Front Burner

During the '90s, at the height of the Chicago Bulls' success, Michael Jordan was arguably the most famous athlete in the world. But in retirement, the basketball phenomenon has largely stayed out of the limelight. That's why there is such excitement over a new television series chronicling Jordan's rise as an athlete, and his last NBA championship run. Today on Front Burner, Washington Post NBA reporter Ben Golliver on Michael Jordan's legacy, and why we're still talking about him today.

When Lawrence Wright started writing a novel about a deadly influenza virus, he delved deep into researching the 1918 Spanish Flu, and more recent epidemics like SARS and MERS. Little did he know that by the time he’d release the book, we’d be living through a new and viscous influenza pandemic. Today on Front Burner, he shares his unique insight on COVID-19 given the knowledge he gained writing “The End of October”.

As Ontario lays out its plans to reopen, Quebec Premier François Legault pushes "herd immunity" as part of the strategy to reopen his province. But that strategy was tried elsewhere and led to rapidly climbing death rates. Tonight on Front Burner, we look into how this could play out in Quebec. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch returns to help us out.

Nova Scotia is still coming to terms with the mass shooting that unfolded just over a week ago, taking the lives of 22 people. The RCMP has released a more detailed timeline, including information provided by a surviving witness — a woman who had been in a relationship with the gunman — speculation about how the gunman escaped a police perimeter, and more. But questions remain about the crimes and the RCMP’s response.

Life began returning to German streets this week as the country took small steps to slowly re-open the economy. New Zealand is set to follow suit by bringing back businesses and school for young children next week. Here in Canada, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has announced plans to reopen his province in five stages starting in May, and many other political leaders are starting to talk about how and when strict COVID-19 restrictions might be phased out. Today we’re asking about what benchmarks need to be hit for Canada to re-open, with help from Jeremy Konyndyk, Senior Policy Fellow at the Centre for Global Development, and Dr. Michael Gardam, an infectious disease specialist and chief of staff at Humber River Hospital.

Since January, the staff at Markham Stouffville Hospital in Ontario have cared for hundreds of COVID-positive patients.Through a series of self-recordings and interviews, CBC's Wendy Mesley was able to access what life is like inside the hospital's intensive care unit. Today on Front Burner, she shares stories of the physical and emotional toll faced by front-line workers there, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Tuesday, Front Burner learned that Ontario's Orchard Villa long term care home has one of the highest COVID-19 death tolls in the country — 31 residents have been killed by the virus. We spoke to family members who say the sick weren't segregated, and that they were left in the dark about what was happening inside. Advocates say there are serious systemic problems in Canada's long term care facilities, and that this pandemic is exposing the deadly consequences of allowing those problems to fester for years.

COVID-19 lockdowns have taken a major swipe at the dominance of oil…as the worth of a barrel of U.S. oil tumbled to less than nothing. That's the first time in history that the price has turned negative. So, what does that mean exactly - and how did it happen? To explain it all, we talk to CBC News national business correspondent, Peter Armstrong.

There are still so many unanswered questions about what happened in Nova Scotia this past weekend. What we do know is that a lone gunman went on a 12-hour shooting rampage across the province. He set fire to five structures, impersonated a police officer and left at least 18 victims dead. Today, CBC News reporter Brett Ruskin joins us from Portapique, N.S., to report on one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canadian history.

Scientists are still trying to determine the origin of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, but a predominant theory is that it began in a "wet market" in Wuhan, China. This has put the spotlight on China's wet markets, with growing calls to shut them down entirely. But, what are these wet markets, what makes them so controversial — and why do some think a ban is the only answer? Today on Front Burner, we take a deep dive into China's world of wet markets with Peter Li, China policy specialist for the Humane Society International.

Bryson seems like a perfectly healthy baby. But soon doctors confirm his parents’ worst fears: something is wrong with Bryson’s brain. Despite dozens of tests over nearly a decade, doctors come up empty in their efforts to find a diagnosis.Then one day, everything changes. Scientists working at the cutting edge of genetics believe they know what's causing Bryson's disease — and think it could be reversed. Here’s the first episode of the new CBC podcast, Unlocking Bryson’s Brain. More episodes are available at hyperurl.co/unlocking

As scientists worldwide scramble for COVID-19 treatments and cures, some see promise in antibody-rich plasma of survivors. In Canada and beyond survivors are donating their blood for new, fast-tracked, clinical trials. Today, CBC senior correspondent Susan Ormiston joins us from Washington, D.C., to explain why antibody-rich plasma could be useful in the fight against COVID-19.

For months, the families of those who died on Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 have been searching for more answers about what led to the downing of the plane. It’s been an uphill battle, made even more so by the spread of COVID-19 in Iran, and around the world. Today, CBC senior reporter Ashley Burke joins host Jayme Poisson to talk about the human impact of the delays.

U.S. President Donald Trump has put the World Health Organization in the crosshairs, announcing Tuesday the U.S. would halt funding and accusing the agency of mismanaging the coronavirus crisis by being too deferential to China. Today on Front Burner, we take a closer look at the UN body, the organization’s track record and its limitations, with Guardian science writer Stephen Buranyi.

As desperate countries around the world compete to secure as much personal protective equipment as they can, Canada is establishing a new supply chain to bring in millions of N95 masks and other supplies. Today, on Front Burner, CBC senior reporter David Cochrane explains how Canada's diplomats and consultants in China are working to set up a new supply chain amid the pandemic.

As Canada’s fight against COVID-19 continues, questions are being raised about whether the federal government acted fast enough to prevent the spread of the virus. Now, documents show Canada two steps behind as the pandemic spread across the country. JP Tasker, a senior writer for CBC’s parliamentary bureau, joins us to talk about what he found in those documents — and what they reveal about the situation Canada finds itself in now.

Dr. Brian Goldman is seeing more coronavirus cases at the emergency department of the Toronto hospital in which he works. Today on Front Burner, Dr. Goldman describes a shift in the pandemic, from the intense intubations, to the discomfort of the required personal protective equipment, to the compassion of younger colleagues concerned for his health.

Concerns about deadly coronavirus outbreaks at long-term care homes are top of mind for a lot of Canadians. Today, we speak with a man who is going to incredible, and potentially life threatening, lengths to visit his mother at her nursing home in Toronto. With the facility on lockdown and a resident with COVID-19, there was only one way Brian Corcoran could visit and check-up on his mom, Margaret — get a part-time job on staff.

It’s a historic moment in Wuhan, China: After 76 days, the city where COVID-19 first emerged has ended its extreme lockdown, allowing people to enter and leave the city. We speak to a Wuhan resident who has just been able to leave her apartment complex for the first time since January, and to a journalist who tells us how government authorities are trying to prevent future spikes of COVID-19.

Ontario has fallen far behind when it comes to testing residents for COVID-19; Quebec and BC are testing about twice as many residents, per capita. Today on Front Burner CBC science reporter Kelly Crowe explains how Ontario found itself in this predicament and how the province is trying to catch up.

The influenza outbreak of 1918 was the deadliest pandemic in recent history, killing an estimated 50 million to 100 million people aroundthe world. And it bears some striking similarities to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, Laura Spinney, science journalist and author of Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World, talks about what we can learn from this century-old tragedy.

Legendary singer-songwriter John Prine has died at 73 due to complications caused by COVID-19. He was celebrated for the way he wrote about the human condition — from thoughtful reflections on heartbreak and loss, to funny quips about life’s absurdities. We remember him with Tom Power, host of CBC's q.

Self-isolation and physical distancing are straightforward public health orders for most Canadians, but it's a near-impossible challenge for people without adequate housing. That's clear in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, a dense neighbourhood with a large population of homeless people, who are now at risk of COVID-19. But the challenges don't stop there — the community has been battling another public health crisis for years: drug poisoning and overdoses. Today on Front Burner, Garth Mullins, host of the podcast Crackdown, tells us what that means for drug users.

Questions about the impact of coronavirus on pregnancy are running through the mind of many expectant parents. But there is scant research into how COVID-19 affects pregnancy: the disease is just so new. Today on Front Burner, we talk to the head of labour and delivery at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Dr. Wendy Whittle, about what we know so far about pregnancy and coronavirus, and what hospitals are doing to operate safely.

Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine - two drugs touted by U.S. President Donald Trump, who says they could be game changing treatments for COVID-19. But around the world health experts have tried to temper expectations for these medications. Today, on Front Burner, we talk to infectious disease specialist, Dr. Isaac Bogoch about these drugs and the testing being done to determine if they hold any promise at all.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has admitted that things are not looking good for the province, saying, “right now, today, there is very little separating what we will face here in Ontario from the devastation we’ve seen in Italy and Spain." He’s right to be concerned: the number of patients in Ontario’s ICU beds is doubling every four days. And according to public health officials, this is just the beginning. A surge is coming for Ontario. Today, we cover how prepared the province is and why it got this bad, with help from Mike Crawley, CBC’s Ontario provincial affairs reporter.

For weeks, inmates, correctional officers and penal reform advocates have been sounding the alarm that Canada's prisons are sorely underprepared for the arrival of COVID-19. Canada's chief public health officer, Dr Theresa Tam, has called correctional facilities a "high-risk setting" in which a mass infection could have grave consequences. Three inmates and 18 employees in federal institutions have tested positive for the coronavirus, as have an inmate and a guard at the Toronto South Detention Centre. On today's Front Burner, freelance reporter Justin Ling walks us through how the government can stave off a prison outbreak, protecting both inmates and society at large.

By most measures, COVID-19 has devastated the global economy. But how much worse could it get? And what can be done to help it recover? Today, CBC senior business correspondent Peter Armstrong drops by to explain what’s being done globally to keep the economy moving and what kind of outcomes could be in store for Canada, and the world.

The number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise around the world — and here at home. That has many wondering whether public health officials should revisit their policies on people wearing face masks. But as we learn, there are many questions with not so many definitive answers. Where is the science on wearing masks? Where should you wear a mask? How should you wear it? What about supply? Jayme Poisson tries to tackle some of these questions with Dr. Isaac Bogoch, on tonight’s Front Burner.

For many Canadians, rent is due on the first of the month. But nearly half of the households in this country have lost work due to the pandemic, and emergency government benefits are not yet in people’s pockets. Today on Front Burner, an anxious Vancouver tenant on her concerns about making rent, and Toronto lawyer Caryma Sa’d on what is being done to keep tenants housed as their incomes evaporate.

Early data is starting to give an indication of how Canada is doing in its fight against the spread of COVID-19. How deadly is the virus in Canada? How is the virus spreading across the country now? Who is most vulnerable to becoming seriously ill? And why are public health officials watching this week so closely? For answers, Jayme Poisson turns to CBC health writer Adam Miller on this episode of Front Burner.

Governments around the world are making extraordinary moves to get COVID-19 under control -- including the curtailing of individual freedoms. In most countries, people are willing to go along with these measures, as long as they’re temporary. But what about when leaders use the coronavirus to grab more power? Today, we’re joined by Anne Applebaum, a historian and staff writer at The Atlantic, who has concerns about the potential lasting consequences of some governments’ pandemic responses.

Thanks to COVID-19, most of us are isolated, glued to the news and worried about how every little choice we make could spread the virus or get us sick. And while the threat of COVID-19 is very real, does that mean that we have to live in constant fear? Today on Front Burner, we talk to public health expert Tim Caulfield, professor at the University of Alberta and author of the upcoming book, Relax, Dammit! A User's Guide to the Age of Anxiety.

The majority of B.C's 14 deaths related to COVID-19 have been from one place: the Lynn Valley Care Centre. As of Wednesday, 42 residents and 21 health care workers have tested positive for the illness and 11 people had died. Today on Front Burner, CBC Vancouver senior reporter Jason Proctor helps us understand how the outbreak there happened, and what impact it might have on other long-term care homes in the region.

Parliament has approved a $107-billion aid package to help Canadians struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the prime minister has said people will be able to access those benefits within 10 days of applying. But who qualifies? And how long will this aid last? Meanwhile, stricter measures are being applied on those returning to the country, but how will they be enforced? CBC parliamentary reporter J.P. Tasker joins Jayme Poisson to talk about that, on this episode of Front Burner.

On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he "would love to have the country opened up, and just raring to go, by Easter," which is two and a half weeks from now. But many public health experts say the result could be an increase in COVID-19 deaths. Today on Front Burner, CBC senior correspondent Susan Ormiston on the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. — Trump's hopes to see the economy reopened in mere weeks, and what it could mean for a country the World Health Organization warned could become the new epicentre of COVID-19.

