# data[].attributes.body
Quantitative:
On March 29th 2021, there was a party held at a Ski Resort in Kelowna where well over 200 people attended. This caused a huge commotion, to which people reacted extremely terribly due to the severity of the pandemic. At around the time of the party cases had slightly decreased, however, quickly increased around early April of 2021. The party resulted in 237 people becoming infected with Covid, with more people becoming infected through collateral damage. These acts of irresponsibility are what set us back in the pandemic and diminish all of the progress made by everyone which goes back to our research question which is surrounding the idea of why people are becoming impatient with setting restrictions when not everyone complies to them. This is also an example for triangulating through elaboration.

Data shows that whenever the cases start decreasing, the government and the citizens collectively agree that restrictions can come off - in which it is to a lot of people’s joy as they assume that the pandemic has finally shifted away. However, as soon as those restrictions were lowered, COVID cases spiked right back up and that forced the government to play catch-up and reinstate the restrictions. This on-and-off cycle in placing restrictions has since created a lot of confusions around governmental oversight over the virus and whether they should really be in charge to make decisions about restrictions whatsoever.

Sources:
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/disgusted-appalled-embarrassed-video-shows-crowded-restaurant-party-at-b-c-resort-community-1.5368916

https://globalnews.ca/video/8488362/rowdy-passengers-ditch-masks-on-sunwing-flight-to-mexico

# data[].attributes.headline
Why are people becoming impatient with COVID restrictions? (Jacqueline & Arthur)

# data[].attributes.subject
Why are people becoming impatient with COVID restrictions? (Jacqueline & Arthur)

# data[].attributes.body
Quantitative:
Since the pandemic began there have been many restrictions placed in BC which often fluctuate over time. With Covid existing for more than a year, people are becoming impatient (and “fed up”) about the pandemic restrictions that they started to find loopholes or attempting to protest against it. Things like big parties have caused a lot of controversy due to the nature of the pandemic, and it has since become a symbol of social irresponsibility. It’s when we observed that the more the government pushes and pleads for people to follow the restrictions, the more they become irritated over the idea that “governments are bad” and reject it. In early January 2021, the Covid cases in BC were at around 2,000 new cases and then progressively decreased throughout February (400-500 new cases everyday), which may have led people to believe that the pandemic was not serious anymore. However, gradually throughout March cases began to arise once again around the same time the party had taken place which resulted in around 3,000 new cases on April 12. After this big spike cases started to decrease and reach its lowest count with under 100 cases per day.

# data[].attributes.body
Research Question: Do the number of COVID-19 cases in BC and Ontario align with the vaccination rates in each of these provinces?

Quantitative:
This article shows new cases, active cases, deaths and hospitalizations that have surrounded the COVID 19 Pandemic, but the focus would be on the provinces of British Columbia and Ontario. Based on the statistics of this report, the Covid 19 cases in B.C. were lower by 790,699. The number of cases in B.C were 354,876 while the number in Ontario is 1,145,572. When we look at the vaccination rate in B.C. for all the doses given is 11,310,191 while in Ontario it is 31,673,271. The difference is 20,363,080. The number of vaccines distributed in B.C. is 12,238,370 and in Ontario is 36,045,971. The doses given in B.C. against the number of doses distributed is less by 928,179 while in Ontario it is less by 4,372,700.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tracking the spread of the coronavirus in Canada

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get the latest COVID-19 data for your province or territory. Track the number of cases, deaths, vaccines administered and hospitalizations.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Higher Unemployment Rates Amoung Visible Minorities 

# data[].attributes.headline
How Has COVID-19 Impacted Inequalities Minority Groups Face in Canada? Alyssa Kalyn & Ashley Kanwar

# data[].attributes.subject
How Has COVID-19 Impacted Inequalities Minority Groups Face in Canada? Alyssa Kalyn & Ashley Kanwar

# data[].attributes.body
Quantitative:

The above picture illustrates unemployment rates of visible minorities within Canada, with Southeast Asians facing the highest unemployment rate at 20.1%. Black and Latin groups share similar percentages, close to 16.5%. Similarly, South Asian and Chinese minorities remain close percentage wise (9.6% and 10.8% respectively). Lastly, Filipinos have the lowest unemployment rate standing at 8.1%.

Qualitative:

In a recent CTV news article James Makokis, a two spirit Saddle Lake Cree Nation doctor working in Edmonton, Alberta, speaks for himself, and on behalf of his community, when he states “[w]e know that the resources are there to help Indigenous nations, there just needs to be the will - political will - to do that across the country” (Somos, 2021, para 16). He describes the lack of cell reception and communication within the Eden Valley community as an ongoing problem the community has been fighting for, however, it was only until the pandemic hit that action was taken by the state to put more cell towers up. Although some changes have been made, not nearly enough effort has been put forward to combat major inequalities in care, accessibility, and overall quality. After the pandemic began in 2020, inequalities within Indigenous communities only became worse. Not only that, however, the prevalence of racism and discrimination grew within healthcare systems. Makokis states on numerous occasions, especially within rural towns, Indigenous people have been refused care (2021, para 22). Another Cree doctor, Marlyn Cook, adds to Makokis findings as she states her concerns relating to the quality of care Indigenous people have received, overall Cook saw major health disparities rising during the pandemic (2021, para 10). Although not specifically related to employment, parallels can be drawn. Inequalities minority populations face are not addressed until a crisis happens, though, these groups may be living through crises daily. The government does not take any action until they are, quite literally, forced to do so. Amnesty International, a non-governmental organization advocating for human rights, reported the Canadian government’s services for Indigenous communities often fall short of what is actually needed. Though the government has the power and resources to implement strategies to help combat inequalities faced by minority groups, they often fail to act until it is too late.

Triangulation:

The quantitative results and qualitative findings, together, illustrate the need for a mixed methods approach in this context. Due to the nature of quantitative findings, certain aspects of the results are unable to account for individual experiences, moveover identify intersectionality as a core component of equality. The experiences of inequality and discrimination are layered and differ at multiple levels, the experience of an Indigenous person may differ vastly from Black or Chinese minorities. Therefore, the qualitative approach provides for a more in-depth illustration regarding the complex lives of different minority groups. Through the use of mixed methods, we are able to see the various barriers faced by different groups in society, on a more personal level. Rather than visualising statistics, the qualitative results contain emotionally compelling arguments from lived experience of individuals facing inequality and discrimination. In this case, the quantitative and qualitative findings are complementary (Brannen, 2005, p. 176).

References

Brannen, J. (2005). Mixing Methods: The Entry of Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches into the Research Process. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 8(3), 173–184. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645570500154642

Liu, S. (2021, March 11). ‘Enormous Amount of Change’: New Data Reveals Impact of COVID-19 on Canadians. CTV News. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/enormous-amount-of-change-new-data-reveals-impact-of-covid-19-on-canadians-1.5343991

Somos, C. (2021, January 25). A Year Later, Indigenous Communities Are Fighting Twin Crises: COVID-19 and Inequality. CTV News. https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/a-year-later-indigenous-communities-are-fighting-twin-crises-covid-19-and-inequality-1.5280843

# data[].attributes.headline
Impact of COVID-19 on Small Businesses in BC cont'd (Nathan and Adrian)

# data[].attributes.subject
Impact of COVID-19 on Small Businesses in BC cont'd (Nathan and Adrian)

# data[].attributes.body
Over the past several years in BC, we’ve been forced to adapt our lifestyles at a rapid pace in order to accommodate a state of “new normal,” ushered in by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Through quantitative data, we can understand that small businesses have faced a substantial decrease in operation, however how do qualitative behaviors influence this occurrence? In British Columbia, COVID travel and capacity restrictions heavily impacted the potential revenue for industries such as hospitality, service, and tourism. Anecdotally, 50% capacity on events and gatherings had a direct result in businesses dependent on an influx of patrons, such as music venues and restaurants. With capacity restrictions and a ban on travel, the provincial government established a fixed maximum on potential customers within any given period. Due to possible clientele being nearly halved by provincial restrictions, some employees of the hospitality industry such as bartenders and servers saw a substantial decrease in income as a result of limited capacity, while some lost employment altogether. Another aspect contributing to the hardships of small business amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in Vancouver specifically, is the extreme cost of operation within such an expensive city. With decreasing clientele as a result of capacity limits and decreased consumer confidence, combined with fixed rent and loan expenses from banks, small businesses began to close as a result of mounting fixed costs eating away at a larger and larger portion of the already shriveling revenue of small-businesses. In order to accommodate customers amidst our state of “new normal,” businesses had to establish safety precautions that would potentially reduce the chance of infection for employees. These modifications often resembled consistent sanitization of surfaces within the business, or newly erected plexiglass barriers between customers and consumers in the workplace. However, oftentimes the expenses of these modifications would be billed directly to the businesses, surmounting another expense to the already gargantuan list of expenses faced by Vancouver small-business owners. While some establishments such as the Livewell Gym company attempted to relieve capacity limitations and closures through the argument that the Gym’s operations had caused 0 new inflections, the attempt at persuasion was ultimately unsuccessful as provincial government held steadfast in their enforcement of operation/capacity until provincial rates dipped below an acceptable amount. In addition to losses caused by governmental causes, small businesses also saw losses as a result of a cultural shift in purchasing habits. Due to consumer unwillingness to visit brick-and-mortar business amidst a global pandemic, online shopping received an influx of popularity as the ease of delivery accommodated to the domestically sedentary lifestyle of the ‘new normal’.  Because of consumer hesitancy to visit brick-and-mortar businesses, small-business in  BC was again affected as local business’ clientele was poached by large corporate retail, and their distribution channels that allowed for at-home delivery. Similar to the last point, the context of a global pandemic fostered in a general avoidance of physical funds in transactions, which again ultimately harms small-business. As a result of the increasing popularity of contactless payment methods, potential revenue for small-business is again siphoned out into other larger institutions. In the case of contactless payment, interchange fees charged by banks reduce the already marginal profits of small-business even further, as the increasingly normalized medium of contactless pay comes with even more fees to business-owners. Through quantitative analysis we’re able to understand the scale of the issue facing small-business in BC, though however through qualitative data we can explore the behaviors and practices that cause the issue of small-business loss in our unprecedented times.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Impact of COVID-19 on Small Businesses in British Columbia (by Nathan and Adrian)

# data[].attributes.subject
The Impact of COVID-19 on Small Businesses in British Columbia (by Nathan and Adrian)

# data[].attributes.body
The COVID-19 Pandemic saw the most economic disruptions since the 1930s during the Great Depression. We see the numbers, as they tell us a lot and proverbially paint the picture. In regards to the economy, the data shows that there has been, and still is, plenty of struggle, from individuals and families to businesses and entertainment. The early period of the pandemic (March-April 2020) saw significant complications to businesses as they were pushed to temporarily close or adjust to the early restrictions. Some businesses couldn't handle an extended period of closure and were sadly forced to close down, which not only hurts the owners and workers, but hurts the communities as well. Even to this day, businesses still feel the burden of early 2020, where they are trying to make up for lost revenue. The hardest periods for the food industry came around December 2020 as the second wave worsened, forcing the province to put more strict measures in place, at the worst time of the year. The restrictions carried over into 2021, and as many more variants came, so did the restrictions. The government offered financial support in several ways, such as closure relief grants, rent relief, wage subsidies and more.  At this current point in time, the global economy continues to struggle. Inflation in Canada has become a horrific problem, as some have called it the “pandemic within the pandemic”. According to Statistics Canada, data shows that inflation is hovering around 5%, well above the recommended rate. COVID-19 has not been kind to the finances of Canadians, and with inflation making things difficult, it is causing Canadians to wonder what the future holds (or doesn't hold). We are seeing some positive data, as economic output slowly rises to pre-pandemic levels. As we enter the spring and summer periods of 2022, we will see how the Canadian economy does with fewer to no restrictions, and what it means for businesses.

Quantitative Data:

In April 2020, according to a survey of 1284 business members of the BC Chamber of Commerce, Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, Business Council of BC, and other partners and organizations, 43% of the businesses who participated in the survey stated that they would only be able continue to operate under the current restrictions.

Revenue declines affected wages and rent in uncertainty

After the onset of the pandemic, Canada experienced a drastic drop in its real gross domestic product (GDP), with a drop of 18.2% between March and April 2020.

Even after two years of this pandemic, approximately 35% of businesses in BC have returned to normal sales, while debt and bankruptcy still remains at a high rate (Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)

One in seven businesses (14%) are considering bankruptcy and closing down operations

With fewer restrictions, we are seeing the “re-opening” of the province and country, allowing businesses to operate almost as if everything was normal.

