Travis Nguyen/Photo Editor
Shorter days and longer nights from daylights savings have mental and physical effects
Don’t get me wrong, I love the colder seasons. Halloween, Christmas, doing winter festivities, the snow and much more. But I do not like when it’s pitch black outside by 5 p.m. and the day that felt as though it just started is already done.
It confuses me because, although I’ll still have classes, meetings or work after the sun sets, it becomes hard for my brain to wrap around the notion that I’ll be working for hours in complete darkness.
We may not truly even realize it, but we do rely on the sun for a lot. When it comes to the simplicities of aiding our health, the sun is a great mood booster and important for your physical health as a whole.
Light is the most powerful regulator of our internal clock, known as our circadian rhythm. In fact, some people may not even adjust to the time change after several months. We also rely on the sun everyday without even knowing.
We use it as a way to tell time in our day-to-day lives. It nurtures the food and plants that we need, it keeps our ecosystems growing and it keeps our earth moving. With these shorter and colder days, we see the sun less, which has large effects on us both physically and mentally.
The shorter and colder days can also cause depression to increase in prevalence. The darkness and coldness limits how often we go out and we can begin to feel isolated. As university students, it becomes difficult for many to have the motivation to do work when it feels as though it is night-time and one should be unwinding instead.
This is where seasonal affective disorder comes in, also known as seasonal depression or the winter blues. One way to recognize the symptoms of SAD is if you feel normal during spring and summer, then feel drained with your energy and mood as days get shorter during winter, almost like you want to hibernate.
As the semester is either ending or a new one is starting at this time of the year, our stress is at its peak and the effects of daylight savings can have immense effects on us physically as well.
The lack of sunlight can cause cluster headaches that can cause pain for days or weeks on end. If you’re not getting enough sleep during this transition, this can lead to increased levels of a hormone called ghrelin which regulates hunger and may cause an increase in appetite.
It is important that you keep your mental health in check and professionals recommend taking Vitamin D supplements during this time, seeking help if you need it, eating healthier and maintaining some kind of physical activity during the cold months.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, focusing on one’s self and still taking it easy will help immensely. It is a difficult shift for many, but attempting to balance everything in a healthy way can improve one’s physical and mental health during these cold months.
C/O Robert Bye, Unsplash
Check out these advocacy and social justice groups on and off campus to start finding your community
Community is a crucial piece of any university experience. It will be even more important this year as we return to campus, particularly for the many students for whom it is not only their first time in Hamilton but also their first time away from home entirely.
Finding and building community can be difficult enough after a move, nevermind during a pandemic. It can be difficult to know where to start. One place might be the issues in the world you’re passionate about. Groups or organizations dedicated to these issues are wonderful places where both community and social justice advocacy can thrive. Furthermore, having a strong sense of community, while also tackling these issues you care about can help you cultivate support systems not only as you navigate university but also in the face of larger issues.
Included below is a list of groups both on and off campus, sorted by the social justice issues they’re concerned with, who are doing some excellent work in the Hamilton community. It should be noted this is not an exhaustive list of all the wonderful groups and organizations in Hamilton; there are many more groups that can be found both on campus and off.
If you identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, are passionate about 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and peer support:
If you’re passionate about anti-racist and anti-oppressive work, check out:
If you’re passionate about climate and environmental justice, check out:
If you’re passionate about food security and nutrition, check out:
If you’re passionate about healthcare and public health, check out:
If you’re passionate about housing and supporting unhoused individuals, check out
Black and Indigenous speakers were invited to share their work maintaining health and building resilience within their communities
By: Natalie Chen, Contributor
C/O Georgia Krikos
A virtual panel discussion titled Celebrating Black & Indigenous Health was hosted by McMaster Indigenous Health Movement, Black Aspiring Physicians of McMaster and McMaster Students Union Diversity Services on March 15. The panel featured four speakers from Black and Indigenous communities, including Professor Juliet Daniel, Dr. Amy Montour, Andréa Williams and Chantal Phillips. The event also held a question-and-answer discussion for all participants.
Black Aspiring Physicians of McMaster is a youth organization that aims to increase diversity within the Canadian healthcare system by empowering Black students who are interested in medicine. MSU Diversity Services works to unite and promote student groups on campus by celebrating diverse races, ethnicities, cultures, faiths and Indigenous affairs.
McMaster Indigenous Health Movement is a student-run organization that focuses on educating and raising awareness about Indigenous health, with the hope of initiating reconciliation within healthcare.
Abarnaa Illango, a health science faculty liaison of McMaster IHM, explained why the Celebrating Black & Indigenous Health panel was created.
While one aspect of the event focused on discussing healthcare disparities affecting Black and Indigenous peoples, the planning organizations also worked together to foster important conversations surrounding unity, perseverance and moving forward.
“Recently, there’s been a focus on solidarity and resilience within both of these communities, so we thought it would be really important to have a conversation with both groups involved and combine our audiences,” said Illango.
“Recently, there’s been a focus on solidarity and resilience within both of these communities, so we thought it would be really important to have a conversation with both groups involved and combine our audiences."
Abarnaa Illango, health science faculty liaison of McMaster IHM
The panel featured Black and Indigenous speakers from various backgrounds and communities. One panellist was Professor Juliet Daniel, a prominent cancer researcher and the acting associate dean of research and external relations at McMaster University.
Known for her work in cancer biology, Daniel was inspired to pursue this field because of her own experiences.
“My next-door neighbour in Barbados died of breast cancer. I had known she had cancer, but she died in October of 1986. Then, about a month after she died, my mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Then, the same semester or a few months after, one of my professors Dr. Leda Raptis came to class excited about a type of gene called oncogenes,” said Daniel.
Oncogenes are a type of gene that when mutated can lead to the development of cancer. Their discovery allowed scientists to better understand the biology of cancer and create targeted treatments.
“Being very raw with the death of my neighbour and the diagnosis of my mother, I decided I should do cancer research,” Daniel explained.
“Being very raw with the death of my neighbour and the diagnosis of my mother, I decided I should do cancer research.”
Professor Juliet Daniel, McMaster University
Daniel’s research exploring triple-negative breast cancer, a disease that disproportionately affects young women of African ancestry and Hispanic women at a higher rate, was inspired by her desire to give back to communities within the Caribbean and her interest in addressing health disparities affecting marginalized populations.
The opportunity to learn about these experiences and listen to unique perspectives from all the speakers was a highlight of the event for many participants.
“There were so many great moments and each of the speakers talked about very different topics, but they all were very connected, which was great. A lot of [the speakers] shared their personal stories, which was very impactful,” explained Illango.
In addition to expressing her gratitude for hearing others’ stories of resilience, Daniel also shared her desire for more individuals to attend these events and for similar panels to be held in the future.
“I wish more people had been there to understand how Black, Indigenous and racialized people are impacted by these colonial systems in healthcare, in particular, and how people are so traumatized. But we still keep on working, we keep on doing what we do as best as we can, despite the trauma,” said Daniel.
Correction: April 13, 2021
An earlier version of this article misstated an explanation of oncogenes. This has now been corrected.
Shania Bhopa is bringing global health to local communities
C/O @wellbyshaniabhopa
Shania Bhopa discovered her passion for global health through experiential learning opportunities in her undergraduate studies at McMaster University. Through her experience, Bhopa serves as a reminder that student life is all about putting yourself out there to find out exactly what sparks your soul and fuels your fire.
“I was always interested in the social determinants of health and specifically, advocacy. I never really understood how to kind of bridge that gap between the two. I [began] doing some research on global issues that exist here locally and we don't have to go overseas to understand how to help people out of poverty . . . things that happen overseas are actually affecting us here in Canada,” said Bhopa.
Having completed her bachelor's degree at McMaster in communication studies with a minor in health studies, Bhopa is currently pursuing a master's degree in science in global health at McMaster. As a recipient of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council research scholarship, she is currently working away at her master’s thesis.
Bhopa has always enjoyed volunteering and knew from a young age that she wanted to start her own charity in some capacity. In May 2020, Bhopa and her sister launched the Canadian Courage Project.
Founded upon the belief that a child’s health shouldn’t be left up to chance, regardless of where they live or their level of education. The Canadian Courage Project aims to help homeless youth in Ontario and their animal companions.
“The reason that we're choosing this population is because they're often the population that doesn't get into the shelters. [For homeless children], their animal is [often] the only support network that they have. That is the only thing getting them through the day,” Bhopa explained.
“The reason that we're choosing this population is because they're often the population that doesn't get into the shelters. [For homeless children], their animal is [often] the only support network that they have. That is the only thing getting them through the day,” Bhopa explained.
Bhopa is also the founder and host of the Global Health Collective student podcast series, which she hopes will show others that anyone has the ability to make a difference. In her first season, the podcast was centred around the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Season two, which launched on Feb. 3, will be based on stories from changemakers during COVID.
“The reason behind the podcast is we hear the amazing research, we hear these projects that people are doing, we see them on the news, but we don't actually hear what drives this human being. At the end of the day, they're a person and they're just like you and I. They're motivated and inspired, but what is inspiring them?” said Bhopa.
Bhopa hopes that the podcast shows others that confidence is everything when it comes to pursuing your passions, as evidenced by the wide array of global health professionals and their life experiences.
With a group of McMaster students, Bhopa is also currently working on launching the Global Health Youth Alliance, which she compared to Distributive Education Clubs of America. Similar to DECA, it is a student competition, but instead of focusing on the field of business, it will enable students to gain exposure in the field of global health.
They hope to create a micro-credential for elementary and secondary students in order to bridge the gap in the elementary and high school curricula pertaining to global health.
“We want to educate everyone on the fact that disparities exist right around you. You don't need to go overseas to tackle them. We are stronger together and youth need to be in places where decisions are being made. Specifically, we cannot make change and solve the world's problems with the same local thinking that caused them,” said Bhopa.