Even as most businesses in Canada have shut their doors, grocery stores remain open. And workers in those stores – who are often in low-wage positions – are worried about their own safety as COVID-19 continues to spread. Today on Front Burner, CBC reporter Haydn Watters talks to guest host Michelle Shephard about how grocery store staff are coping with the crisis, and what their companies are aiming to do about it

The prime minister is firing off a warning today to Canadians who are not abiding by social distancing measures. He said “enough is enough” and asked people to “go home and stay home.” On tonight’s coronavirus episode, we will get you caught up on: The increasingly tough language coming from the federal government on social distancing. Questions about whether the Emergencies Act Measures act will go into effect. And how Canada is handling the return of tens of thousands of Canadians who have been stranded abroad.

In the global fight against the spread of COVID-19, Hong Kong has been recognized for its success keeping the number of cases low despite its proximity to China. Today on Front Burner, Shibani Mahtani, the Washington Post’s Hong Kong and Southeast Asia bureau chief, talks to guest host Michelle Shephard about how they did it, and what preparations are underway now for a second wave of imported COVID-19 cases.

Things are not great. But people still are. And some good is happening. For example: competitive marble racing has gone viral because of the void left by professional sports. Artists are live streaming free concerts for fans. And in one of the countries hit hardest by COVID-19, people are taking to their balconies to sing songs in solidarity. So today, a mental break from our serious coronavirus coverage to hear stories that might bring some relief.

COVID-19 has sent an economic shockwave through this country with countless livelihoods impact in the short term, and maybe permanently. To help, the federal government announced an $82-billion aid package. Today, one woman who has been laid off tells her story. And CBC senior business correspondent Peter Armstrong unpacks how the federal response is intended to help.

As deaths and confirmed cases rise the number of ‘Acute-care’ beds and ventilators in Canada is causing concern. On this episode of Front Burner we zero in on Canadian deaths and discuss whether hospitals are ready to cope with the rise in cases. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch talks to host Jayme Poisson about the latest ‘outbreak modelling,’ and how many new cases, hospitalizations and critically ill patients we are prepared for. **Case and death numbers change quickly with this story. Please take that into consideration.

Public health bodies like the World Health Organization tell us that widespread testing for COVID-19 is key to fighting the pandemic. But we’re also hearing that some provinces are planning to tighten criteria for who can get tested. Today on Front Burner, we speak to infectious disease specialist Dr. Sumon Chakrabarti about the testing strategy being used across Canada and how effective it is in flattening the curve.

With no clear end in sight, the urgent race for a vaccine is on across the world. This week, hopes for a vaccine grew as some biotech players are seemingly making progress. But, some experts caution that this process cannot be rushed - and that we are still far from seeing a vaccine on the market.

Government and public health officials are urging Canadians to practice social distancing. But what, exactly, does that mean? We speak to a man with cerebral palsy who says that for him, social distancing could make the difference between life and death. Then, a public health expert answers some of our questions about how to do social distancing right.

It’s been an overwhelming few days of developments around the COVID-19 pandemic. As cases tick upwards, and more drastic measures are taken to curb the outbreak - CBC’s former chief correspondent Peter Mansbridge helps us set it in historical context with other global crises.

Canada is barring entry to all travellers who are not citizens, permanent residents or Americans, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today. Will the prime minister’s new measures have a meaningful impact? Why are American citizens allowed to enter Canada, while some border states are grappling with widespread community transmission? Adam Miller from CBC’s health unit is back to discuss.

From U.S President Donald Trump suspending most travel from Europe, to major sports leagues suspending their seasons — efforts to slow down the COVID-19 pandemic are ramping up. Infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch talks to host Jayme Poisson about whether Canada is doing enough.

A trial has begun in Amsterdam for the murder of the 298 people killed in 2014 in the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash over Ukraine. But the four men charged are still at large, and although Russia has been implicated in the downing of the plane, the Putin government has denied any responsibility. CBC's Chris Brown joins Jayme Poisson to talk about the victims' families' search for justice – and why the stakes are so high for Russia.

What does it mean that WHO is now calling COVID-19 a pandemic? And what’s behind the idea of “flattening the curve”? Plus, Prime Minister Trudeau has announced measures to fight the outbreak, including $1 billion in spending. So is Canada doing enough? We’re joined by CBC senior health writer Adam Miller to explain all that and to break down the latest news.