Sources:

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-data-show-pandemics-mixed-impact-on-vancouver-businesses/

https://www.boardoftrade.com/news/50-news/2020/1797-news-release-almost-half-of-b-c-businesses-now-closed-not-confident-in-ability-to-reopen

https://theprovince.com/opinion/gary-sands-rise-in-cashless-transactions-and-fees-that-go-with-them-another-burden-for-small-businesses

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/small-businesses-need-more-support-say-owners

https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/en/media/news-releases/bc-small-businesses-mark-second-anniversary-covid-sales-remain-low-debt-remains

https://covid.smallbusinessbc.ca/hc/en-us/articles/360046504693

# data[].attributes.headline
How has covid-19 impacted refugees and displaced persons? (Hanna & Amir)

# data[].attributes.subject
How has covid-19 impacted refugees and displaced persons? (Hanna & Amir)

# data[].attributes.body
Quantitative:

In the article above, the author discusses how covid-19 has impacted Syrian refugees in Lebanon in many ways, including the fear of being deported if they seek testing or treatment. There are approximately 1.5 million Syrian refugees living in Lebanon and it is the world’s greatest per-capita ratio. According to Humans Rights Watch, around 73% of Syrians living in Lebanon are without residency permits. With the forced deportation of more than 2500 refugees in 2019, Syrian refugees in Lebanon are scared to seek coronavirus treatment despite the known hazards, because they must also consider the risk of deportation.

Qualitative:
This particular impact of the pandemic on refugees is not only an issue within Lebanon, but for displaced individuals all over the world. Organizations and advocates are worried that fear of authorities may dissuade refugees from seeking assistance. Many Syrian refugees in Lebanon live in poor conditions, that make social distancing, regular hand-washing, sanitizing, etc. extremely difficult, and since covid-19, conditions have only worsened for people. It is a crisis within a crisis. Humanitarian response programs for Syrian refugees are extremely underfunded, and the economic crises, and covid-19 pandemic have impacted the refugee population immensely. Many refugees feel conflicted about reaching out and seeking medical assistance, because the fear of the possibility of being sent back to Syria is extremely frightening and alarming.

Triangulation:
The qualitative data builds on the quantitative data, as the statistics illustrate the direness of the situation. The qualitative details explains how the already distressing circumstances in Lebanon for Syrian refugees has been further impacted by the covid-19 pandemic.

Source:
Fordham, Alice. “Syrian Refugees in Lebanon Fear Deportation for Seeking Coronavirus Test or Care.” NPR, NPR, 6 Apr. 2020, https://www.npr.org/2020/04/06/825158835/syrian-refugees-fear-deportation-if-they-seek-coronavirus-testing-and-treatment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Lebanon is a small, cash-strapped country in the Middle East, but its government estimates it hosts 1.5 million Syrian refugees - the highest per-capita ratio in the world. About a third of them live in tents or in places like farm buildings or garages, in conditions that make regular hand-washing and physical distancing all but impossible.

"There is barely any space between each tent," says one woman living in a small camp in eastern Lebanon's Bekaa region. She asks to be referred to only as Umm Mustafa- meaning Mustafa's mom - because she is scared of the Syrian government. Trash is rarely collected in her camp of 60 tents, and water is scarce. "The municipality comes to fill up our water tanks once every 15 days," she says.

But although the refugees know about the dangers of the newcoronavirus, they weigh another risk as they consider whether to seek testing or treatment: deportation.

"Everyone here has outdated papers and residencies that aren't up to date," says Umm Mustafa.

Some 73% of Syrians in Lebanon lack residency permits, according to Human Rights Watch, and authorities forcibly deported more than 2,500 refugees last year.

That means many are afraid if they try to get treatment for COVID-19, they might attract the attention of the security authorities, says Mohammad Taleb, who works in the Bekaa region with the charity Basma and Zeitooneh.

"They might seek help and they might get the help, but after that no one knows what will happen," he says. The refugees fear that the authorities might deport them to Syria because their paperwork is not in order.

Taleb says the refugees he works with feel conflicted. "They are in constant fear and confusion because they might have symptoms, and they are too afraid to reach out," he says.

This is not an issue confined to Lebanon. Advocates for displaced people around the world are increasingly concerned that undocumented people may be deterred from seeking help because of fear of the authorities.
Undocumented in the U.S.
There are as many as 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy is that its officers do not enter hospitals. But some undocumented people are still fearful of trying to use public medical benefits. And others, with visas, are afraid to fall foul of the "public charge" rule in effect since February, which allows the U.S. to deny green cards to people determined to be a financial burden on the government.

"You've got immigrants in our communities who are experiencing that preexisting fear: because of public charge, because of the anti-immigrant rhetoric, because of immigration enforcement," says Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center in California. "They're afraid of coming forward to seek testing, to seek medical care, and even have confusion about whether they can or cannot seek that care."

And in Malaysia, where in some areas there are large numbers of refugees, stateless people and migrants without paperwork, Human Rights Watch has called on health authorities to reassure people that they will not face legal repercussions if they come forward.

But in Lebanon, the situation is particularly acute because the refugee community forms such a large part of the population. The United Nations' refugee agency, which is leading the coronavirus response in the community, insists no refugee will face legal repercussions if they seek testing or treatment.
"They should not see any obstacle to reaching out"
"We are always repeating to refugees that they should not see any obstacle to reaching out to UNHCR or the Ministry of Public Health if they feel that they are showing symptoms, or if they would like to seek support for testing or medical treatment," says Lisa Abou Khaled, a UNHCR spokeswoman.

Gen. Nabil Hanoun, a spokesman for the Lebanese security forces, said in a text message to NPR that no Syrians seeking treatment would be sent back to Syria.

Refugees, like anyone in Lebanon, can call a government hotline if they suspect they have the virus. Volunteer workers of the Lebanese Red Cross take people with severe COVID-19 symptoms to get medical help in an ambulance, whisking them past checkpoints the refugees would usually avoid.

For Umm Mustafa, the prospect of being sent back to Syria is appalling. Her husband disappeared there about nine years ago, presumably detained while government forces. He had left her behind and gone back on a quick trip to get a few things from their home to make camp life more bearable.

"I would never agree to go back until every Syrian in Lebanon had gone back before me," she says. And yet, she thinks that despite that fear, refugees should seek treatment if they think they might have the coronavirus.

"They have to do it!" she says. "Of course. This is more important than outdated papers, and more important than anything in the world."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Syrian Refugees In Lebanon Fear Deportation For Seeking Coronavirus Test Or Care

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Lebanon is a small, cash-strapped country in the Middle East, but its government estimates it hosts 1.5 million Syrian refugees - the highest per-capita ratio in the world. About a third of them live in tents or in places like farm buildings or garages, in conditions that make regular hand-washing and physical distancing all but impossible.

# data[].attributes.body
While going through our quantitative and qualitative data we found that one big factor that impacts our research question is the fact that many of these employees working from home have to multitask because of their kids being home from school during covid. Mainly the mothers are having to multitask taking care of their kids, homeschooling them, feeding them, keeping them occupied all while needing to finish their work from their home office which is probably only 2 feet away from her kids. Having kids where your workspace is, is a huge distraction all on its own and the child caretaking usually falls more onto the mother during covid as Chart 1 shows from Statistics Canada (Leclerc, 2020).

Another factor we found through quantitative data (Wilson, 2021) was that multitasking leads to them taking breaks from their computer. This caused 88% of people to have to multitask while working from home and 59% of those people taking way longer to get their work done from home compared to the work they would have accomplished back in the office pre covid.

Multi-tasking allowed for others to do more things during work hours and allowed for more free time after work hours. Multiple parents have stated their delight with multi-tasking as it helped them feel more productive throughout the day. Although, some parents have noted the problems of multi-tasking, as it lowered one’s quality of work and efficiency (Schieman et al, 2021).

In regards to triangulation, the results show that our qualitative and quantitative data corroborate. They both show that multitasking is the key factor that affects employees that work from home. Our quantitative results show that parents often are preoccupied during work hours with not only work, but their children as well. They have to deal with taking care of them, which affects their efficiency and workflow. From our qualitative results, we were also able to see that those in the data were also affected by multitasking. They were able to make lunch or do small miscellaneous tasks during the downtime of their work. It was explained that being able to multitask made them feel more “busy” (Schieman et al, 2021).

Works cited:

Leclerc, Karine. “Caring for their children: Impacts of COVID-19 on parents”, Government of Canada, 14 Dec. 2020, Statistics Canada,

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2020001/article/00091-eng.htm?fbclid=IwAR1TPCcRA4VMcj_0LRHQiD4YLlZmifdSF4ae3pFcQ9aesYKm29tTpVooM-w.

Schieman, Scott, et al. “‘Because I Can:’ Multi-Tasking While Working from Home Makes People Feel like ‘Winners,’ Survey Finds.” The Toronto Star, 18 Dec. 2021. Toronto Star, https://www.thestar.com/business/opinion/2021/12/18/because-i-can-multi-tasking-while-working-from-home-makes-people-feel-like-winners-survey-finds.html.

Wilson, Jim. “Does Work from Home Involve Too Many Breaks?” Canadian HR Reporter, 11 Aug. 2021, Canadian HR Reporter, https://www.hrreporter.com/focus-areas/culture-and-engagement/does-work-from-home-involve-too-many-breaks/358827fbclid=IwAR2HBRDA5COvlhScGpUggZDgFUJiGtHma

aawkd4UcYFrUtqlc3YX0GQh880.

# data[].attributes.body
Qualitative:

This article from the Vancouver Sun offers an initial review and analysis of the BC Provincial Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The article begins by highlighting the success the province has had in minimizing deaths from COVID-19: the least deaths (per capita) amongst all Canadian provinces containing a population greater than one million people. While the article proceeds to point out the factors to credit for this relative success, shortcomings of the Provincial Government and other points of criticism are outlined in the passages that follow. Relevant voices, such as researchers, former provincial healthcare officials, and leaders of COVID-related advocacy groups and support groups are introduced to give support and/or further context to both positive and negative phenomena apparent throughout this crisis.

From a qualitative standpoint, this article helps significantly in facilitating a deeper understanding of the various factors that impacted the manner in which BC inhabitants were affected by the pandemic beyond just case numbers and vaccination rates. If the quantitative data could be looked at as forming the skeleton of the answer to the research question, then the qualitative data is what fleshes out and forms the body of the remainder of that answer. In the event of a full-scale research assignment a similar article would be found detailing the province of Ontario’s COVID experience.

References:
CBC/Radio Canada. (n.d.). Tracking the spread of the coronavirus in Canada. CBCnews. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://newsinteractives.cbc.ca/coronavirustracker/.

Cordasco, L. (2022, March 17). Covid-19: Two years in, B.C. gets mixed reviews for managing pandemic. vancouversun. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/covid-19-two-years-in-b-c-gets-mixed-reviews-for-managing-pandemic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
COVID-19: Two years in, B.C. gets mixed reviews for managing pandemic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Experts says B.C.'s middle-of-the-road approach to COVID restrictions resulted in a low death rate from the disease Two years, can you believe it? After persevering through 2,953 deaths, cancelled surgeries, lockdowns of non-essential businesses, and dramatic changes to how we go about our daily lives - from wearing masks to how we greet one another - British Columbians are finally beginning to see signs of relief.

# data[].attributes.body
Research Question:

To what degree does covid-19 affect the long term health of individuals?

Quantitative (Lauren):

To assess the prevalence and duration of post-COVID condition, referred to as "long COVID", , a physical, psychological, and cognitive symptoms study was conducted on healthcare workers in Quebec, Canada. Eligible cases were symptomatic healthcare workers with COVID-19 between July 2020 and May 2021, where among 17,717 contacted cases, 6061 (34%) participated. A random sample of symptomatic healthcare workers with negative PCR result between November 2020 and May 2021 served as controls. Among 11,498 contacted controls, 4390 (38%) participated.
Prevalence ratios compared self-reported cognitive dysfunctions among cases with post-COVID condition to controls, adjusting for psychological distress and fatigue. Post-COVID condition was defined by symptoms persisting ≥4 weeks or ≥12 weeks after COVID-19 onset. Four-week and 12-week post-COVID condition prevalences of 46% (2,746/5,943) and 40% (653/1,746), respectively, were observed among non-hospitalized cases and 76% (90/118) and 68% (27/37), respectively, among hospitalized cases.A substantial proportion of non-hospitalized cases with 4-week post-COVID condition often or very often reported cognitive dysfunction, including concentration (33%) or organizing (23%) difficulties, forgetfulness (20%) and loss of necessary items (10%), with no decline at 12 weeks. All four aspects of cognitive dysfunction were 2.2 to 3.0 times more prevalent among cases with post-COVID condition than in controls, but also independently associated with psychological distress and fatigue.

