C100 FM

March 28 - Welcome to this SPECIAL edition of the COVID-19 Podcast for Bell Media and iHeart Radio.

In this hour we will get into the big questions and issues that we confronted this week in the fight against COVID-19.

While the number of cases continues to rise around the world and across Canada, the health crisis is quickly becoming a financial crisis and this week was all about the money.

So we begin by talking about the bounces we saw on the markets in Canada and the US. Jon Erlichman is the host of The Open on BNN BLOOMBERG and he spoke to me from his home office in Toronto…and we started by addressing the relief package outlined and passed by Parliament on Wednesday morning.

<<<<<<<>>>>>> 

We are now well into WEEK 3 of the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada’s government has launched its relief package for Canadians and businesses affected by the outbreak.

But is it enough? Especially to help small and medium sized businesses…I asked Catherine Swift, former President and CEO of the Canadian Federation of Indpendent Business and Tony Chapman for Tony Chapman Reactions and host of the podcast CHATTER THAT MATTERS.

Coming Up….we’ll touch base with our medical correspondent, Dr. Mitch Shulman..

<<<<<>>>>> 

DISLAIMER

Dr. Mitch Schulman is a Montreal Emergency Physician and is just wrapping up 14 days of self isolation. Mitch had attended a conference in Africa just before the pandemic was declared and we require to isolate when he came home. He is encouraged  by the global response but is still concerned by what we’re seeing.

Many of us are experiencing our own fears and frustrations as we cope with this crisis…and Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s frustrations were on full display Thursday afternoon…when he called out a Toronto grocery store – accusing Pusateris of gouging its customers.

In a statement, Pusateris called the issue a “mistake” and promised to issue full refunds to customers who purchased the product at the higher price point. 

“Our stores are facing immense pressure on all levels of operation,” CEO Frank Luchetta said in a statement. “As a result of this mounting pressure, critical elements were overlooked including the incorrect pricing of this product.

“This was our mistake, our error, our oversight and we apologize to everyone impacted."

Be sure to subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts – just search on OUTBREAK: The Covid-19 Daily Podcast.

This is DAY 18 of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here’s what you need to know on Saturday, March 28th, 2020

More travel restrictions in Canada. Prime Minister Trudeau says Canadians with COVID-19 symptoms to be denied boarding on domestic flights and trains

Ontario corporations, individuals could face 'staggering' fines for price gouging And Premier Doug Ford says his government is considering a ban on gatherings of more than 5 people.

B.C Health officials say physical distancing restrictions are successfully beginning to slow the rate of spread of new COVID-19 cases in the province, perhaps by as much as half.

China donates thousands of medical masks, personal protective equipment to Canada

A lab in the US has received marketing approval for a diagnostic test for the coronavirus that can deliver results to patients within minutes and be used in physicians offices and urgent care clinics, as well as hospitals.

<<<<<>>>>> 

The Prime Minister held his daily briefing outside his official residence in Ottawa Saturday morning and announced more travel restrictions – these are focused on domestic travel..

Canada's Deputy Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Howard Njoo says these restrictions are an extension of the physical distance orders…telling Canadians to stay in your "bubble."

On Thursday, you may have heard Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford accusing a Toronto grocer of gouging customers.

On Saturday, Ford said his government has taken steps to outlaw any and all price gouging – including stiff fines and potential jail time.

<<<<>>>> 

We know that hospitals are bracing for the next wave of pressures in their intensive care units in the coming days and weeks. And that is why public health officials have been so adamant about flattening the curve – by that they mean – slowing the rate of increases in confirmed cases. Flattening the curve doesn’t mean an end to the virus, but theoretically, it means there would be fewer patients demanding precious critical health care resources.

If the system is overwhelmed, healthcare and hospital officials will be facing daily ethical questions and life and death decisions.

Kerry Bowman is a Clinical Ethicist at Mount Sinai Hospital and a professor at the University of Toronto. Professor Bowman joined us from his home office to talk about the challenges ahead.

<<<<>>>> 

Just a programming note: We will devote tomorrow’s podcast episode to the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS we’ve been getting from you. And we’ve put them to our cast of medical, science, financial and legal experts.

If you have a question or A STORY ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE OR A GOOD NEWS COMMUNITY STORY YOU WANT TO SHARE…send me an email. DAVE@DAVETRAFFORD.COM or connect with me on TWITTER @DaveTrafford.

THE VIEWPOINTS EXPRESSED IN THIS PODCAST REPRESENT THE OPINIONS OF THE HOST AND PARTICIPANTS AS OF THE DATE OF PUBLICATION AND ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE A SUBSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL ADVICE AND BEST PRACTICES BY LEADING MEDICAL AUTHORITIES AS THE INFORMATION SURROUNDING THE CURRENT CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING.