA AND CHECK THIS
OUT, NOBODY IS HERE.
IT'S ALL BAN BECAUSE OF
COVID-19.
THE COVID-19 STORY HERE ON THE
ISLAND PORTION OF THE PROVINCE,
AT LEAST, IS ONE OF ALMOST
PREMATURE RELIEF.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST CLUSTER
INFECTIONS IN THE COUNTRY
HAPPENED LAST MONTH IN THIS
FUNERAL HOME.
INFECTIONS EXPLODED.
A MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNMENT,
WE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN
TO AVOID ANOTHER CLUSTER AND THE
HEALTH MINISTER IS BECOME
SOMETHING OF A QUIRKY PANDEMIC
CELEBRITY.
>> SHOPPING CAN NO LONGER BE A
FAMILY ACTIVITY.
DON'T TAKE YOUR CHILDREN WITH
YOU AND PLEASE DON'T LET THEM
LICK THE HANDLES ON THE SHOPPING
CART.
IF YOU USE TINDER OUR GRINDER
AND YOU SWIPE RIGHT, YOU MIGHT
GET MORE THAN YOU BARGAINED FOR.
>> Reporter:  THE FISHERY CLOSED
IS NO LAUGHING MATTER AND NOBODY
IS CERTAIN WHEN IT WILL REOPEN.
THE ECONOMY IS THE BIG STORY IN
THIS PROVINCE.
IT'S BEEN SPENDING MONEY LIKE A
DRUNKEN SAILOR REGARDLESS OF WHO
IS IN POWER.
WE NEED TO GO TO THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT JUST TO BORROW MONEY.
WE SPEND MORE MONEY ON OUR DEBT
IN THIS PROVINCE THAN WE DO ON
THE ENTIRE EDUCATION SYSTEM.
POLITICIANS AREN'T TALKING
RECESSION.
THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 1930S
AND ANOTHER GREAT DEPRESSION.
NO MATTER HOW THIS CRISIS ENDS,
ONE THING IS ALMOST CERTAIN AND
THAT IS NEWFOUNDLAND AND
LABRADOR WILL BE KNOCKING ON
CANADA'S DOOR ASKING FOR HELP
BECAUSE WE'RE BROKE.
METH IF YOU WANT ANY TIPS
DEALING WITH SELF-ISOLATION, ONE
OF THE BEST PEOPLE TO ASK IS
CHRIS HATFIELD, THE CANADIAN
ASTRONAUT CHANTEDDED A MISSION
THAT WENT ON FOR MONTHS.
ISOLATION, HE KNOWS AND HE IS
WITH US TONIGHT.
HELLO, CHRIS.
>> HELLO, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE
JOINING YOU AND IT'S A GREAT
SERVICE TO BRING US TOGETHER.
THANK YOU FOR THAT.
>> Heather:  THANK YOU FOR BEING
A PART OF THAT.
I NEED A BOOTER SHOT OF YOUR
COUNCIL.
WE WERE SPEAKING WHEN ALL OF
THIS LOCK-DOWN WAS STARTING AND
A MONTH LATER, WE'RE HEARING
THIS WILL BE THE STATE OF THINGS
FOR WEEKS, MONTHS.
HOW DO WE STAY THE COURSE.
>> THE SAME THING HAPPENS ON A
SPACE FLIGHT.
YOU THINK I'VE BEEN HERE FOR
AWHILE AND MAYBE I'M GETTING
CLOSE TO THE END, BUT YOU NEVER
KNOW FOR SURE.
LIKE THE CREW UP ON THE SPACE
STATION NOW, WHEN YOU'RE COMING
HOME.
THIS WILL GO FOR AWHILE BUT
WE'RE DOING WELL.
THE MEASURES PEOPLE ARE TAKING
ARE HAVING THE EFFECT WE WANTED.
THE MEDICAL SYSTEM TO A LARGE
DEGREE IS KEEPING UP.