Carazo, S., Skowronski, D. M., Laforce, R., Talbot, D., Falcone, E. L., Laliberté, D., Denis, G., Deshaies, P., Hegg-Deloye, S., & Serres, G. D. (2022, January 1). Physical, psychological and cognitive profile of post-covid condition in healthcare workers, Quebec, Canada. medRxiv. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.08.22272057v1

# data[].attributes.body
Since removing the indoor mask mandate in BC, According to CBSNEWS tracking of the coronavirus. We can see that Canada has achieved an 80.06% percentage of the fully vaccinated population, with 84.32% of people given at least one dose across Canada. Testing of covid-19 per 100,000 people considers the population of 155,541.7 comprehensive testings conducted 59,181,662 overall. However, there has been an increase in reported New cases of covid-19 in Canada cases of 7% percent per 100K, 41,050 new cases, which is an increase of 7 percent that is 107.9 cases per 100,000 people. There has been a decrease of 32 percent in death due to covid, which is 0.7 per 100,000 people.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/covid-19-update-march-25-1.6398340

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
CBC News · Posted: Mar 25, 2022 3:53 PM PT | Last Updated: March 25

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hospitalizations creep up as B.C. reports 5 more in acute care with COVID-19 and 2 more deaths | CBC News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
B.C. health officials reported 260 people in hospital with COVID-19 on Friday, including 50 in intensive care, as the province recorded two more deaths from the disease and 218 new cases.

# data[].attributes.body
Research Question:
To what degree does COVID-19 affect the long term health of individuals?

Qualitative (Grace):
For the qualitative research, we looked into interviews from parents and children who have been suffering from “long co-vid”. Since co-vid 19 is a recent pandemic, there is no previous qualitative data signifying life-time effects of co-vid. However, throughout our qualitative research we have found significant data concerning “long co-vid” where individuals are experiencing harsh symptoms from co-vid for months rather than the “normal” days or weeks; which may suggest future health issues/concerns. In an interview conducted by Sky News with a family of 7, all of which are experiencing long co-vid, the family speaks of the symptoms that the children have been experiencing since the beginning of covid (the interview being published in March 2021). The older brothers are experiencing difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, and the middle brother “felt like [his] heart was gonna stop” (Sky News, 2021). More severely, the entire family is experiencing "persistent rashes, ulcers, nose bleeds, and extreme lethargy” (Sky News, 2021). Sky News outlines that according to statistics, 81,569 children at the time were living with long-covid in England (2021).  Gastrointestinal issues, headaches and chest pain are outlined as the three most common symptoms of long covid in children. Another child, Isabelle (10 years old) was only able to manage 30 minutes a week at school, suggesting long term fatigue as she says “if I get too tired out, I will just not do anything for about 5 days” (Sky News, 2021). At the time of the interview, Isabelle had been experiencing these symptoms for 5 months, and had just been accepted at a long-term fatigue facility.

Triangulation (Lauren & Grace):
From the study conducted in Quebec, a substantial proportion of non-hospitalized cases with 4-week post-COVID condition often or very often reported cognitive dysfunction, including concentration (33%) or organizing (23%) difficulties, forgetfulness (20%) and loss of necessary items (10%). This aligns with very similar physical and/or cognitive symptoms noted by the family members interviewed by SkyNews, who cited lethargy and exhaustion. The long COVID symptoms are also associated with psychological distress and fatigue, two other symptoms experienced by the family. Our research outlines the long-term effects of co-vid through cognitive and physical symptoms that may have longer, more serious effects on the lifelong health of individuals (most prominently the effects on youth).

Sky News. ( March 13 2021). Coronavirus: Children are suffering with long covid, new research shows. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK8JvHCVcC0

# data[].attributes.body
How are younger age groups affected by Covid-19?

According to Government of Canada data found on  health-infobase.canada.ca, this is the breakdown of cases by age groups (March 11, 2022)

0-11     11.2%

12-19   9.0%

20-29   19.1%

30-39   17.6%

40-49   15.1%

50-59   12.2%

60-69   7.3%

70-79   3.8%

80+      4.5%

Older age is the biggest risk factor in contracting Covid-19, but younger people are more likely to be infected.

Younger adults have generally been more likely to contract Covid -19 compared to older adults.

Age is not the only factor that influences outcomes with Covid-19.  Having a chronic illness is associated with higher likelihood of more severe disease and death.

Being male and being obese also increase the risk of dying from Covid-19.  Obesity may in fact add more significantly to the risk of serious disease in younger people.

Children and teenagers account for the largest group of Covid-19 cases in the country

Many children have no symptoms at all, or very few symptoms, most commonly cough, runny nose, fever, and loss of appetite.

Some people have proposed greater social contact among younger individuals explains the higher infection rates in this age group

For younger people who are unwell enough to be hospitalized with Covif-19, the outcomes can be quite serious.  A large study from the UK showed 27% of 19-29 year olds admitted to hospital suffered some form of organ damage to the liver, lungs, or kidneys-any of which can lead to permanent disability.

A separate study showed 14% of patients under 40 admitted to ICU died, compared with 31% across all ages.

The take home message is that nobody is safe from Covid-19.  Serious infection, and even death, can occur at any age; we can’t predict this.

# data[].attributes.body
Did depression rates spike since Covid-19?

How has depression changed since the Covid-19 pandemic? Due to mental health being a very personal issue, qualitative research becomes necessary to fully comprehend the stories of how our lives have been changing. An interview with Dr. Zainab Samaan, a psychiatrist and professor, can give us some light on the subject. Dr. Samaan explains that although all individuals go through depressive moods as a side effect of negative experiences, the Covid-19 pandemic is a new circumstance - one where the experience is ongoing for much more time than usual. In order for a proper diagnosis, however, it requires a permanent change in the individual’s mood, as well as other symptoms that constitute depression. She then goes on to clarify the importance of varying levels of extremity depending on the individual, as that is critical for how depression will be treated. In her chapter, Dr. Samaan explains how depression can be categorized into mild, moderate, and severe - and the combination of treatments often depend on that level of severity. Notably, we may be able to use the placebo effect as well in our process of aiding individuals to recover from an episode of depression. However, she seems to have a fairly positive outlook on the situation, explaining that unless there is a permanent change in mood, it is likely that the low moods individuals may be experiencing because of the pandemic are typically still situational to the pandemic - not a permanent damage.

A Survey recording the responses of around 350 participants revealed  that around 50% of people are sad, and felt depressed during covid. Along with this, a majority of them felt more irritable and angry as well as more fatigued. Along with this,  internet use has skyrocketed and productivity has lowered. On average based on the charts that tracked social media use, screen time, irritability, and fatigue; about 37.2% male, 49.8% female and about 42.78% of people are depressed in their daily life. Based off these charts, it’s clear to see that covid-19 had an impact on many individuals' mental health, making them more depressed.

Sources:
Depression in the era of covid-19. McMaster Perspective - Interviews - McMaster Textbook of Internal Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://empendium.com/mcmtextbook/interviews/perspective/241851,depression-in-the-era-of-covid-19

Rahman, M. M., Saifuzzaman, M., Ahmed, A., Mahin, M. F., & Shetu, S. F. (2021, April 20). Impact of covid-19 on mental health: A quantitative analysis of anxiety and depression based on regular life and internet use. Current Research in Behavioral Sciences. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666518221000243

# data[].attributes.body
Qualitative

The pandemic has created a massive shift in the job market, moving a lot of work online to be done from home. To tackle our research question, we use elaboration to explore how the qualitative findings suggested by a research team at Carleton University, enhance the 40% of Canadians working from home.

The Sprott School of Business at Carleton University conducted a research project: The Changing Nature of Work Due to COVID-19, that examines working from home, and what it uncovers about the future of working. Their research reveals the challenges and benefits associated with: “working from home, the potential… of remote work in the future; and, how the integration of roles affects work and home” (Kostuchuk, J. et al. 2021). Through interviews with Canadians working from, they discovered that most participants enjoyed their new normal. Working flexible hours, and having the ability to “integrate personal tasks:… doing laundry or walking their dogs,” (Kostuchuk, J. et al. 2021) were among the few new things they appreciated. However, the participants still experienced challenges such as social isolation, and lack of productivity. Additionally, they realized that in order to maintain a “healthy balance between their home and work lives,” (Kostuchuk, J. et al. 2021) specific kinds of support were necessary (ex. childcare). Without these resources available, a lot of individuals feel that the integrated lifestyle of work and personal life is hard to juggle at times. Ultimately, the researchers found that most of the participants would prefer to continue working from home. Additionally, they have realized the demand for workers to be in the office full time is not necessary anymore. The pandemic “has paved the way for organizations to curate more inclusive workplaces” (Kostuchuk, J. et al. 2021) where they can accommodate future employees that normally could not operate in an office setting (ex. Someone with a disability, someone who lives in a different city, etc.).

# data[].attributes.body
Research Question: How were employees impacted as most of the job market shifted online due to Covid?

Quantitative

During the pandemic, many people lost their main source of income or adapted to working from home. But many jobs required workers to be in close physical contact with the customers creating a situation of unemployment. According to Statistics Canada about 200,000 jobs were lost due to covid in the month of January. This was when Omicron was most prominent. For those who were still employed, most of their jobs were shifted online. According to Statistics Canada, in April 2020 over 40% were working from home. Most of these jobs required little to none physical contact with others. Working online became a convenience for many requiring zero travel time and working in the comfort of home.

# data[].attributes.headline
Mask Mandates in Schools: Kody and Karan

# data[].attributes.subject
Mask Mandates in Schools: Kody and Karan

# data[].attributes.body
Research Question:

Should British Columbia still require masks in public elementary and secondary schools to help protect staff and students from COVID-19?

Qualitative Data:

An open letter was released by Safe Schools Coalition BC, a grassroots organization made up of parents and teachers in BC that strives for improved COVID-19-related protocols meant to keep staff, students, and their families safe during the pandemic (Safe Schools Coalition BC, 2022). This coalition has not only been living first-hand experiencing what it is like in classrooms during the pandemic, they also have been on the family-side during this time. This mix of parents and teachers gives this group a unique view into this current situation. The letter highlighted this group’s concern of possible post-spring break outbreaks now that masks will no longer be required in the classroom. In particular, they mention how attending school is mandatory, so managing one’s own risk is not possible. They say that schools overall cannot be bunched into the same category as movie theatres or restaurants, where people can choose to weigh their own risks when in proximity to others, and whether or not they want to put themselves into a more high-risk setting. It also mentions how the lack of masks would not only negatively affect those within the school (ie students and staff) but also their family members, who may be immunocompromised, elderly, too young to be vaccinated, or recovering from diseases like cancers.

Teri Mooring, BCTF President reiterated the Safe Schools Coalition BC’s concerns, adding that she would like to see increased vaccination rates for children before mask mandates are lifted, as well as a provincial N95 mask distribution for schools, which right now is only done by some districts (Weisgarber and Kotyk, 2022). Mooring also mentions how many families likely travelled for spring break, and going immediately into maskless classrooms is incredibly risky, and may result in numerous COVID-19 outbreaks.

Quantitative Data:

For those under the age of 18 in British Columbia, the vaccination rate as of March 20, 2022 is 63.81% (Canada Health Infobase, 2022). Those 4 and under are still not eligible to get their first dose, which has greatly reduced the overall vaccination rate of the wider age group. 9.89% of those under 18 have 1 dose, while 43.1% have two. 10.82% of this age group has received a booster dose. The overall population aged 5 and over have an overall vaccination rate (with at least one dose) of 86.35% in BC, which is much lower than the population under 18’s rate.

Triangulation:

The qualitative data suggests an overall dissatisfaction to the government’s decision to remove the mask mandate in BC classrooms. The SSCBC’s open letter written by teachers and parents cite low vaccination rates and a high risk for immunocompromised family members to be negatively affected. The quantitative research backs this, showing that the overall vaccination rate of the entire population is much lower than those under 18. This suggests that the student body is overall more likely to catch COVID-19 than the entire population as a whole.