"We are stronger together and youth need to be in places where decisions are being made. Specifically, we cannot make change and solve the world's problems with the same local thinking that caused them,” said Bhopa.
As a self-proclaimed “woman of habit,” Bhopa sets herself a schedule every day and encourages others to find time in their schedules not only for Zoom university sessions but also for themselves.
Each day, she sets time aside to listen to podcasts, do skincare, read and go on no-device walks. She then shares her wellness journey on her blog. In the near future, she plans on publishing both a children’s book and a wellness book for women.
For students looking to pursue opportunities in global health, Bhopa encourages them to claim their voice and choose opportunities that are right in their community, whether it be through approaching local officials or reaching out to changemakers and people you admire.
“You are in control of your circumstances, and if you believe [that], then nothing will ever get in your way. It's really just understanding exactly what your focus is, exactly what your passion is, why that's your passion and driving forward with that passion. If you have a focus, you are more likely to make an impact,” said Bhopa.
Bhopa encourages students to chase after their goals and realize that the world truly is your classroom. Through experiential learning, she emphasizes that we all have the ability to find our passions and make a difference in the world.
As provincial COVID cases rose rapidly, Ontario imposes a new stay-at-home order
By: Alexandra Podkoscielny, Contributor
Despite many people’s illusioned hopes, hanging up a new calendar did not leave the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Only 12 days into the new year, the province of Ontario proclaimed a second provincial emergency.
In a news conference at Queen’s Park on Jan. 12, Premier Doug Ford promulgated both the state of emergency and a stay-at-home order under section 7.0.1 (1) of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.
“The measures [introduced on Jan. 12] are absolutely necessary to save and protect the lives of Ontarians . . . The number of cases and the number of deaths due to COVID-19 are at the highest levels since the start of the pandemic a year ago,” said Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliot.
“The measures [introduced on Jan. 12] are absolutely necessary to save and protect the lives of Ontarians . . . The number of cases and the number of deaths due to COVID-19 are at the highest levels since the start of the pandemic a year ago,” said Deputy Premier and Minister of Health Christine Elliot.
The number of single-day COVID case increases in Ontario reached a record peak of 4249 on Jan. 8, 2021. “By doing the right thing and staying home, you can stay safe and save lives,” said Ford.
Now, since Jan. 14, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. until at least Feb. 9, 2021, residents of Ontario are required to stay at home. “Remain in their place of residence at all times,” according to the stay-at-home order.
Now, since Jan. 14, 2021 at 12:01 a.m. until at least Feb. 9, 2021, residents of Ontario are required to stay at home.
Residents must stay home with the exception of leaving for purposes that are deemed as essential. These exceptions most notably include groceries, medicine, healthcare services and exercise. Among the many other permitted exceptions outlined by the order, people are also able to leave for essential work. Non-compliance with the order can result in fines.
The order has received some criticism for being unclear.
The order has received some criticism for being unclear. With 29 exceptions, many Ontarians are left puzzled. However, according to Ford, the order is clear.
“There is no confusion here. It’s very simple. Stay. Home. Stay home. That’s it. If you’re questioning, “should I go out?”, you got the answer: stay home,” said Ford.
The guidelines of the stay-at-home order layer onto previous rules and restrictions; however, some have become more stringent. During the state of emergency, non-essential businesses can only operate between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. through contactless curbside pick-up and delivery.
“There is no confusion here. It’s very simple. Stay. Home. Stay home. That’s it. If you’re questioning, “should I go out?”, you got the answer: stay home,” said Ford.
Indoor gatherings between members of different households are now banned, with some exceptions, such as religious rites. Outdoor gatherings cannot exceed a maximum of five people and must comply by social distancing guidelines. Outdoor use of masks is now being advised during instances where social distancing is difficult as well.
Remote learning in elementary and secondary schools is extended until Feb. 10 in schools that were in grey zones prior to the state of emergency, including Hamilton. Post-secondary institutions must continue to carry out their courses online, aside from mandatory in-person components, such as clinical training.
“[Ontario] should have somewhere around or below 1,000 new cases a day,” said Williams.
In a news conference on Jan. 18, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams explained some general requirements for the lockdown to end. “[Ontario] should have somewhere around or below 1,000 new cases a day,” said Williams.
Since the new measures were imposed, the province has had an average of approximately two-and-a-half times this proposed daily target per day and last had around 1,000 new cases per day in early November.
The development of the Okanagan mental health and wellbeing task force
As the McMaster community dives into the second semester of an unprecedented academic year, the newly created Okanagan mental health and wellbeing task force has also been gearing up for its launch.
The Okanagan mental health and wellbeing task force was created from the recommendations of McMaster’s virtual learning task force. The virtual learning task force, co-chaired by Dean of Engineering Ishwar Puri and Dean of Social Sciences Jeremiah Hurley, consisted of over 30 faculty, staff and students that collected feedback from the McMaster community about the virtual learning experience. Feedback included over 3,000 responses from students and instructors to the MacPherson Institute’s Fall 2020 Experience Survey.