BUT WE HAVEN'T LANDED THIS
SPACESHIP AND WILL REQUIRE THE
RESILIENCE.
PEOPLE NEED TO FEEL UNIFIED IN
THEIR DEFEAT OF THE COMMON
ENEMY.
TAKE PRIDE IN OURSELVES AND EACH
OTHER.
>> Heather:  I REMEMBER YOUR
FELLOW ASTRONAUT ONCE TELLING
ME, THAT WHEN YOU'RE UP IN THE
SPACE STATION, YOU LOOK DOWN ON
EARTH AND THERE ARE NO BORDERS.
IT'S ONE PLANET, ONE PEOPLE.
SO YOU MORE THAN ANYONE MUST
HAVE A SENSE THAT WE'RE ALL IN
THIS TOGETHER.
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT?
>> ONE OF MY CHILDREN, EVAN SAID
TO ME, AS WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S
HARD TO BELIEVE THAT EVERYBODY
ON THE PLANET IS FACING THIS
SAME PROBLEM RIGHT NOW, THE SAME
RISK, THE SAME DANGER AND IT'S
IMPACTING THEIR LIVES THE SAME
WAY AND THAT CAN BE QUITE
DISTURBING, BUT IT CAN BE
IMMENSELY UNIFYING.
SO GO AROUND THE WORLD IN 90
MINUTES, YOU REALLY GET THAT
SENSE OF ONENESS, OF THE PLACE
THAT WE'RE ALL UNBELIEVABLY IN
THIS TOGETHER.
IF YOU CAN GO AROUND IN 90
MINUTES, IT'S NOT A BIG PLACE.
IF WE CAN REMEMBER THIS AS WE GO
THROUGH THE PROCESS OF
RECOVERING FROM THIS SLOWLY OVER
THE NEXT MANY MONTHS, REMEMBER
THE LESSONS OF THAT, THAT WE CAN
ACTUALLY UNITE AND PULL TOGETHER
AS A VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE AND
ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ELECTIVELY
AND GLOBALLY.
WE'RE NOT PERFECT, BUT THIS IS A
RARE OPPORTUNITY TO ALL FIGHT
THE SAME ENEMY.
>> Heather:  WE LEARNED IN YOUR
MISSION HOW IMPORTANT MUSIC IS
TO YOU AND IN A COUPLE OF
SECONDS, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A
DEBUT OF A NEW HADFIELD PIECE OF
MUSIC AND CAN YOU TELL ME
QUICKLY WHAT IT WILL BE AND
WE'LL LISTEN TO IT.
>> MY WHOLE FAMILY ARE MUSICIANS
AND MY BROTHER DAVE HAS WRITTEN
A LOT OF SONG.
WE WROTE SONGS TOGETHER FROM
SPACE AND HE WROTE THIS SONG
PARTIALLY FOR OUR FAMILY AND FOR
ANYBODY ELSE WHO WANTS TO LISTEN
CALL IT'S A QUARANTUNE.
>> Heather:  COUNTRY, THANK YOU,
AND YOU'LL PLAY US TO BREAK AND
IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE YOU.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
♪ JUST BE HAPPY IF YOU'VE GOT A
HOME.
♪ JUST BE HAPPY IF YOU'RE NOT
ALONE.
♪ DIDN'T IF YOU ARE, PICK UP THE
TELEPHONE.
♪ .
♪ STAR TALKIN' OR LISTEN, GO
WALKIN' OR FISHIN'.
♪ THE TIME YOU THINK YOU DON'T
OWN.
♪ WE STAND APART, BUT WE STAND
TOGETHER.
♪ LIKE PLAYERS ALL ON THE FIELD.
♪ WE STAND APART, BUT WE STAND
TOGETHER.
♪ TO WIN, WE NEVER CAN YIELD.
♪ YES, TO WIN, WE NEVER WILL
YIELD.
>> Ian:  WELCOME BACK.
A BEST SELLING AUTHOR, A
FUTURIST AND A CANADIAN WHO IS
LIVING IN GLAND.