References:

About – Safe Schools Coalition BC. (2022). Safeschoolscoalitionbc.com. https://www.safeschoolscoalitionbc.com/about/

Public. (2020). COVID-19 vaccination coverage in Canada - Canada.ca. Canada.ca. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/covid-19/vaccination-coverage/

Weisgarber, M., & Kotyk, A. (2022, March 21). Advocacy group calls for mask mandate to stay in B.C. schools. British Columbia; CTV News. https://bc.ctvnews.ca/advocacy-group-calls-for-mask-mandate-to-stay-in-b-c-schools-1.5827967

# data[].attributes.headline
Avleen Sahota and Krista Reemeyer: Quantitative: In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which American cities suffered the most job-loss, why?

# data[].attributes.subject
Avleen Sahota and Krista Reemeyer: Quantitative: In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which American cities suffered the most job-loss, why?

# data[].attributes.body
The USA Today article gives a lot of statistical information about job loss and income decreasing, in a ranked order, for major cities in America. Published in August of 2020, this article marks the job loss at a rate of 14.7% by the end of April 2020, the highest rate in 70 years, and decreasing to 11% by the end of June 2020. That being said, looking at cities individually can demonstrate a much higher rate of unemployment, the 30 cities on the article’s list with the highest rate of unemployment each had a rate of over 15% in June 2020. The city on the list with the highest rate of unemployment at the end of June 2020, was Atlantic city, with a whopping 35% unemployment, and 12.9% of poverty. The city had a population of 265,429, meaning that roughly 34,240 people in the city were under the poverty line. The employment change decreased by 27.8% in the wake of the pandemic.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The decade since the end of the Great Recession in 2009 was one of historic economic growth in the United States. Over that period, the U.S. economy added about 20 million jobs and the unemployment rate hit its lowest level in decades. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, sending the economy into a new recession and cancelling out nearly all of the employment gains of the last 10 years in a matter of months.

The unemployment rate in the United States stood at 11.1% as of June. While this is a marked improvement from the 14.7% jobless rate in April, it is still higher than at any time in at least the last 70 years. In some U.S. cities - many of which are major economic hubs - the unemployment crisis is far worse than it is nationwide.

24/7 Wall St. reviewed seasonally adjusted unemployment rates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at the metropolitan area level to identify the cities with the worst unemployment problem. Each of the 33 metro areas on this list has a jobless rate over 15%.

All else being equal, the severity of the consequences of unemployment for the 17.8 million Americans who are out of work varies, depending on where they live. Some parts of the country have relatively strong social safety nets, providing residents who are out of work access to a range of benefits with few restrictions. Here is a look at the worst states in which to be unemployed.

The economic crisis is the result of the COVID-19 pandemic - a major public health crisis. There have been nearly 5 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in the United States to date, including over 160,000 deaths attributed to the virus. In addition to soaring unemployment, many of the metro areas on this list are disproportionately affected by a high concentration of cases of the coronavirus.
Job growth:'I'm too old to find a new career':33. Battle Creek, MI More than half of Americans fear job losses 1.8M jobs added in July, unemployment falls to 10.2% as some states halt reopening
* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 15.1%

* Year-to-date employment change: -8.7%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 699 (520 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 18%

* Population: 134,487
32. Fresno, CA
Battle Creek, Michigan, is one of 33 U.S. metro areas where the unemployment rate stands at over 15%. Much of Battle Creek's current employment crisis is a product of the COVID-19 crisis. At the beginning of the year, unemployment stood at just 3.9% in the southern Michigan metro area. Since January, more than 5,000 jobs have disappeared in the city, nearly one in every 10.

While Battle Creek has one of the worst unemployment crises in the country, the metro area's job market appears to be improving. As recently as April, 25.6% of the metro area labor force was unemployed.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 15.1%

* Year-to-date employment change: -9.7%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 13,209 (1,350 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 21.5%
31. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI
* Population: 994,400

At the beginning of the year, before the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were felt in the United States, Fresno had one of the worst job markets in the country. The metro area's January 2020 jobless rate was 6.9%, nearly double the comparable 3.6% national jobless rate. Over the months since, nearly 41,000 jobs in the metro area have disappeared, and the unemployment rate now stands at 15.1%, one of the highest of any U.S. metro area.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 15.2%

* Year-to-date employment change: -10.6%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 157,746 (1,654 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 11.2%

* Population: 9.5 million
30. Modesto, CA
Chicago is one several major American economic hubs, and one of many Midwestern metro areas, where the unemployment rate now stands at over 15%. In January 2020, before the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were felt in the U.S., Chicago's unemployment rate was just 3.5%. Over the months since, the city has shed nearly half a million jobs.

As is the case in many other metropolitan areas on this list, Chicago was seriously affected by COVID-19. As of late July, there were 1,654 COVID-19 cases in Chicago for every 100,000 people, more than the 1,309 per 100,000 national concentration.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 15.2%

* Year-to-date employment change: -13.8%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 8,228 (1,526 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 15.6%

* Population: 549,815
29. Scranton-Wilkes-Barre-Hazleton, PA
Modesto is one of several California metro areas with an unemployment rate above 15%. The city has shed nearly 32,000 jobs since the beginning of the year, a 13.8% overall decline in employment.

In addition to staggering job losses during the pandemic, Modesto has also had a relatively high concentration of cases of the virus itself. As of late July, there were 1,526 cases of the novel coronavirus in Modesto for every 100,000 people, more than the 1,309 per 100,000 national concentration.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 15.2%

* Year-to-date employment change: -14.9%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 5,072 (911 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 14.3%
28. Yuba City, CA
* Population: 555,485

Scranton, one of two Pennsylvania metro areas with an unemployment rate above 15%, has been economically affected by the COVID-19 pandemic more than most American cities. Before COVID-19 was widespread in the U.S., more than one-fifth of the metro area's workforce was employed in industries, such as transportation and warehousing, that are at a disproportionately high risk of slowdown in a pandemic scenario. Over 39,000 jobs have disappeared in the Scranton metro area since the beginning of 2020.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 15.2%

* Year-to-date employment change: -17.4%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 925 (540 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 15.1%

* Population: 174,848
27. Worcester, MA-CT
About one in every six jobs that existed in Yuba City at the beginning of the year have now disappeared. Over the same period, the metro area's unemployment rate jumped from 6.5% to 15.2%.

Americans with no education beyond high school are nearly twice as likely to be unemployed as those with a bachelor's degree. In Yuba City, only 18% of the adult population has a bachelor's degree, compared to 32.6% of American adults nationwide.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 15.5%

* Year-to-date employment change: -15.7%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 13,808 (1,471 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 9.3%

* Population: 947,866
26. Merced, CA
The Worcester, Massachusetts, metro area, which includes parts of Connecticut, has an unemployment rate of 15.5% - well above the 11.1% national jobless rate. The metro area is one of several in Massachusetts with an economy that has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since January, Worcester has shed over 55,000 jobs.

COVID-19 has also taken a considerable toll on public health in Worcester. As of late July, there were 1,471 cases for every 100,000 people in the area, compared to 1,309 cases per 100,000 people nationwide.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 15.9%

* Year-to-date employment change: -10.1%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 3,251 (1,208 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 22%

* Population: 274,765
25. Stockton-Lodi, CA
With an unemployment rate of 15.9%, the Merced, California, metro area has one of the worst job markets in the United States. Though the city has shed more than 10,000 jobs since January, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment has been higher than average in the city long before the novel coronavirus hit the U.S. At the beginning of the year, 7.8% of the local labor force was unemployed, more than double the 3.6% national jobless rate at the time.

The widespread unemployment in Merced is causing further economic harm to residents of a metro area that was already characterized with high poverty. In Merced, 22% of the population lives below the poverty line, compared to 13.1% of Americans nationwide.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 15.9%

* Year-to-date employment change: -11%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 10,637 (1,453 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 14.2%
24. Michigan City-La Porte, IN
* Population: 752,660

In the Stockton-Lodi metro areas, industries at high-risk of slowdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as transportation and warehousing and tourism, account for a far higher than typical share of total employment. Partially as a result, about 34,000 jobs in the metro area - or more than one in every 10 - have disappeared so far this year. The unemployment rate in the Stockton-Lodi metro area now stands at 15.9%, up from 5.7% in January.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 16.1%

* Year-to-date employment change: -7.3%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 760 (687 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 16.4%
23. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL
* Population: 110,007

Michigan City-La Porte is one of two Indiana metropolitan areas to rank on this list. It is one of only 24 U.S. metro areas where over 16% of the labor force is unemployed. As recently as January, before the COVID-19 pandemic's effects were felt in the United States, unemployment in the northern Indiana metro area stood at 4%. Currently, there are about 3,400 fewer jobs in the metro area than there were at the beginning of the year.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 16.4%

* Year-to-date employment change: -19.6%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 45,406 (1,853 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 13.9%
22. Salinas, CA
* Population: 2.6 million

Few industries have been hit as hard by the COVID-19 recession as tourism. Home to several theme parks, including Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, Orlando's economy depends on tourism. The number of people working in the metro area has fallen by nearly 20% since the beginning of the year. Currently, the jobless rate in the metropolitan area stands at 16.4%, well above the 11.1% national rate. After being closed for more than three months, Disney World reopened in July.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 16.5%

* Year-to-date employment change: -22.1%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 3,901 (900 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 13.4%

* Population: 435,594
21. Flint, MI
Salinas is one of 10 California metro areas to rank on this list. Since January, more than one in every five jobs have disappeared in Salinas. Over the same period, the metro area's jobless rate nearly tripled from 5.8% to 16.5%.

As is the case in much of the country - even in many metro areas on this list - Salinas' current unemployment rate represents an improvement from the earliest months of the pandemic. The jobless rate in Salinas stood at 20% as recently as April.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 16.6%

* Year-to-date employment change: -8.2%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 3,327 (813 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 18.8%

* Population: 406,892
20. Rockford, IL
Flint, Michigan is one of many poor American cities where unemployment has been soaring since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the U.S. The number of people working in the Flint metro area fell by 8.2% from January 2020 through June 2020. The metro area's unemployment rate now stands at 16.6%, higher than in all but 20 other U.S. metro areas.

While the pandemic has contributed to thousands of job losses in Flint this year, the metro area's job market was not especially strong going into 2020. Flint's January unemployment rate of 4.6% was well above the 3.6% national rate.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 16.7%

* Year-to-date employment change: -11.2%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 4,234 (1,246 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 15.8%

* Population: 337,658
19. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
The 16.7% unemployment rate in Rockford, Illinois, is among the highest of any U.S. metro area. Still, the metro area's jobless rate is a marked improvement from what it was in the early weeks of the pandemic. As recently as April, the unemployment rate in Rockford stood at a staggering 23.7%.

While the improvement in recent months is encouraging, the metro area's job market has a long way to go. More than one in every 10 jobs that existed in Rockford at the beginning of January have disappeared.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 16.7%

* Year-to-date employment change: -18.3%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 84,214 (1,750 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 9.2%
18. Springfield, MA
* Population: 4.9 million

The Northeastern United States has been hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic - and economies across the region have also been taking a hit. In Boston, the largest metro area in New England, 16.7% of the labor force is out of work, one of the highest unemployment rates of any U.S. metro area. In January 2020, before COVID-19 had hit most of the country, there were about 2.8 million people working in the Boston metro area. As of June, there were only 2.3 million workers - an 18.3% decline.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 16.7%

* Year-to-date employment change: -18.4%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 8,800 (1,255 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 15.4%

* Population: 631,761
17. Kokomo, IN
Massachusetts is one of the hardest hit states by the COVID-19 pandemic - both in terms of public health and economic consequences. In Springfield, one of several metro areas in the state to rank on this list, the number of people working has declined by a staggering 18.4%. As of June, the unemployment rate in Springfield stood at 16.7%, compared to the 11.1% national jobless rate.

The widespread unemployment in Springfield is causing considerable economic harm to residents of a metro area where financial hardship was relatively common to begin with. In Springfield, 15.4% of the population lives below the poverty line, compared to 13.1% of Americans nationwide.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 17.1%

* Year-to-date employment change: -9.6%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 751 (912 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 11.2%

* Population: 82,366
16. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
Kokomo is one of only 17 U.S. metro areas with an unemployment rate over 17%. Still, the metro area's job market has improved substantially in recent months. As recently as April, the area's unemployment rate was 33.8%, making the city one of only four nationwide where more than one in every three members of the labor force were unemployed.