The task force’s final report, released in November 2020, provided 21 recommendations to improve the virtual learning experience. Recommendations included immediate actions for the winter 2021 term, especially highlighting the need for stronger supports for mental health and well-being. Although the survey respondents rated their overall learning experience to be fairly positive, many instructors and students shared feelings of being overwhelmed.
“These unprecedented times have pushed the task force to rethink what McMaster’s commitment to academic excellence means by developing recommendations intended to alleviate students, faculty and staff feeling overwhelmed and provide opportunities to start the winter semester refreshed and prepared together.”
“These unprecedented times have pushed the task force to rethink what McMaster’s commitment to academic excellence means by developing recommendations intended to alleviate students, faculty and staff feeling overwhelmed and provide opportunities to start the winter semester refreshed and prepared together,” the report stated.
The current status of students’ mental health was explained by Connor Blakeborough, health promoter at the Student Wellness Centre. Connor’s role as health promoter at the SWC involves assisting with programming such as mental health services, along with coordinating initiatives like Wellness Book Worms.
Additionally, he is a member of the education and health promotion subcommittee on The Okanagan mental health and wellbeing task force. The task force is a subsection of the McMaster Okanagan Committee, which is further split into several other subcommittees.
"There is also just a general fear of missing out on the university experience as it's usually experienced, especially for people coming into their first year and not getting in their first year experience on residence, or being on campus or being involved in the community in a way that's more regular.”
“Just in the communication that we have with students, a lot of students have been feeling lonely, isolated, overwhelmingly bored. There is also just a general fear of missing out on the university experience as it's usually experienced, especially for people coming into their first year and not getting in their first year experience on residence, or being on campus or being involved in the community in a way that's more regular,” said Blakeborough.
The Okanagan mental health and wellbeing task force will address the recommendations of the virtual learning report and explore ways to support the McMaster community through remote learning. This task force is a subsection of the McMaster Okanagan Committee, which was developed after McMaster signed the Okanagan Charter in 2017.
The charter was an outcome from the 2015 International Conference on Health Promoting Universities and Colleges and developed by interdisciplinary stakeholders from 45 countries. The charter had two calls of action to educational institutions: to embed health into all aspects of campus culture, across the administration, operations and academic mandates; and to lead health promotion action and collaboration locally and globally.
The mental health and wellbeing task force comprises 10 representatives of students, faculty and staff and is led by Dr. Catharine Munn, associate clinical professor in psychiatry and behavioural neurosciences.
"The new [Okanagan Mental Health and Wellbeing] task force will help us to understand the needs that have arisen in these new and uniquely challenging circumstances and to identify key solutions, so that we can emerge as a healthier and stronger community.”
Paul O’Byrne, dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and chair of the McMaster Okanagan Committee, was quoted in a McMaster Daily News article: “McMaster signed the Okanagan Charter in 2017 to help demonstrate our commitment to integrating health and wellbeing into all aspects of life at the university. The new [Okanagan Mental Health and Wellbeing] task force will help us to understand the needs that have arisen in these new and uniquely challenging circumstances and to identify key solutions, so that we can emerge as a healthier and stronger community.”
Blakeborough echoed the sentiments of O’Bryne.
“I think it will be a great opportunity to explore mental health and wellbeing as it relates to both individual and systemic issues, especially those that have become a lot more apparent and prevalent during the pandemic. The task force and the committee will be able to look at the relationships between faculty, students and staff which deal with students on a daily basis and how we can use that relationship and better that relationship to benefit students and their mental health,” said Blakeborough.
“I think it will be a great opportunity to explore mental health and wellbeing as it relates to both individual and systemic issues, especially those that have become a lot more apparent and prevalent during the pandemic."
Other suggestions outlined from the virtual learning task force revolved around teaching recommendations, such as reducing workload for students, creating easier navigation of course platforms, providing additional flexibility for assignments and increasing opportunities for classroom connection.
When asked what efforts he would like McMaster to make, Blakeborough recommended incorporating discussions of mental health within current courses and programming, specifically on the social determinants of health, including financial insecurity, housing and food insecurity.
“I think there's definitely a lot of things that could be addressed. But ultimately, it'd be great to see programming or electives which kind of teach self reflection and goal setting,” said Blakeborough.
“I think there's definitely a lot of things that could be addressed. But ultimately, it'd be great to see programming or electives which kind of teach self reflection and goal setting,” said Blakeborough.
“[The task force has] listened to the feedback and factored in the results from various surveys when crafting these recommendations,” said Dean of Engineering Ishwar Puri.
“We hope that these ideas resonate with students and instructors so that we can work together to address the ongoing challenges and meet the opportunities that lay ahead for us as a campus community in 2021,” elaborated Puri.
“We hope that these ideas resonate with students and instructors so that we can work together to address the ongoing challenges and meet the opportunities that lay ahead for us as a campus community in 2021,” added Puri.
Resources for mental health and wellness:
➞ Student Wellness Center
➞ Good2Talk
➞ Student Assistance Plan
Ontario researchers increase COVID-19 wastewater sampling
As Ontario heads into a second state of emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic, provincial researchers are expanding the capacity of the province to track and prevent transmission.
