This Matters

We've barely had a chance to process the COVID-19 pandemic that has up-ended every element of our live. So what happens to our minds when we're faced with a pandemic? Why do we panic buy and hoard items? How does fear of a virus turn into xenophobia and distrust of other people? Adrian Cheung talks to Dr. Steven Taylor, clinical psychologist from UBC and author of the book, "The Psychology of Pandemics," in which he presciently says that a pandemic is imminent.

Many millennials and gen Xers are stuck in the middle, having to deal with young children and older parents who often have health issues. With older people more likely to be at higher risk to COVID-19, many people — particularly women — are feeling like they have to parent their parents, while keeping an eye on kids. To talk about these issues, we reached Dr. Nathan Stall, a physician who specializes in internal medicine and geriatrics at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto.

The term "flattening the curve" is everywhere, in personal discussion and the media coverage of COVID-19. But how far away is everyone from actually flattening it, here in Canada and around the world? What lessons can we learn for when the worst of COVID-19 hits us and our healthcare system? Today, Adrian Cheung talks to two infectious disease doctors, Dr. Albert Ko from Yale's School of Public Health and Dr. Susy Hota from the University Health Network – on how being proactive vs. reactive changes the impact of the virus, and what it will really take to flatten the curve for good.

In the first episode of This Matters, a daily news podcast from the Toronto Star, the team works from home in self isolation like millions across the world. COVID-19 has resulted in the need for social distancing, self isolation and quarantine in what is already considered a lonely time. As the world gets used to its new normal, this social disconnection might become even more baked into people's lives, straining already frayed communal ties. Or could it draw people closer together? Today, Saba Eitizaz talks with Dr. Ami Rokach, a clinical psychologist who has studied loneliness for forty years. She is also joined by the Star's culture reporter, Karon Liu, who talks about navigating life, parties and partners while in self isolation.

Coming soon from the Toronto Star, This Matters is a daily news podcast that will help make sense of an increasingly frantic news cycle, one big issue at a time, Monday to Friday. Hosts Adrian Cheung, Saba Eitizaz and Raju Mudhar will cover issues that impact and affect Canadians.