The job market in the Kokomo metro area still has a long way to recover. In June of 2019, just 3.7% of workers in the area were unemployed.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 17.1%

* Year-to-date employment change: -15.5%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 506,636 (2,623 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 12.3%

* Population: 20 million
15. Bakersfield, CA
New York City was long considered the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Across the broader New York metro area, there have been over half a million confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, or 2,623 for every 100,000 people, more than double the concentration nationwide.

The broader New York metropolitan area has also taken a harder hit economically than most of the country. Unemployment in the metro area stands at 17.1%, compared to the 11.1% national jobless rate. At the beginning of 2020, the unemployment rate in New York was just 3.6%.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 17.4%

* Year-to-date employment change: -15.4%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 17,394 (1,970 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 20.6%

* Population: 896,764
14. Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ
There are 56,000 fewer people working in Bakersfield now than there were at the beginning of 2020. Mass layoffs, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic, drove the local unemployment rate up from 7.4% in January to 17.4% in June.

Bakersfield 's widespread unemployment is causing considerable economic harm to residents of a metro area where financial hardship was relatively common to begin with. In Bakersfield, 20.6% of the population lives below the poverty line, compared to 13.1% of Americans nationwide.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 17.5%

* Year-to-date employment change: -12.6%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 3,144 (2,050 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 14.6%

* Population: 150,972
13. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Many of the U.S. cities that have experienced soaring unemployment as a result of the pandemic are located in New Jersey. One of them is Vineland-Bridgeton, where 17.5% of the labor force is unemployed. Since January, nearly 8,000 jobs in the metro area have disappeared.

Like much of the Northeast, the Vineland-Bridgeton has had an especially high concentration of the novel coronavirus. There have been 2,050 cases of COVID-19 for every 100,000 people to date, well above the 1,309 cases per 100,000 people nationwide.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 17.6%

* Year-to-date employment change: -18.1%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 208,674 (1,573 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 13.3%
12. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
* Population: 13.3 million

Along with places like Boston, Chicago, Detroit, and New York, Los Angeles is one of several major American metro areas with especially high unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of June, 17.6% of the LA metro area's labor force was out of work, well above the 11.1% national jobless rate. The number of people working in the metro area now stands at around 5.3 million, down 18.1% from 6.5 million at the beginning of 2020.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 17.7%

* Year-to-date employment change: -19%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 51,074 (1,183 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 14.3%

* Population: 4.3 million
11. Muskegon, MI
There are nearly 400,000 fewer people working in the Detroit metro area than there were at the beginning of the year. Mass layoffs and business closures in recent months have driven the metro area's unemployment rate up to 17.7% from just 4% in January.

While Detroit's job market ranks among the worst in the country, it has improved markedly in recent weeks. In May 2020, the area's unemployment rate stood at 23.2%.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 17.8%

* Year-to-date employment change: -8%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 1,089 (629 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 15.8%

* Population: 173,588
10. Visalia-Porterville, CA
The unemployment rate in Muskegon, Michigan, has improved considerably in recent months, falling from 29.8% in April to 17.8% in June. Despite the marked improvement, the metro area still has one of the worst job markets in the country.

Widespread unemployment in Muskegon is causing considerable economic harm to residents of a metro area where financial hardship was relatively common to begin with. In Muskegon, 15.8% of the population lives below the poverty line, compared to 13.1% of Americans nationwide.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 17.8%

* Year-to-date employment change: -14.8%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 8,392 (1,822 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 22.5%

* Population: 465,861
9. Pittsfield, MA
The unemployment rate in the Visalia-Porterville metro area stands at 17.8%, higher than in all but a handful of other U.S. metropolitan areas. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic eliminated tens of thousands of jobs in the metro area, Visalia-Porterville was struggling with mass unemployment. In January, 9.3% of the area's labor force was unemployed, more than double the 3.6% national jobless rate.

Generally, lower-income Americans have been at increased risk of unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Visalia-Porterville, most households earn less than $49,000 a year, while the typical American household earns about $62,000 annually.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 17.9%

* Year-to-date employment change: -19.1%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 645 (507 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 10.8%
8. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
* Population: 126,348

Nearly one in every five jobs that existed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, at the beginning of the year have disappeared. Over the same period, the metro area's unemployment rate jumped from 3.4% to 17.9%, one of the largest percentage point increases in the country. The economy across Massachusetts as a whole has been affected more than most of the country by the COVID-19 pandemic.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 17.9%

* Year-to-date employment change: -19.2%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 37,492 (1,751 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 13.9%

* Population: 2.2 million
7. East Stroudsburg, PA
The COVID-19 pandemic hit the job market in the Las Vegas metro area harder than most of the country. Tourism, one of the industries most affected by the pandemic, is the backbone of the local economy. Partially as a result, since the beginning of the year, the number of people working in Las Vegas fell by nearly 20%. Over the same period, the unemployment rate spiked from just 3.8% to a staggering 17.9%.

Still, as is the case in much of the country, Las Vegas's job market does appear to be improving. As recently as April, the unemployment rate in Las Vegas was 34.2%, making the city one of only four nationwide where more than one in every three members of the labor force were unemployed.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 18%

* Year-to-date employment change: -15.5%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 1,557 (929 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 12.3%
6. Yuma, AZ
* Population: 169,507

Leading up to the pandemic, more than one in every four workers in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania were employed in industries at high-risk of slowdown due to COVID-19, such as tourism and transportation and warehousing. Nationwide, fewer than one in five workers are employed in such industries. Due in part to the concentration of jobs exposed to the economic downturn, East Stroudsburg's unemployment rate of 18% is nearly the highest of any U.S. metro area.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 18.1%

* Year-to-date employment change: -7.4%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 10,434 (5,020 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 19.6%

* Population: 212,128
5. Barnstable Town, MA
Unlike every other city on this list, Yuma, Arizona's unemployment problem is largely not attributable to COVID-19. At the beginning of the year, before the pandemic, the unemployment rate stood at 16.5%, higher than nearly every other metro area in the country. Though the metro area's jobless rate hit 25% in April, it now stands at 18.1% - just 1.6 percentage points higher than in January. Nationwide, the unemployment rate is 7.5 percentage points higher than what it was at the beginning of the year.

While COVID-19 appears to have had a smaller than typical impact on Yuma's economy, it has taken a considerable toll on the metro area's public health. There have been 5,020 known cases of COVID-19 for every 100,000 people in Yuma to date, the highest concentration of any metro area in the country.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 19.7%

* Year-to-date employment change: -23.6%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 1,698 (795 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 7.6%
4. Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI
* Population: 213,413

In the Barnstable Town metro area, the unemployment rate stands at 19.7%, higher than every other metro area in New England and the fifth highest nationwide. Covering Cape Cod, the metro area's economy is heavily dependent on tourism, one of the industries that has borne the brunt of the economic fallout during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are over 29,000 fewer jobs in the Cape Cod area now than there were at the beginning of the year, a 23.6% decline in employment.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 22.3%

* Year-to-date employment change: -27.9%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 153 (93 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 7.1%
Tech controversy: Brewing across America: 3. Ocean City, NJ These are the 35 most successful US craft breweries TikTok threatens legal action after President Trump issues executive order to block app
* Population: 167,295

Few sectors of the economy have been hit as hard by the COVID-19 pandemic as tourism. For Hawaii's Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina metro area, where tourism is an economic backbone, overall employment has fallen by a staggering 27.9% since before the pandemic hit in January. Currently, the metro area is one of only four nationwide where more than one in every five members of the labor force are out of work.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 26.7%

* Year-to-date employment change: -32.7%
2. El Centro, CA
* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 800 (854 per 100,000 people)

* Poverty rate: 9.4%

* Population: 92,560

Ocean City is one of only three metro areas nationwide where more than one in every four members of the labor force are out of work. The metro area is one several on this list that depends on tourism - an industry that has all but shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of people working in the Ocean City metro area has fallen by nearly one-third since the beginning of the year, the largest year-to-date decline in employment of any U.S. metro area.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 28.7%

* Year-to-date employment change: -7.9%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 7,781 (4,318 per 100,000 people)
1. Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
* Poverty rate: 23.1%

* Population: 181,827

The unemployment rate in El Centro, California, is a staggering 28.7%, the second highest among U.S. metro areas. Though the metro area has shed thousands of jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has struggled with high unemployment long before the coronavirus-induced recession. In January, El Centro's jobless rate stood at 18.4%, higher than in every other city at the time.

In addition to weakening El Centro's already struggling economy, the novel coronavirus has also taken a public health toll in the metro area. There have been 4,318 known cases of the virus for every 100,000 people in El Centro to date, nearly the highest concentration in the country.

* Unemployment rate, June 2020: 35%

* Year-to-date employment change: -27.8%

* Cumulative COVID-19 cases to date: 3,271 (1,218 per 100,000 people)
Methodology
* Poverty rate: 12.9%

* Population: 265,429

Atlantic City, one of several New Jersey metro areas to rank on this list, has by far the highest unemployment rate in the United States, at 35% - more than triple the national jobless rate of 11.1%.

Tourism, an industry that has been all but shut down during the pandemic, is an economic pillar in Atlantic City. The leisure and hospitality sector accounts for about one-third of all jobs in the metro area. Since January, 27.8% of jobs in Atlantic City have disappeared.
24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.
To identify the cities with the worst unemployment problem right now, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed seasonally adjusted June 2020 unemployment rates at the metropolitan area level from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. We only listed the 33 U.S. metro areas with unemployment rates above 15.0%.

In the case of a tie, the metro area that had a larger percentage decline in overall employment from January to June 2020 was ranked lower. Overall employment figures also came from the BLS.

Data on COVID-19 cases and cases per capita is current as of July 27, 2020, and came from state and local health departments.

Data on population and poverty came from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2018 American Community Survey.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Unemployment rate remains historically high: These US cities are among those with highest jobless rates

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The decade since the end of the Great Recession in 2009 was one of historic economic growth in the United States. Over that period, the U.S. economy added about 20 million jobs and the unemployment rate hit its lowest level in decades.

# data[].attributes.headline
Avleen Sahota and Krista Reemeyer: Qualitative: In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which American cities suffered the most job-loss, why?

# data[].attributes.subject
Avleen Sahota and Krista Reemeyer: Qualitative: In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which American cities suffered the most job-loss, why?

# data[].attributes.body
This article by New York Times encapsulates the job loss suffered during the COVID-29 pandemic. With the unemployment rate increasing, they used interviews to gain a better understanding of the effects of this. MacKenzie Nicholson from New Hampshire was among the interviewees. She lost her job at the American Cancer Society because of the budget cuts made due to the pandemic. She states that although her husband still works, it is close to impossible to make ends meet. Her lifestyle has entirely changed. Basic necessities like food and toothpaste are moving further out of reach by every week for her and her family causing her anxiety. To compensate for the income lost, she will be picking up shifts working as a food delivery person. However, in order to pick up these shifts, she has to leave her children and husband as soon as her husband gets home from work leaving them with no time to spend together. Although this is Mackenzie Nicholson’s story, looking at the statistics of job loss because of COVID-19 is safe to say that this is a shared experience across the board. It is shared because almost every industry struggled and suffered loss during COVID-19 which led to mass layoffs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Workers Face Permanent Job Losses as the Virus Persists (Published 2020)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Soon, a wave of people will have been out of work for more than six months, the threshold for long-term unemployment.

# data[].attributes.headline
Why are so many British Columbians still wearing masks indoors? (Kirsten Henderson/Akansh Venkatesh Babu) 

# data[].attributes.subject
Why are so many British Columbians still wearing masks indoors? (Kirsten Henderson/Akansh Venkatesh Babu) 

# data[].attributes.body
In light of the recent indoor mask mandate being lifted, it is curious to see so many people are still wearing masks. This article asks why and probes into the psychology behind potential reasons for those who choose to continue to wear face coverings. University of British Columbia psychology professor and author of the book The Psychology of Pandemics, Dr. Steven Taylor, says “it’s not necessarily out of concern for their health”. In fact, Taylor argues it could be people taking visual cues from their surroundings. For example, if more people in one place are wearing a face covering, it may encourage others to follow suit. However, Taylor suggests that in just a few weeks we could be seeing far less people wearing masks as they begin to get more comfortable with the idea of going without a face covering.