The COVID-19 Wastewater Consortium of Ontario is a provincial initiative that is aimed to develop a wastewater testing infrastructure across Ontario and conduct various tests. The initiative aims to sample wastewater in different municipalities to trace the spread of the virus. This involves collecting and analyzing fecal data, which is more likely to show COVID-19 in asymptomatic individuals than clinical testing.
Compared to clinical testing, wastewater testing is quicker and more cost-efficient. For example, taking a sample out of a sewage treatment plant from one entire neighbourhood is found to be comparable to the cost of testing one person with a nasal swab.
Furthermore, this testing allows researchers to pinpoint specific neighbourhoods and communities that are being affected through the location of the sewage treatment plant from which samples were taken. This information is extremely crucial in understanding which areas of the city may experience a potential outbreak, allowing officials to employ immediate safety measures within that neighbourhood to prevent further transmission.
Led by McMaster University’s Gail Krantzberg and Zobia Jawed, both professors at the W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology, this project is run by a collective of professionals from a variety of sectors, including sustainability, technology and policy.
“While testing the population for the presence of the virus is critically important, some carriers of the illness are asymptomatic and don’t get tested. Others get false negatives. Since those infected shed the virus in their feces, testing wastewater captures the reality of COVID-19 in the community,” Krantzberg explained in a McMaster interview.
Testing in Hamilton began in fall 2020 and researchers are now increasing sewage sampling to three times per week. The samples are sent to dozens of other cities and universities to be frozen for future testing, as CWCO will continue to collaborate with its partners to establish testing protocols and methodologies.
The tests will be carried out at approximately 13 locations across the McMaster campus, including academic buildings, residences and the McMaster Children’s Hospital. The city of Hamilton has also started collecting sewage samples, as confirmed by city water director Andrew Grice, although public health officials wait to see whether they truly reflect the city’s local cases.
Other universities such as the University of Guelph, the Ontario Tech University and the University of Ottawa have been testing sewage samples for COVID-19 on a weekly basis.
“Wastewater-based epidemiology has been used in recent years to monitor the presence of drugs or disease agents in communities. Across the globe, in countries like the Netherlands, Australia and Italy, researchers are finding signs of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in community wastewater samples. These results can augment clinical testing of individuals by public health authorities and potentially serve as an early warning for a second wave of illness,” describes the Canadian Water Network coalition based in Ottawa.
Although there is the challenge of the wastewater being diluted with rain and other chemicals in the environment, the sampling could be a potential method to tackle the many outbreaks in highly vulnerable populations, such as long-term facilities.
By understanding which facilities may potentially experience an outbreak, officials can tailor their efforts to those specific communities with stronger safety measures and isolation procedures that prevent further transmission.
“A broad wastewater testing system allows us to constantly monitor, test and accurately report on the spread of disease within communities, which would include nursing homes, schools and universities, to address the crucial need not only for the current pandemic but for future outbreaks,” said Krantzberg in a McMaster article.
If proven to be effective, Ontario’s wastewater sampling could act as an early detection signal of COVID-19, especially in vulnerable communities. Early detection would aid public health experts in implementing quicker safety measures such as isolation, while also informing future reopening plans.
With swift procedures in place, communities will be able to prepare better for a possible outbreak and prevent even further transmission.
Students volunteering on the frontlines speak on their experiences during these difficult days
This article is a part of the Sil Time Capsule, a series that reflects on 2020 with the aim to draw attention to the ways in which it has affected our community as well as the wider world.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been at the forefront for much of this year, even before it was officially declared as such in early March. It has affected every one of us in some way and has rightly dominated our news headlines. The pervasive nature of the pandemic has also drawn our attention to the indispensable but often unrecognized work of those who have been on the frontlines of this crisis.
Hospital staff are, of course, among this group, having been involved with the pandemic since the beginning. However, the crisis has drawn attention to essential work done by not just the nurses and physicians, but also the administrators, janitors, paramedics, screeners, security workers, social workers and x-ray technicians among many others.
The pandemic has also drawn attention to the essential services and workers beyond the hospital, including construction workers, firefighters, gas station and grocery store clerks, long-term care home workers, social services workers, teachers, transit operators, truck drivers and utility services workers. This list does not even begin to scratch the surface of how many frontline workers still go to their job each and every day in order to make our lives easier.
Prior to the pandemic, arguably many people took these services for granted and those working in these industries received little recognition for their work. Now, these individuals are at the forefront of the crisis, keeping our communities going during these difficult days. It has never been more apparent just how essential they are.
Before the pandemic, many students already occupied jobs that are now considered essential. In 2007, 61% of working full-time students were employed in the retail and foodservice industries. Heading into the pandemic, individuals aged 15 to 24 were more likely than other age groups to hold jobs in industries hit hard by the pandemic, such as accommodation and foodservice.
Fourth-year student Alyssa Taylor has been working at her café job for 2 years. When the pandemic hit, she continued to work.