>> Heather:  HE HAS BEEN COPING
WITH ISOLATION IN HIS OWN WAY
AND HAS THE PERCEPTION OF THE
CHANGE WE MAY SEE AND HE'S LIVE
FROM THE U.K. AND WELCOME TO
YOU, CHRIS.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING.
[ Laughter ]
>> Ian:  WE WOULD LIKE TO END
THE SHOW, CHRIS, WITH KIND OF A
LOOK FORWARD AND CHRIS HADFIELD,
THE FORMER ASTRONAUT TALKED
ABOUT HOW THIS IS A SHARED
EXPERIENCE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE
ACROSS THE WORLD ARE HAVING
STUCK INSIDE THEIR HOMES.
DO YOU THINK THIS WILL BRING US
CLOSER TOGETHER OR PUSH US
FARTHER APART?
>> IT WAS BEAUTIFUL TO LISTEN TO
CHRIS SHARE THE EXPERIENCE
FLOATING ABOVE THE PLANET AND
HAVING A SHARED EXPERIENCE AS A
PLANET BECAUSE AS A SOCIAL
SCIENTIST, I CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL
THAT WE MAY NEVER AGAIN SEE OUR
OWN WORLD AS CLEARLY AS WE CAN
SEE IT RIGHT NOW AND SO IT'S
JUST SO IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE A
GOOD LOOK AROUND AND RECOGNISE
SOME THINGS THAT MAYBE WEREN'T
OBVIOUS BEFORE BUT WERE JUST
LYING IN THE OBVIOUS BECAUSE SO
MUCH I THINK ABOUT THE POSITIVE
WAYS TO COME OUT OF THIS IS TO
GOING TO COME FROM OUR AWARENESS
IN THE PRESENT.
>> Heather:  CAN I JUMP IN ON
THAT, CHRIS?
YOU CALL YOURSELF SOMEONE WHO
LOOKS AND ENVISIONS A BETTER
FUTURE.
IN THE MIDST OF THE HARDSHIP AND
PAIN AND ANXIETY THAT SO MANY
ARE FEELING, IT'S DIFFICULT TO
SEE A BETTER FUTURE.
HOW DOES IT LOOK TO YOU?
>> WELL, I MEAN, I THINK WHAT WE
HAVE IS IS FABULOUS OPPORTUNITY
TO SEE REALITY MORE CLEARLY.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MANY
EXAMPLES.
JUST TAKE THE REALITY OF WORK.
I THINK WE ALL CONNECT MUCH MORE
CLEARLY NOW TO HOW SO MUCH
UNPAID LABOUR MAKES WORK
POSSIBLE.
[ Laughter ]
>> AND SO HOW MUCH OF OUR
ECONOMY DO WE MEASURE AND WHAT
IS PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY?
THAT'S AN EXCITING QUESTION WE
CAN BE ASKING OURSELVES.
ANOTHER ONE THAT SEEMS TO HIT ME
IN THE FACE IS HOW WE THINK
ABOUT PROGRESS.
WE LIVE IN A MOMENT WHERE WE
HAVE A FETISH ABOUT TECHNOLOGY
AND TECHNOLOGY IS WHAT DRIVES
HUMAN PROGRESS AND ALMOST
NOTHING ELSE WE SEEM TO THINK.
AND NOW WE LIVE IN THIS MOMENT
WHERE WE HAVE THIS POWERFUL
PERSONAL PROOF, ALL OF US THAT
FLATTENING THE CURVE IS A SOCIAL
ACHIEVEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
COULDN'T HAVE US WITH THAT.
YES, TO HELP US RECOVER, FIND A
CURE, BUT NOT DEAL WITH THIS
PROBLEM.
AND SO IT GIVES US THIS
BEAUTIFUL QUESTION TO ASK
OURSELVES NOW WHICH IS, WHAT ARE
THE OTHER CURVES THAT WE COULD
BE FLATTENING?
WE KNOW WE HAVE A PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE THAT IT'S POSSIBLE.