# data[].attributes.body
This article includes an interview of Sidney Ramos, a college student and foodservice industry worker who was laid off from her job like countless others in her industry. She notes that before her dismissal, her employer insisted that the attitude of her management encouraged workers to continue to serve customers despite their concerns regarding their health and safety, noting that this sentiment is not new to her line of work as even pre-pandemic, as a disregard for workers wellbeing and unfairly low wages is standard practice.

The article additionally furthers this discussion by highlighting how identities of race and gender intersect the data, which speaks to the issue of unemployment and seeking employment. They state that those marginalized are already at a disadvantage in regards to employment and will experience a considerably more difficult time trying to recover from their loss of job. These facts emphasize the importance of qualitative context as it provides us with the knowledge of the factors that impact the experiences of the real people behind the numbers and percentages. The quantitative data provides us with a reliable backbone of numbers and statistics about jobs and unemployment to compare and contrast to pre-pandemic times. Therefore, the quantitative and qualitative data triangulate through corroboration.

Source:
Vinopal, C. (2021). The pandemic forced millions out of a job. some say they can't return to the way things were. PBS. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/the-pandemic-forced-millions-out-of-a-job-some-say-they-cant-return-to-the-way-things-were

# data[].attributes.body
Research Question: What is Covid-19’s impact on joblessness, who is most affected?

Quantitative: It is no doubt the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the economy, as it set off a significant worldwide recession. Finally, as of June 2021, over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic began, recovery is on the horizon. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 559,000 jobs have been added within a month span, and a slightly declined unemployment rate of 5.8%.

The pandemic has affected the subject of jobs in other ways. A Pew Report found that almost 2/3 of unemployed Americans had seriously contemplated changing their career during the pandemic. A different survey done by Morning Consult found that one in five workers completely changed their line of work sometime over the past year, and 25% of employees planned to look for a new job with a different employer after the pandemic has settled.

However, it has found that the pandemic has disproportionately affected certain groups. It has been found that white workers are finding jobs at a faster rate than both Black and Hispanics, and working women with school-aged children. Additionally, it is estimated that 1.1 million older workers were pushed out of the workforce.

# data[].attributes.headline
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted employees of the restaurant industry? Part 2 (Sara Wong and Chunghee Pow)

# data[].attributes.subject
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted employees of the restaurant industry? Part 2 (Sara Wong and Chunghee Pow)

# data[].attributes.body
In the above article, two restaurant workers, Juliana Murphy — a waitress in Halifax — and Sean Bride — a server/bartender/host in Toronto — discuss harassment they’ve seen or experienced on the job, all related to COVID-19 public health measures. The workers share that, after proof-of-vaccination requirements were implemented, opposed customers have become increasingly belligerent. “I’ve had grown men yell and raise a fist at me,” Murphy said. Adding to this, Bridge notes front-of-house staff are usually young women and “it’s kind of scary for them to be essentially bouncing at the front door.” Understandably, these employees are reluctant about going to work. The environment has become stressful, exhausting, and — frankly — unsafe. It’s also become unrewarding as customers frustrated with pandemic restrictions have “already made the decision that they’re going to tip less,” according to Murphy. Foodservice workers, tired of suffering from customer abuse and lower incomes, are more likely to quit their jobs now.

This helps explain why so many restaurants are struggling to retain or re-hire staff. It also demonstrates mixed methods were necessary to fully answer the research question “how has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted employees of the restaurant industry?” Our quantitative and qualitative findings are a good triangulation example of corroboration and elaboration.

Source: Bundale, B. (2021, October 17). Restaurant workers dealing with anger, abuse and racism as they try to enforce vaccine mandates. Global News. https://globalnews.ca/news/8272360/restaurant-workers-dealing-with-anger-abuse-and-racism-as-they-try-to-enforce-vaccine-mandates/

# data[].attributes.headline
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted employees of the restaurant industry? (Sara Wong and Chunghee Pow)

# data[].attributes.subject
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted employees of the restaurant industry? (Sara Wong and Chunghee Pow)

# data[].attributes.body
As seen in Table 1, by the end of 2021, over three quarters of Canadian restaurant owners reported they will struggle to retain staff and/or will have to cut their employees’ hours. Additionally, a majority of these restaurants anticipated having to reduce their hours of operation in 2022. That being said, this was a significantly larger concern for multi-unit establishments (15% more compared to single-unit establishments). Similarly, more multi-unit establishments than single-unit establishments will struggle to re-hire staff and/or find new staff.

Table 2 further shows lack of income is the primary reason restaurant workers are thinking about leaving the industry.

# data[].attributes.headline
How has COVID-19 Impacted our Mental Health? (Shanieka and Natalie) 

# data[].attributes.subject
How has COVID-19 Impacted our Mental Health? (Shanieka and Natalie) 

# data[].attributes.body
Qualitative:

This study asked 3000 Canadian respondents (with a response rate of 84%) about their experiences with mental health regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, the study used survey methods to look at how they way COVID has impacted various socioeconomic factors which have then impacted mental health. As per the quantitative data we looked at, we have seen an increase in various mental health concerns over the course of the pandemic. For our research question of how COVID has impacted mental health, we are using this study to look at why those results are coming about. The study also used quantitative methods, but for our purposes, we are focusing on the qualitative aspects; it found that there were various things which potentially led to a decrease in mental health overall. People were more likely to self-report lower mental health conditions, especially those with preexisting mental health conditions. Some reasons included more generally emotionally stressful experiences occurring, stress increases pertaining to the virus itself as well as income, food, and domestic violence (especially for Indigenous communities). People who considered themselves to be not coping very well or not well at all were more common throughout the pandemic, but commonly used coping mechanisms included exercise, connecting with loved ones, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and considering accessing Federal Government benefits and supports. Contrastingly, use of mental health care/resources (in person and online) were less common. Unfortunately, alcohol (especially for Indigenous communities), cannabis, and perscription drug usage increased, as well as suicidal thoughts/feelings and self-harm. Disadvantaged communities such as racialized, low-income, and LGBTQ+ community members were especially impacted by those suicidality trends. A repeated theme throughout all the findings was that oppressed groups and those with pre-existing mental health conditions were more likely to experience these effects, or were more likely to have them be more negatively impactful.

Connection:

Our quantitative data shows the numbers of people with certain mental health disorders, and how that has changed over the course of the pandemic. We have seen increases in many mental health disorders and/or concerns over the course of the pandemic. Our data focuses specifically on these effects in Canada. Our qualitative data helps us better understand these effects in Canada. Through survey methods, it helps us to understand how various socioeconomic impacts which have been changed as some result of the pandemic have then had an impact on mental health. Some factors looked into include gender, race/ethnicity, sexuality, disability status, resources such as employment/income or housing/food, and social supports. These triangulate via elaboration. The quantitative data shows us how mental health has been impacted, and the qualitative elaborates on that by showing us underlying forces which have led to those unfortunate results.

Source:
Jenkins, E.K., McAuliffe, C., Hirani, S., Richardson, C., Thomson, K.C., McGuiness, L., Morris, J., Kousoulis, A., and Gadermann, A. "A portrait of the early and differential mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada: Findings from the firs wave of a nationally representative cross-sectional survey. 2021, Elsevier.

# data[].attributes.headline
How has Covid-19 impacted our Mental Health in Canada? (Shaneika and Natalie)

# data[].attributes.subject
How has Covid-19 impacted our Mental Health in Canada? (Shaneika and Natalie)

# data[].attributes.body
Research Question:
How has Covid-19 impacted our Mental Health in Canada?

Quantitative:
Before the pandemic (September-December 2020), 1 in 5 Adult Canadians were confirmed for 1 of 3 mental disorders including major depressive disorder (15%), generalized anxiety (13%), or PTSD (6%). After lockdown in March of 2020, 68% of Canadians expressed that their mental health had worsened due to the pandemic. This included feelings of loneliness and isolation (38%), and an increased percentage of:
-Major depressive disorder (29%),
-Generalized anxiety disorder (25%)
-Probable PTSD (13%).
On top of this data, 40% of Canadians expressed difficulty with financial stress due to the limitations and lockdown of the pandemic.
In the table, it is expressed that out of Adult Canadians that were confirmed for at least one disorder, 39% struggled with loneliness and isolation, 29% for income loss, and 42% for difficulty meeting needs. This tells us that there is a higher percentage of Canadians that faced higher amounts of stress and anxiety due to the effects of the pandemic. These percentages are based off pre-existing conditions as well as developed conditions.

Sources:
-Statistics Canada. (2021). "Survey on COVID-19 and Mental Health", https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/daily-quotidien/210318/dq210318a-eng.pdf?st=P3Uc5VXA
-Kwai, I., & Peltier, E. (2021, February 14). "'what's the point?' young people's despair deepens as covid-19 crisis drags on." The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/14/world/europe/youth-mental-health-covid.html

# data[].attributes.headline
How does the COVID-19 Vaccine get administered differently between different classes and economic status?

# data[].attributes.subject
How does the COVID-19 Vaccine get administered differently between different classes and economic status?

# data[].attributes.body
By Saskia and Lexi

In Chad 100,000 doses were sent in order to be used, however, “five weeks later, Chad’s health minister said, 94,000 doses remained unused.” The imbalance of administering vaccinations was at an all-time high in Africa “where only 267 shots were being given each day, a pace so slow that 110,000 of the program’s AstraZeneca doses expired.” Even with the doses available, these low-income countries don’t have the means to transport the vaccines out into the communities that really need them and lack of funding for training is the main issue. Connecting this to the quantitative map, it shows that in both areas of research, there is a power imbalance with vaccines getting administered differently based on individuals who do or don’t have the means to acquire a vaccine. Without the quantitative analysis, data would not show the numerical information that showcases how different countries are getting the vaccine at different times. Therefore, with qualitative data showcasing the historical background and the quantitative data showing a factual map, this mixed-methods analysis better enhances the research and findings to provide a stronger argument.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
After months of struggle, the U.N.-backed Covax alliance will soon have many more doses, promising relief for vaccine shortages in poorer countries. But it faces a deepening crisis: difficulties getting shots into arms as the Delta variant spreads.

Carrying a box of vaccines this spring in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country received 1.7 million AstraZeneca doses through Covax in March, but distribution is another challenge. Credit... Guerchom Ndebo/Getty Images

Deaths from Covid-19 were surging across Africa in June when 100,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived in Chad. The delivery seemed proof that the United Nations-backed program to immunize the world could get the most desirable vaccines to the least developed nations. Yet five weeks later, Chad's health minister said, 94,000 doses remained unused.

Nearby in Benin, only 267 shots were being given each day, a pace so slow that 110,000 of the program's AstraZeneca doses expired. Across Africa, confidential documents from July indicated, the program was monitoring at least nine countries where it said doses intended for the poor were at risk of spoiling this summer.

The vaccine pileup illustrates one of the most serious but largely unrecognized problems facing the immunization program as it tries to recover from months of missteps and disappointments: difficulty getting doses from airport tarmacs into people's arms.

Known as Covax, the program was supposed to be a global powerhouse, a multibillion-dollar alliance of international health bodies and nonprofits that would ensure through sheer buying power that poor countries received vaccines as quickly as the rich.

Instead, Covax has struggled to acquire doses: It stands half a billion short of its goal. Poor countries are dangerously unprotected as the Delta variant runs rampant, just the scenario that Covax was created to prevent.

The urgent need to vaccinate the world goes far beyond protecting people in poor nations. The longer the virus circulates, the more dangerous it can become, even for vaccinated people in wealthy countries.

Without billions more shots, experts warn, new variants could keep emerging, endangering all nations.

"Covax hasn't failed, but it is failing," said Dr. Ayoade Alakija, a co-chair of the African Union's vaccine delivery program. "We really have no other options. For the sake of humanity, Covax must work."

More supplies are finally on the way, courtesy of the Biden administration, which is buying 500 million Pfizer doses and delivering them through Covax, the centerpiece of a larger pledge by wealthy democracies. The donated doses should begin shipping this month.

But the Biden donation, worth $3.5 billion, comes with a caveat: To help fund it, the administration is diverting hundreds of millions of dollars promised for vaccination drives in poorer countries, according to notes from a meeting between Covax and American officials. Short on funding, those countries have had a hard time buying fuel to transport doses to clinics, training people to administer shots or persuading people to get them.

Even as Covax officials scramble to fill that funding gap, the overriding question is whether the program can move beyond its mistakes, and beyond an imbalance of power that has left it at the mercy of wealthy countries and pharmaceutical companies. Pfizer, for example, balked at a direct deal with Covax this spring, interviews reveal, instead reaching an agreement through the Biden administration, an arrangement that hurt Covax's credibility as an independent vaccine purchaser.