“Working during the pandemic has been a strange time. Every shift I came into, especially near the beginning, there were new rules and protocols that were never really explained thoroughly. Everyone really got thrown into it and we had to figure things out for ourselves, much like the rest of the world during this time and it was difficult. Although there were many challenges, it was good for me personally because I began to get more hours, responsibility and seniority at work,” said Taylor.
"Every shift I came into, especially near the beginning, there were new rules and protocols that were never really explained thoroughly. Everyone really got thrown into it and we had to figure things out for ourselves, much like the rest of the world during this time and it was difficult," said fourth-year student Alyssa Taylor.
Many other students were prompted to help out in any way they could. Senior nursing students have continued to do clinical placements and many have also worked with community organizations in Hamilton on an initiative to provide homeless individuals and those at risk of homelessness with necessary personal protective equipment, such as masks.
Students have been involved in a number of other capacities as well. Some students have decided to make masks and other PPE for healthcare workers. Others volunteered in food services and healthcare settings. Shalom Joseph and Emma Timewell were among these students volunteering on the frontlines.
“We were like: “we need to do something, we need a job, we need to keep ourselves occupied” and then we noticed a lot of other students are doing the same thing. They were doing their thesis or they were just taking a semester off and they were working at the hospital. [There were also] a lot of [University of Toronto and Ryerson University] students, like nursing students even just generally working [at hospitals], giving their time back. And it was really nice to see that,” said Joseph.
Joseph volunteered as a COVID screener at a Toronto hospital emergency room. He was one of the first points of contact for patients arriving at the hospital and would ask them what has now become standard questions regarding symptoms and travel history.
Joseph volunteered as a COVID screener at a Toronto hospital emergency room. He was one of the first points of contact for patients arriving at the hospital and would ask them what has now become standard questions regarding symptoms and travel history.
Joseph felt that it was important to give back to his community which had supported him during his own difficult days. However, watching the pandemic unfold in this way has been extremely difficult and emotionally draining work.
“It's a role that's mentally daunting . . . it's really hard to stop thinking about the occurrences of an ER and the events of an ER when you don’t want to. You process these events and memories later on when you're ready to process them and that's not something that everybody understands. Not everybody understands that when you work a job in the hospital, or even anywhere that could have that sort of effect on you, that you need some time afterwards to relax and to form a community while doing that — it's very difficult because you have to focus on one thing at a time,” explained Joseph.
"Not everybody understands that when you work a job in the hospital, or even anywhere that could have that sort of effect on you, that you need some time afterwards to relax and to form a community while doing that — it's very difficult because you have to focus on one thing at a time,” explained Joseph.
Additionally, Joseph mentioned that while he is grateful that he is able to do this for his community, he has found that it has made it more difficult for him to connect with other parts of his community, such as friends from McMaster. In part, because he has spent so much time on the frontlines, Joseph is well acquainted with the risks of coronavirus and has been very strict with regard to following social distancing guidelines and other pandemic protocols. However, this is something that many of his friends did not understand or agree with.
“So me and my friend groups [have not been] as close as we were. Some people in my life did take offence to that. They did say, “oh, you're being too worried about it" or, "you're taking it too far, we haven't seen each other in six months”,” said Joseph.
Timewell was on exchange in the United Kingdom when the pandemic was declared and chose to remain there rather than return to Canada. Over the summer months, she volunteered with a local food delivery program, packaging groceries and delivering them to members of the community who were self-isolating.
Timewell was on exchange in the United Kingdom when the pandemic was declared and chose to remain there rather than return to Canada. Over the summer months, she volunteered with a local food delivery program, packaging groceries and delivering them to members of the community who were self-isolating.
Though it was often difficult and demanding work, both mentally and physically, Timewell felt that her volunteer work had not only given her something to do during the lockdown but also, as someone new to the community, it gave her the opportunity to connect with people.
“Especially during the heart of the first lockdown, it really helped me feel a part of a community that I didn't even live in before the pandemic started. Because we're doing all these deliveries and stuff, I got to know the actual physical location really well. I've been to every square inch of this borough that I never lived in before and then also, I got to know a lot of people that I would never have met and not just young people [either]. There were a lot of people who had lost their jobs and so they were volunteering because they couldn't find a job at the time, or [people] who were retired who would come and talk. Or even on our deliveries, we got to have short conversations [with people in the community],” said Timewell.
Connections and community are so important during trying times and in many ways, frontline workers have been a rallying point for communities. People have come together to support these essential services workers, offering their help in a variety of ways from childcare to therapy.
Additionally, as Timewell mentioned, volunteering or working in these services can facilitate the formation of new connections, especially for students who are not able to connect with their usual community in the same way.
“I think it's been really difficult not being able to be on campus. I think it takes away a lot of the community . . . I think [volunteering] can be a great opportunity for a lot of people to have a little bit of social interaction at a time that isn't really built for that,” added Timewell.