>> Ian:  I HAVE SO MANY FRIENDS
SHOULD SAY THEY CAN'T WAIT FOR
LIFE TO GET BACK TO NORMAL, THE
NEW NORMAL.
THEY WANT TO GO BACK TO SEE
HOCKEY GAMES.
>> BREAK UP 2020 IN REGINA.
>> Ian:  THAT CAME OUT OF
NOWHERE.
[ Laughter ]
>> Ian:  DO YOU THINK WE MIGHT
BE OVERSTATING IT TO THINK
SOCIETY MAY BE DIFFERENT IN A
FUNDAMENTAL WAY?
WILL WE REVERT TO THE KIND OF
LIVES WE HAD BEFORE AND FOR MANY
WHAT WE EMBRACED BEFORE?
>> SO IAN, THAT IS THE CHOICE
THAT WE FACE RIGHT NOW.
I THINK WHAT HAS BECOME SO CLEAR
IS THAT WE HAVE BECOME
DANGEROUSLY ISOLATED AS A
COUNTRY, AS A PEOPLE, AS A
PLANET ONE FROM THE OTHER AND
THAT ISOLATION IS SOCIOECONOMIC
GAPS, EDUCATION GAPS, SOCIAL
MEDIA WHICH HAS BROKEN THE
SHARED EXPERIENCE OF A BROADCAST
INTO THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF
A NEWSFEED.
IT IS JUST HOW ISOLATED WE HAVE
BECOME FROM ONE ANOTHER BY HOW
FULL WE PACK OUR TIME.
THERE'S TO TIME LEFT JUST TO
DISCOVER AND MEET OTHER PEOPLE
AND NOW WE COME TO THIS MOMENT
WHERE WE RECOGNISE, WE DEPEND
UPON THE CAPACITY TO BE AND
THINK AND ACT SOCIAL TO FACE
SOME OF THE GREATEST RISKS WE
FACE NOW AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO
FACE.
SO WHERE DO WE GO TO DEVELOP
THAT CAPACITY, TO BE, THINK AND
ACT SOCIAL?
WHERE IS THE SOCIAL HABITAT WE
DEVELOP THAT?
AND WE'VE BEEN DESTROYING THAT
HABITAT IN A LOT OF WAYS?
SO THE QUESTION IS TO COME OUT
OF THIS SAYING, NO, WE WILL ALL
CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE HAVE
HUNGERED TO DO AND HAVE STARTED
DO RIGHT NOW WHICH IS TO
CULTIVATE THAT HABITAT FOR
OURSELVES AND FOR ONE ANOTHER.
>> Ian:  WE HAVE LOTS OF TIME TO
THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND
READ YOUR BIGS.
CHRIS KUTARNA JOINING US FROM
THE U.K. AND THANK YOU.
>> Heather:  AND AS WE THINK ON
VALUES AND SO MUCH OF LIFE AS
WE'VE KNOWN IT HAS CHANGED
FOREVER.
YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT
TONIGHT, WE'VE TRIED TO STRIKE A
BALANCE WHERE THERE IS THAT
HARDSHIP AND AT THE SAME TIME,
THERE'S A HUNGER AND I USE THAT
DELIBERATELY FOR GOOD NEWS, FOR
HOPE, PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THE
PROOF WE ARE STILL CONNECTED AND
HOW WE'RE LIFTING EACH OTHER UP
AND I'M STRUCK BY THAT TONIGHT
AS I AM EVERY MORNING.
I THINK IT HAS TO INFORM THE WAY
WE COVER THE STORY IN THE DAYS,
WEEKS AND MONTHS TO COME.
>> Ian:  IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE
WORKING ON THIS WITH YOU AND
THAT IS OUR TOWN HALL.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US
TONIGHT.
>> Heather:  AND PLEASE STAY
WITH CBC NEWS FOR MORE ON
COVID-19.
TONIGHT, "THE NATIONAL" IS NEXT.
[ ♪♪♪ ]