The program has struggled with delays and infighting. According to interviews and records from Covax, bureaucratic barriers imposed by its leadership have held up the disbursement of $220 million to help countries administer vaccines.

Driven by a nonprofit funded by the Gates Foundation, Covax is a creation without precedent.It has gotten vaccines to poorer countries faster than was previously typical and developed a system to compensate people for serious post-vaccine reactions and protect vaccine makers from legal liability - a plan that saved those countries months of negotiations.

Still, the 163 million doses it has delivered - most free to poorer nations, with the rest to countries like Canada that paid their way - are a far cry from plans to have at least 640 million doses available by now.

Dr. Seth Berkley, the chief executive of Gavi, the nonprofit at Covax's heart, said insufficient early financing made supply shortages inevitable. When distribution problems of the type in Chad and Benin emerge, Covax tries to "move those vaccines to other countries, but then to work with those countries to try to improve capacity," he said.

Supporters and critics agree that the program must improve, rapidly. As of early July, confidential Covax documents indicated that 22 nations, some with surging fatalities, reported being nearly or entirely out of doses from the program.

"The way Covax was packaged and branded, African countries thought it was going to be their savior," said Dr. Catherine Kyobutungi, who directs the African Population and Health Research Center. "When it didn't meet expectations, there was nothing else."

In the frantic early months of 2020, health experts strategized on how to equitably inoculate the world. Covax was the answer, bringing together two Gates-funded nonprofits, Gavi and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI; the World Health Organization; and UNICEF, which would lead delivery efforts. It hoped to be a major global vaccine buyer, for both rich and poor nations, giving it the clout to bully vaccine makers.

But if rich nations pledged donations, they did not make obliging partners. Britain negotiated for wealthier participants to be given a choice of vaccines to purchase through Covax, creating delays, said Kate Elder, senior vaccines policy adviser for Doctors Without Borders' Access Campaign.

Most important, rich nations became rivals in a vaccine-buying race, paying premiums to secure their own shots while slow-walking financial pledges that Covax needed to sign deals.

"You can't be passing the tin cup in the middle of a pandemic," said Dr. Nicole Lurie, the U.S. director at CEPI, referring to the desperate scramble for financing.

Initially, Covax planned on giant deliveries from the Serum Institute, an Indian manufacturer. But after the virus surged in India in March, the Indian government halted vaccine exports. Many poor countries were rattled. They had banked on Covax, despite often being left out of its decision-making.

Dr. Alakija, who is leading African delivery efforts, said health officials in Africa were scarcely consulted in mid-2020 when the program set an initial target of vaccinating at least 20 percent of poorer countries' populations. Dr. Alakija recalled that people involved in Covax had said they believed Africa was at low risk and mass immunizations were unnecessary, a claim a Gavi spokesman denied.

The spokesman said that the target was set in the face of "limited resources" and "a limited understanding of Covid-19 epidemiology," and that it now had enough money to buy vaccines for almost 30 percent of poorer countries' populations.

Desperate, 17 countries eligible for free Covax doses, including Rwanda, have struck deals to buy doses from Pfizer directly.

By this May, Covax appeared poised to strike a new deal of its own to buy low-cost doses from Pfizer. It had already ordered 40 million in January; this deal was expected to be bigger.

But behind the scenes, tension was simmering between Pfizer and Covax, two people familiar with the negotiations said. The company wanted the new doses to go to poorer nations alone. As a global purchasing pool, Covax insisted on also fulfilling orders from wealthier countries that had been buying directly at higher prices.South Korea, for example, had received Pfizer doses from the program.

And the two sides had already tangled. In negotiations over the first round of doses, Pfizer had sought liability protections beyond Covax's model indemnification agreement, Dr. Berkley said, asking countries to sign additional legal letters.

Into the standoff stepped Jeffrey D. Zients, President Biden's coronavirus response coordinator. To allay Pfizer's unease about wealthier nations getting the doses, the White House would donate the vaccines to only the program's poorest countries, as well as the African Union.

The United States is paying about $7 per donated dose, roughly a third of Pfizer's price for Americans, two people familiar with the deal said. Dr. Berkley said the U.S. purchase allowed Covax to get more doses, and faster, than the program was trying to secure on its own.

A Pfizer spokeswoman, Sharon Castillo, said the company had "a collaborative relationship" with Covax.

Jeremy Konyndyk, the executive director of U.S.A.I.D.'s Covid-19 Task Force, acknowledged that the United States had diverted some distribution funds to pay for Pfizer doses because contributing shots was the priority.

The deal looked good for Pfizer and the Biden administration, positioning the United States as a leader in global vaccinations.

But it also highlighted Covax's difficulty securing a major supply agreement by itself, people involved with the program said - a reputational blow, even as it needs to wrestle with other manufacturers.

CEPI, one of the nonprofits behind Covax, made critical investments to expand manufacturing of several vaccines. But production issues choked deliveries in June from Covax's main supplier, AstraZeneca, which said shipments had since picked up. Johnson & Johnson, which also had production struggles, has yet to deliver any doses ordered by Covax.

Several major vaccine makers only recently agreed to supply the program, including Moderna and two Chinese companies.

"The world is making a couple hundred million doses a week, so there's not a supply problem," said Dr. Bruce Aylward, a senior adviser to the World Health Organization. Instead, he said, vaccine makers and world leaders were electing to put rich countries first: "There's a choice problem."

With 1.7 billion more doses expected by December, Covax officials fret that some countries will struggle to make use of the vaccines suddenly available. Facing long delivery droughts and uncertain shipments, some countries delayed major preparations.

"It's much easier to scale up when you have a steady and predictable supply," said Lily Caprani, a UNICEF senior adviser.

Covax had counted on World Bank grants and loans to finance poorer countries' rollouts. But because of Covax's supply shortages, countries spent most of that money on doses.

Gavi, the nonprofit leading Covax, asked its board in June to approve $775 million in new distribution funding, $500 million of it from the United States as part of a donation unaffected by the Pfizer deal.

But the $1.8 billion available by late June for vaccine delivery was still $1 billion short of what health officials estimate may be needed.

Costs are only rising, given that Pfizer doses must be stored at ultralow temperatures. Covax needs to install 250 to 400 more freezers, and backup generators for them. Some African officials worry that their electrical grids could be overwhelmed. As it is, some countries, like Chad, cannot move Pfizer doses outside major cities.

To buy freezers, Covax plans to draw on $220 million pledged by Germany in February. But a bureaucratic impasse has prevented it from being spent, reflecting broader concerns about delays in ramping up delivery funding.

Germany specified that the money be distributed through UNICEF, while also insisting on giving it first to Covax, whose purse strings are controlled by Gavi.

The country would not send the money until the two agencies submitted a joint spending plan, its development ministry said, delaying the payment until early July. But Gavi, exercising oversight of how it is spent, has not yet transferred the cash to UNICEF.

"Covax is like a group project without a leader," said Andrea Taylor, a Duke researcher studying global vaccinations. "Everything they do is that much slower."

A Gavi spokesman said that any donation takes time to be deposited, that Gavi had a long history of releasing money to UNICEF and that it would use a faster process for some new distribution funding.

Some African countries have used the vast majority of their Covax doses. But delivery funding has fallen short of what Covax estimated was needed in dozens of lower-income nations, confidential documents said.

Even as American officials now press Covax to prepare for the crucial Pfizer doses, wealthy countries remain reluctant to fund such work, experts said. The difficulties have prompted calls for Covax to share more power with humanitarian and regional groups on the ground.

"I don't see a lot of understanding that they will never be able to do this centrally," said Dr. Mark Dybul, a Georgetown professor. "I'm worried they're going to end up with a lot of vaccine that's stuck."

Reporting was contributed by Sharon LaFraniere, Noah Weiland, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, Mahamat Adamou and Léonce Gamai.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Where a Vast Global Vaccination Program Went Wrong

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
After months of struggle, the U.N.-backed Covax alliance will soon have many more doses, promising relief for vaccine shortages in poorer countries. But it faces a deepening crisis: difficulties getting shots into arms as the Delta variant spreads. Deaths from Covid-19 were surging across Africa in June when 100,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived in Chad.

# data[].attributes.headline
How does the COVID-19 Vaccine get administered differently between different classes and economic status?

# data[].attributes.subject
How does the COVID-19 Vaccine get administered differently between different classes and economic status?

# data[].attributes.body
Pharmaceutical companies are still greedy, having the most money or more of the money which can get you further as you will be at the top of the waiting list. It is noted that only 15% of low-income countries have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while compared to “high- and upper-middle-income countries, 79 percent of the population has received at least one dose” (Holder, 2022). There is “vaccine hoarding by wealthy nations” (Holder, 2022) creating a divide between the wealthy and the poor countries. COVAX, created by the UN has been instrumental in getting vaccines to low-income countries but that has waned due to lack of funding. Africa is clearly the continent that is being left behind in the process of vaccinating the world, with barely 19% having received at least one shot, been fully vaccinated, or have gotten the booster.

Source: Holder 2022, “Tracking Coronavirus Vaccinations Around the World” New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/world/covid-vaccinations-tracker.html

# data[].attributes.body
Research question: How are people in British Columbia reacting to the lifting mask mandates?

Qualitative:

An advocacy group called “Safe Schools BC” is calling on BC schools to reinstate a mask-mandate post-spring break. They cite public schools as a necessity in which families can not choose to avoid things like a restaurant or a public space. Jennifer Heighton, a member of the group stated that lifting the mask mandate is an irresponsible move on behalf of the provincial government which puts many families at risk. Some at risk individuals include immunocompromised people, people recovering from cancer treatments and children not yet old enough to be vaccinated. She cites Nova Scotia as a province that has kept its mandate for the sake of keeping families safe. The BC Teachers Federation Teri Moorings states that the Teacher’s union is also concerned with the mandate being lifted stating that they are pressuring the province to do more to encourage families of young kids to get vaccinated citing in-school vaccine clinics and programs targeted at encouraging families to wear masks and get vaccinated.

Quantitative:

According to the British Columbia government news, as of Wednesday, March 23rd, there were 269 new cases reported in the province and one new death. The past week there were 1,416 total cases. Out of these cases, 14.3% were not vaccinated, 1.7% were partially vaccinated, and 84% of these cases are fully vaccinated. Over the past two weeks, out of the 369 hospitalisations, 22.8% are not vaccinated, 3.5% are partially vaccinated, and 73.7% are at least fully vaccinated.

According to Kelowna's castanet news, in early February there were 867 people hospitalised due to Covid-19, versus right now which is 258. The past weeks (March 15-21) recorded 1,416 new cases. To compare it to February 2-8, there were 8,486 positive cases throughout that week.

Explanation:

Through the qualitative data we can see fears around the mask mandate being lifted and how that will effect children in schools. Part of the fears revolve around immunocompromised people and if having their children at school, unmasked may pose a threat to them. The Quantitative data shows not much change in the weekly hospitalizations showing that lifting the mandate has not effected the danger faced by interacting with others so far.

Sources

https://www.castanet.net/news/BC/359715/COVID-hospitalizations-drop-by-3-B-C-no-longer-reporting-active-cases

https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022HLTH0096-000412

# data[].attributes.headline
How has Covid impacted the mental health of post-secondary students in Canada? (Inaara & Fatemeh)

# data[].attributes.subject
How has Covid impacted the mental health of post-secondary students in Canada? (Inaara & Fatemeh)

# data[].attributes.body
Qualitative data:

Post secondary students have been struggling with the Covid 19 pandemic in different ways such as experiencing stress and anxiety. This CTV news report describes various interviews conducted in Lethbridge College. A nurse, Chantelle Fitton, said “yes, COVID 19 has exacerbated [the number of mental health cases]”. Another interview mentioned that the pandemic has “heightened anxiety for a lot of people, and, you know, loneliness and isolation, things like that. So yeah, we’re seeing lots of students coming in for mental health stuff”. Interviewees stated that the college had a variety of resources that students could use to help with the difficulties and stresses they experience. For example, students stated that they use strategies such as exercising, gaming, and going out for walks to address their mental health challenges.