“I think it's been really difficult not being able to be on campus. I think it takes away a lot of the community . . . I think [volunteering] can be a great opportunity for a lot of people to have a little bit of social interaction at a time that isn't really built for that,” added Timewell.
As we move forward into the winter months, our frontline workers are going to be increasingly more important and it is imperative that we continue to support them and each other now, but also after this crisis has passed.
Nursing students are struggling to meet the challenges of COVID-19 and aren’t receiving much support
By: Maxine Juneau, Contributor
There is no question that the shift to online classes and the COVID-19 pandemic have hit students hard this semester. Many are struggling to adjust to the new format and keep up with the course expectations despite the inability to access in-person student support and resources. Nursing and midwifery students are in an especially unique position this year as many continue to have in-person clinical placements.
At the start of the pandemic, there were questions on whether or not nursing students would proceed with in-person placements. With practical skills and patient interaction being such a vital part of the program, many students questioned if we would even be able to meet program requirements without clinical experience. More questions arose as other nursing schools across the province announced that they would be transitioning to virtual placements.
However, the Faculty of Nursing at McMaster University moved forward with level three and four placements starting on schedule in the fall term and level two placements starting in the winter term. While many students are grateful to have the opportunity to work on the frontlines, others are struggling to meet the challenges and stresses that COVID-19 presents.
In a recent Spotted at Mac post, an anonymous nursing student asked if anyone else was feeling uncomfortable about in-person clinical placements with COVID-19 cases spiking. They expressed how they were worried because a classmate had recently caught COVID at their placement.
While these fears are perfectly valid, fellow nursing students and recent graduates were quick to remind them that they had “signed up for it.” Many replied with comments such as, “well, as long as you wear your personal protective equipment, you will be okay.”
These kinds of comments that say this is “part of the job” are dismissive of the ways that COVID has negatively impacted nursing students. They don’t even begin to recognize that some students may not have a choice in whether or not they can take a semester off. While as students we decided to go into the semester knowing that COVID would be a factor, nobody could have predicted the different ways that it has impacted us.
This pandemic has affected the mental health of many students, including nursing students. Students are worried about catching COVID at clinical and passing it along to their family and friends. They are also worried about accidentally bringing it into the clinical setting or passing it between patients and why shouldn’t they be? They are seeing friends and family catch it, they are seeing patients suffer from it and they are seeing outbreaks on their own units.
Students are worried about catching COVID at clinical and passing it along to their family and friends. They are also worried about accidentally bringing it into the clinical setting or passing it between patients and why shouldn’t they be? They are seeing friends and family catch it, they are seeing patients suffer from it and they are seeing outbreaks on their own units.
Clinical anxiety is something that many students experience even during a normal year. Lying awake in bed the night before not being able to get a wink of sleep, feeling like you’re going to throw up from nerves when you step on the floor. Even having to take a deep breath to slow your heart before going into a patient’s room are all normal parts of being a nursing student. Now, the fears and anxieties of COVID have been added on top and students are struggling to cope.
Even many registered nurses these days are struggling to cope with the stresses of COVID-19. The International Council of Nurses recently reported that nurses with COVID patients suffer from burnout and psychological distress. Many health care workers, including health science students, have had to face the pandemic while also self-isolating from friends and families. Even with all the public support for health care workers, there is no denying the mental health pressures this pandemic has brought.
Yes, masks help. Yes, we made the decision to go into this semester. Yes, it is part of the nurse’s role. Still, we are nursing students first and foremost. Many of us are still learning to cope with the pressures of the clinical setting. Many of us are still just trying to keep up with classes. Now, we are being asked to put on a brave front and face the pandemic head-on? Nursing students are struggling to meet the challenges of COVID-19 and more needs to be done to support them.
To any nursing students that are reading this, I want to let you know that you are not alone. Any fears and anxieties you may be having are completely valid and there are many of us who stand beside you. If you ever need someone to talk to there are resources out there for you. We are all in this together and never feel afraid to reach out!
Mental health resources:
→ Good2Talk — https://good2talk.ca/
→ McMaster University Student Wellness Centre — https://wellness.mcmaster.ca/
→ Wellness Together Canada — https://ca.portal.gs/
→ Barrett Centre for Crisis Support — https://www.goodshepherdcentres.ca/services/barrett-centre-for-crisis-support/
By: Esther Liu, Contributor
The Silhouette: Could you give an overview of the website clothmasks.ca?
Dr. Catherine Clase: We were very concerned about dialysis patients early in the pandemic and we were concerned about the spread of COVID-19 in the dialysis unit, particularly for patients who have to come in for in-centre hemodialysis. There wasn't enough protective equipment to allow for universal masking at that point back in March so I started reading about cloth masks and their filtration properties.
Then, we recognized quite quickly that there was a lot of evidence about this and that many examples of cloth that we found in [the] literature were actually showing fairly reasonable filtration properties. At the same time, modelling studies that were coming out were showing us that even an imperfect mask was likely to have a big effect on the pandemic. So, a group of us who are epidemiologists who normally write about kidney disease, we got together and wrote a piece around immediate community implementation of masking, recognizing the uncertainty of the evidence.
As we were writing that, the CDC was updating its guidance and then Health Canada, a few days after that. So by the time we advocated for that, the many people working in public health and many epidemiologists around the world had already come to that conclusion. We'd amassed quite a lot of information on the filtration properties of cloth and we thought it was worth publishing that. So, we published that as a review article.
Then, we knew that everybody was trying to make cloth masks or scouring the internet, trying to find the original papers trying to interpret them. We had recognized, by doing that ourselves, how difficult it was. So, we thought that it would be really great to have a plain language version for everybody else, for everybody who doesn't want to read the version that has all the technical details in it. And so, we created the website clothmasks.ca and then some volunteers translated that into other languages for us. We have had 50,000 visitors over the time that [this] has been in place.
Could you also elaborate on your role in the initiative?
My role was really to be sort of a facilitator and team lead because there was a tremendous amount of work always being done by other people . . . we had a team of people taking information out of the primary papers and creating very large tables with all this information. We did it all in duplicate and it was all checked. The people who did that were junior researchers and a PhD student, Edouard Fu. He led the data extraction team, so he did tremendously work on this initiative.
How are you finding running the initiative?
It's challenging, though we're very fortunate because McMaster recognized very early in the pandemic that there was a problem with PPE. Here in the city, here in Canada and around the world, McMaster engineering very creatively decided to use internal investments to create this new Center of Excellence in Protective Equipment Materials . . . Now, I find myself part of something so much bigger. My part is the epidemiology and my piece around cloth masks and around trying to advocate for better cloth masks to be designed. The engineers have really engaged with us. One of the engineering graduate students, Scott Laengert, he has changed his PhD to work in this area. Charles de Lannoy, his supervisor is very actively engaged [in] cloth masks. Other than that, there are many other engineers that are also working on other aspects of PPE. All the knowledge and expertise, it's all going to help build a critical mass, which is going to make PPE at every level better.
Speaking more about interdisciplinary approach, you earlier talked about how it's difficult for you to go about this since your focus is primarily on kidneys. Could you elaborate a little bit more on that?
My background is in clinical research and my clinical area is usually kidney disease. Within kidney disease, we have expertise in a whole variety of different research methods and ways of looking at things — one of the areas of expertise that I've used over the years is the expertise that allows us to summarize things in informal ways. So really, it's that part of my background that I'm drawing on.
My motivation comes from wanting to protect people with chronic diseases and the whole society more generally. Every day, I interact with my patients who are living with chronic diseases who, if they were to get COVID-19, would likely be severely affected and would likely be in the group that experiences higher mortality. On the one hand, I have these tools that come from my experience as a systematic reviewer and then on the other hand I have this motivation that tells me what to do. So, I find that, though this is challenging and it's a really new area for me, I feel really well supported by the engineers who are my new colleagues. I feel that interdisciplinary teamwork is always important and especially important in the pandemic.
What future steps are you envisioning for the initiative?
At the moment, our goal is a better cloth mask. One of the recent changes in Health Canada was to suggest that we should use this substance, polypropylene. So we wrote an article about that in the conversation about what spunbond reusable industry-grade polypropylene is.
What we're really hoping in the very long term, perhaps not for this pandemic but eventually, is that we can move away from materials such as polypropylene which is plastic – not very biodegradable – to materials that are truly sustainable. If I had a dream, that would be my doing: eventually, these pandemic community masks that we wear will be made from something that's sustainably sourced and is compostable so [disposal] doesn't have a huge environmental impact.
If I was going to dream even bigger, I would say: "What if we could have this personal protective equipment in hospitals that meet those same criteria? What if we could have reusable masks that go to the sterilizing department, get washed, get autoclaved, we can wear them again, and they are as good as the masks we're wearing now?" That is a very long way away from where we are now, perhaps an impossible dream, but if we're thinking really big, then that would be my goal.
Any additional comments?
I just want to really give a big shout out to my colleagues at the Center of Excellence in Protective Equipment and Materials. Before I met them, at the beginning of the pandemic, they realized that there was a problem [with] personal protective equipment: that we didn't have enough. We had no Canadian manufacturer, we had no Canadian testing, we had no ability to ramp up our internal supply. And, as you know, borders were closing and planes were getting stopped, and you remember how difficult that was. My colleagues in engineering recognized that and they stepped up and they started doing things . . . Altruistically, that thinking of "I'm going to stop doing what I normally do and I'm going to do that" and so many of them choosing that – that to me was really extraordinary. The way that they have worked as an interdisciplinary team, including those of us from medicine and epidemiology, that too has been an amazing experience. I really just want to recognize all those people who had that idea and then made it happen.
The one last thing that I want to say is that I think we all feel like there is no light on the horizon, that things may not be [getting] better. I think what we all have to do is just keep doing the things that we've been doing, keep reinforcing the importance of doing the simple things that we've been doing to protect ourselves and protect others for the last few months. Head into the darkest months of this winter with patience and strength and hope for the future. I think things will get better, but we have to get through the next few months first.