Source: CTV News Calgary. (2022, January 26). “‘It’s heightened anxiety’: post-secondary students in Lethbridge face unique mental health challenges.” https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/it-s-heightened-anxiety-post-secondary-students-in-lethbridge-face-unique-mental-health-challenges-1.5756043

Triangulation:

The qualitative data presented in the article by CTV news corroborates the quantitative data provided by the BC CDC’s report as they both describe how the mental health of post-secondary students worsened due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Both sources also state how social isolation was a significant factor which adversely affected the mental health of students. They also both acknowledge how students experienced a greater amount of stress during the pandemic due to various challenges such as financial difficulties and lack of support. The qualitative source builds on the quantitative data by providing individualized and more detailed insights which helps explain the larger population trends described by the BC CDC's report.

# data[].attributes.headline
How has Covid impacted the mental health of post-secondary students in Canada? (Inaara & Fatemeh)

# data[].attributes.subject
How has Covid impacted the mental health of post-secondary students in Canada? (Inaara & Fatemeh)

# data[].attributes.body
Quantitative data:
The BC CDC’s report explained how the measures put in place due to Covid-19 had an adverse impact on the mental health of young adults. The impacts of the pandemic also connected to the social determinants of health, which negatively influenced mental health and stress. These determinants included income (as young adults had a greater likelihood of losing their job), housing (due to lack of affordable housing), and education (as some were unable to continue school due to financial concerns). Many young adults experienced difficulties when accessing mental health services, and also struggled to develop relationships with their mental health providers whilst appointments were primarily held virtually. In addition, the report notes that data before the pandemic indicated concerning trends within this age group related to mental health. It stated that “broadly, prior to the pandemic, only about two thirds of young adults aged 18-34 years perceived their physical health (68%) and mental health (62%) as “good” or “excellent.”” Compared to other age groups during the pandemic, young adults experienced a greater amount of mental health concerns. The report cited a study conducted in France during Covid, which found associations between poor mental health and various factors such as identification as female or gender diverse, low quality income or housing, and social isolation.

Source: BC CDC. (2021). “Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Health and Well-Being of Young Adults in British Columbia - A Report by the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control COVID-19 Young Adult Task Force.”

# data[].attributes.body
The article by Mukherjee (2021) seeks to explain the different rates of Covid-19 deaths per capita around the world. Many high income countries such as the US, Italy, and Belgium were hit a lot worse than low income countries such as India, Nigeria or Zambia. Through conversations/interviews with health care specialists around the world, Mukherjee (2021) came up with a few explanations: different age structures and accommodation (e.g. India’s median age vs Italy’s median age, senior living in care homes vs three generation households), underreporting of cases, different measures taken by governments (strict mask policies from the start or the total lack thereof) and so on. This qualitative section builds on the quantitative one, as it brings to light some of the reasons that could explain the map of deaths per capita. Using both quantitative and qualitative data helped answer the research question: Why has the pandemic hit some countries much worse than others? In terms of triangulation, the qualitative observations complement the quantitative data. The qualitative data explains different reasons as to why the differences exist in the map, using interviews to show how different factors such as government rule, accommodations and age structures can impact the numbers we see.
(https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/03/01/why-does-the-pandemic-seem-to-be-hitting-some-countries-harder-than-others)

# data[].attributes.headline
Differences in Covid-19 related deaths per capita around the world (Andrea & Miriam) 

# data[].attributes.subject
Differences in Covid-19 related deaths per capita around the world (Andrea & Miriam) 

# data[].attributes.body
The map shows the Covid-19 related deaths per capita around the world. If we look at the map, we can see that many developing countries have lighter coloring, which corresponds to fewer deaths per capita. Many developed countries, on the other hand, have darker coloring, which means that they have more Covid-19 deaths per capita. For example, India and Nigeria have lower deaths per capita when comparing them to the United States or Belgium.

# data[].attributes.body
Indegeious communities have chosen to stick to the mask mandates and COVID safety protocols given their infrastructure problem. The province of Manitoba removed the last of its COVID restrictions, which included an indoor mask mandate and mandatory isolation periods for positive cases. "I think those restrictions are more geared to city centers like Winnipeg. First Nations communities and even urban Indigenous communities are examples where there is higher underlying structural risk," said Anderson.  Those risks are well known, she said, and include: more crowded housing, higher incidence of income insecurity, lower food security, systemic barriers to accessing health care and more likelihood of overcrowding in schools. The lived experiences of individuals such as Anderson provide us with the qualitative knowledge that numbers alone cannot communicate. Furthermore it highlights the current infrastructure crisis that puts indeginous communities at a greater risk than other communities. Thus a mixed methods approach was required to answer the research question - Why and how are the indeginous in Manitoba, Canada more likely to get COVID-19?

Sources

https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/first-nations-manitoba-1.6387573?fbclid=IwAR0g2m5ks24p_PA6T8rZb0n7rvRJnPSVhcon49iLTbtPA4jM4K-uRehd1wg

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/apocalypse-then-indigenous-covid-1.5997774?fbclid=IwAR1AD8MtmNhxvnQdRgFlVxaknq8kLDybfreVK6jjTuUj_aUBnF_tu6AGa8M

# data[].attributes.headline
Why and how are the indeginous in Manitoba, Canada more likely to get COVID-19?

# data[].attributes.subject
Why and how are the indeginous in Manitoba, Canada more likely to get COVID-19?

# data[].attributes.body
First Nations make up only around 10 percent of Manitoba's population but, as of February, accounted for almost 70 per cent of that province's COVID-19 cases. In the same month, the Guardian reported that Native Americans are dying of the disease at twice the rate of white Americans — the highest mortality of any racial group in the United States.

# data[].attributes.body
A Toronto Star article interviews Barbara Hamilton-Hinch, a Dalhousie University professor who studies health and racism, and Paul Bailey, the interim executive director of the Black Health Alliance, to illustrate why there is more mistrust of COVID vaccines among Black and Indigenous people. One of the biggest reasons that Indigenous and Black people have more mistrust of COVID vaccines is because of the long history of mistreatment by the healthcare system. Hamilton-Hinch states that the medical and scientific research has often left black people out and has been controlled by white men like the Tuskegee syphilis study where Black men with syphilis were studied without their consent. Similarly for Indigenous people, Hamilton-Hinch mentions that ‘Indian Hospitals’ poorly treated Indigenous patients, sometimes conducting experiments on them without their consent. Bailey recognizes that this mistreatment still continues today specifically during this pandemic. He notes that the COVID infection and death rate is significantly higher among racialized people, especially Black people, but the government has implemented no strategies to combat it. Hamilton-Hinch and Bailey’s expertise explain why race helps to influence Black and Indigenous vaccination decisions and the lower trust in government.

Triangulation: Kennedy (2020) corroborates the study by Statistics Canada (2017) in terms of willingness to take Covid vaccines being lower than average amongst black and some indigenous populations. It also elaborates on this finding by contextualizing unwillingness to take the vaccine based on systemic mistreatment to black and indigenous communities, resulting in distrust towards the health care system.

Sources:
Statistics Canada (2021, March 26). COVID-19 vaccine willingness among Canadian population groups. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2021001/article/00011-eng.htm

Kennedy, B. (2020, December 29). Bringing a COVID-19 Vaccine to Black and Indigenous Communities Distrustful of the Health System Has Unique. Thestar.com. www.thestar.com/news/gta/2020/12/28/bringing-a-covid-19-vaccine-to-black-and-indigenous-communities-distrustful-of-the-health-system-has-unique-challenges-here-are-some-places-to-start.html.

# data[].attributes.headline
How does racial identity change the level of trust in government about COVID regarding vaccine policies?

# data[].attributes.subject
How does racial identity change the level of trust in government about COVID regarding vaccine policies?

# data[].attributes.body
Using results from over 20,000 respondents in the Canadian Community Health Survey, this study found that over 75% of Canadians were very willing or willing to take the Covid vaccine. Differences in willingness is explained by level of trust in the government, such as their confidence in governments’ claims of the vaccine’s safety and possible side effects. Racial identity significantly influences willingness to take the vaccine for some groups, but not all. Compared to the Canadian average, Japanese and Koreans are significantly more willing to take the vaccine, but black, Latin American, Arab, and Métis groups were significantly less willing. This suggests that racial identity is not the only factor influencing trust in the Canadian government regarding vaccine policies.

# data[].attributes.headline
SA 255 Covid Tutorial Assignment: Kata Krajinovic & Ravneet Khun Khun 

# data[].attributes.subject
SA 255 Covid Tutorial Assignment: Kata Krajinovic & Ravneet Khun Khun 

# data[].attributes.body
Qualitative Data:

One factor that contributes to Canada’s population getting their COVID-19 vaccines is education. If the population is educated on why they should get the vaccine, they will be more likely to get it. In the data table I looked at, 72.7% of people got vaccinated that had over a bachelor's degree (Frank, and Arim). I also asked around my friends and families why they got their vaccines, and the majority of people said because now they will be safer if they do end up getting the vaccine. My friends and family also got their vaccines because other members of my family and friends got it, so they had the reassurance that nothing wrong will happen. The qualitative builds on the quantitative because the qualitative information will be found behind the numbers and why some categories have higher percentages while some have lower. For the first chart, ages 18-29 have the highest percentage of being vaccinated and I think this is because in those ages you are highly knowledgeable. I say that because I am 18 as well and I got all three COVID vaccines as well because I know the vaccine is safe and a lot of people in that age category don’t fall for myths.

Explanation:

Both our quantitative and qualitative research work together in order to answer: who in Canada is vaccinated against Covid-19. While a majority of Canadians are fully vaccinated, a majority of them are made up of those aged 18+ and on average are more highly educated. Those who have others who are vaccinated around them are also more likely to be vaccinated. Overall, our research shows why such a high number of Canadians are vaccinated as well as who those people are.

Sources:

Canada, Public. "COVID-19 Vaccination Coverage In Canada - Canada.Ca". Health-Infobase.Canada.Ca, 2022, https://health-infobase.canada.ca/covid-19/vaccination-coverage/#a2.

Frank, Kristyn, and Rubab Arim. "Canadians’ Willingness To Get A COVID-19 Vaccine: Group Differences And Reasons For Vaccine Hesitancy". Www150.Statcan.Gc.Ca, 2022, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/45-28-0001/2020001/article/00073-eng.htm.

# data[].attributes.headline
SA 255 Covid Tutorial Assignment: Kata Krajinovic & Ravneet Khun Khun 

# data[].attributes.subject
SA 255 Covid Tutorial Assignment: Kata Krajinovic & Ravneet Khun Khun 

# data[].attributes.body
Research Question: Who in Canada is fully vaccinated?
The data in chart 1, shows us that children are getting vaccinated at a much smaller rate than those over the age of 18. Whereas, across all age groups over 18, vaccination rates are pretty standard at about 85-95% of those group populations. Furthermore, men and women are getting vaccinated at similar rates but a steady decline can be seen in male vaccinations after the age of 60.

Chart 1: Fully Vaccinated Canadians by Age Group and Sex (Health-Infobase Canada, 2022)

The data in table 2 shows that 57.5% of people are very likely to get the vaccine when it is available. The percentages seem pretty low for the other categories but still a lot for the people who are leaning towards not getting vaccinated. In the qualitative part, we will be explaining why that is.

Chart 2: Canadians willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available (Frank, and Arim).

# data[].attributes.body
with An interview Gurleen Kaur, a 21 year old who caught COVID-19 while working two full-time jobs as a security guard, whose  employer didn’t provide sick days so she could get tested, helps illustrates why her area in Surrey became a hotspot.  As her symptoms worsened, she still couldn’t get days off. Areas where many people work blue collar jobs and live in larger households enjoy less privilege than areas where managerial and real estate workers concentrate, for example, along with two person households––which translates into less power to protect themselves  from the virus. Gurleen's lived experience surrounding the various constraints created by her employer  provides context to the quantitative findings which cannot on their own illuminate this experience, even if it highlights the importance of employment type as a significant variable to consider.  Mixed Methods were therefore necessary to answer the research question: which neighbourhoods got hit hardest by COVID, and why? This is good triangulation example of corroboration and elaboration.

Source: Cheung 2021, "Here’s Why Communities Become COVID Hotspots" Tyee

# data[].attributes.headline
Which neighbourhoods in Metro Vancouver were hit the hardest by COVID? Why? 

# data[].attributes.subject
Which neighbourhoods in Metro Vancouver were hit the hardest by COVID? Why? 

# data[].attributes.body
Pandemic hotspots corresponded with neighborhoods with higher percentages of workers in manufacturing, households with three (or more) breadwinners and five or more people, and areas with higher percentages of blue-collar jobs (defined as "jobs in sales and services, trades and transport, resources and production and manufacturing and utilities").