Media
Contact
For all media inquiries related to the H1N1 virus, contact:
Nadine Saint-Amour
Media Relations Officer
University of Ottawa
613-562-5800, Ext. 3149
613-724-8326 (cell.)
nadine.saint-amour@uOttawa.caVincent Lamontagne
Media Relations Officer
University of Ottawa
613-562-5800, Ext. 3087
613-864-9087 (cell.)
vincent.lamontagne@uOttawa.ca
Commentary
Media commentary by University of Ottawa specialists on the H1N1 virus (information posted in original language of publication or broadcast).
December 1, 2009
- Dr. Earl Brown, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, comments on the peak of the H1N1 virus in Canada, and how we can now expect the virus and infection to begin to decrease. (Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows Times)
- Both the University of Ottawa and Carleton University have seen a decrease in the number of infections of the H1N1 virus on campus. (CFRA)
November 17, 2009
- Dr. Earl Brown, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, comments on the reaction of the government to the H1N1 virus, and ways the immunization program could have been more effective. (Macleans.ca)
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, comments on the true impact of H1N1, and the severity of this virus in comparison to the regular seasonal flu. (Prince George Citizen, The Canadian Press)
November 11, 2009
- Professor Amir Attaran, Faculty of Law and Medicine, comments on the decision made by the Canadian military to provide Afghan detainees with vaccination against the H1N1 virus, and the reaction of the government. (The Toronto Star)
- Dr. Curtis Cooper, Faculté de médicine, commente sur un essai clinique lancé par des chercheurs de l'Université d'Ottawa et de l'Institut de recherche de l'Hôpital d'Ottawa (IRHO), qui vise à déterminer les effets du vaccin contre la grippe A(H1N1) sur les personnes ayant le VIH. (Le Droit, La Presse Canadienne, The Canadian Press, The Daily Gleaner(Fredericton), cbc.ca)
November 10, 2009
- Article discussing the fear surrounding the H1N1 virus and distancing precautions being taken to avoid its spread, including President and vice-chancellor Allan Rock withholding handshakes at the university’s convocation ceremony. (The StarPhoenix – Saskatoon)
November 9, 2009
- Dr. Earl Brown, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, defends the government's decision made this summer to continue the production of seasonal flu shots instead of increasing its production of H1N1 shots. (allheadlinenews.com)
November 8, 2009
- Professor Doug Angus, health economist at the Telfer School of Management, comments on the government overpromising availability of the H1N1 vaccine to Canadians. (Ottawa Sun)
- Dr. Earl Brown, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, comments on the government focusing production on the H1N1 vaccine, rather than the regular flu shot. (Ottawa Citizen)
November 4, 2009
- Le professeur Earl Brown, Département de biochimie, microbiology, et immunology, commente sur le nombre de personnes qui pourraient être touchées par le virus H1N1 dans la région d'Ottawa et l'Outaouais, et l`importance de comprendre la tendance du virus. (Radio-Canada)
- Professor Amir Attaran, Institute of Population Health, comments on the government’s poor strategy of putting all their eggs in one basket when they chose to receive the H1N1 vaccine from a single supplier. (Global National)
November 3, 2009
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, defends the Government’s rollout strategies for the H1N1 vaccine, while other experts describe its shortcomings and how it could have been more effective. (National Post)
- Professor Louise Lemyre, Institute of Population Health, and Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, comment on the scarce availibility of the H1N1 vaccine, and the importance that high risk groups be immunized. (cbc.ca)
- Betty-Ann Hamilton, a public health nurse and graduate from the University of Ottawa, comments on the role of nurses in the distribution of the H1N1 vaccine. (Ottawa Citizen)
Oct. 28, 2009
- Professor Earl Brown, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, discusses the symptoms of the H1N1 virus, and how to distinguish it from the regular flu or a cold. (The Globe and Mail)
Oct. 12, 2009
- Kumanan Wilson, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, discusses the fact that Canadians are not planning on getting the H1N1 vaccine because they don`t see it as a personal threat different from the seasonal flu. (The Daily Gleaner, Fredericton)
Oct. 8, 2009
- Dr. Earl Brown, Department of Bicohemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, comments on the widespread activity of the H1N1 virus in the U.S. and how Canada has not been affected in this way. (Ottawa Citizen)
Sept. 29, 2009
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Article by Professor Amir Attaran, Institute of Population Health, critizing the Government of Canada`s decision to not share excess influenza vaccine with poorer countries. (The Windsor Star)
Sept. 26, 2009
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Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, discusses the H1N1 vaccine and the need for sufficient clinical testing and liability protection before making vaccine manufactuers will make it available to the public. (Global National – In Person)
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, advises Canadians to be prepared for an H1N1 pandemic in order to avoid mistakes made in the past when faced with public health emergencies. (Edmonton Journal)
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, discusses why we should avoid downplaying the H1N1 virus and expect the worst-case scenario because of potentially catastrophic consequences for a large population. (The Leader-Post)
Sept. 24, 2009
- Professor Earl Brown, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, comments on the safety of eating pork, and the negative consequences for the pork industry when the H1N1 virus is referred to as ‘swine’ flu.
Sept. 21, 2009
- Professor Amir Attaran, Institute of Population Health, Professor Paul Hébert, Department of Medicine, and Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, explain that the success of an H1N1 pandemic plan depends on the implementation of an enforcer in the federal government. (Ottawa Citizen)
Sept. 20, 2009
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Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, comments on the importance of ensuring the safety of an H1N1 vaccine before making it available to the public. (The Canadian Press)
Sept. 18, 2009
- Dr. Paul C. Hébert, Department of Medicine, comments on how pneumonia can cause complication if infected by the H1N1 virus and how getting the shot for pneumonia might be advantageous for children and pregnant women. (Ottawa Citizen)
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson, associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, discusses the use of thimerosal-free pandemic vaccine in the U.S. and why Canada will not be purchasing it for its population. (Telegraph Journal)
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson and Dr. Paul C. Hébert, Facutly of Medicine, along with Professor Amir Attaran, Faculty of Law.
Sept. 17, 2009
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, comments on the safety of a vaccine containing thimerosal for pregnant women and children. (Telegraph Journal)
- Professor Jason Tetro, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, discusses the safety of the H1N1 vaccine and the effects it may have on humans. (CTV NEWS Ottawa)
Sept. 16, 2009
Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, discusses health workers’ reluctance to receive seasonal flu shots, and the concern that they may spread the virus before being vaccinated. (Ottawa Citizen)
Sept. 15, 2009
Professor Earl Brown, Department of Biochemisty, Microbiology and Immunology, comments on using an H1N1 vaccine that would require only one dose because of adjuvants that boost the body`s immune system response to the vaccine. (Montreal Gazette)
Sept. 14, 2009
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, discusses the need for reassurance from the federal government that the H1N1 vaccine will be thoroughly tested for safety and effectiveness. (cbc.ca)
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, discusses the tensions that could arise if the H1N1 flu vaccine is incorporated into a school-based vaccination campaign. (Ottawa Citizen)
Sept. 12, 2009
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, comments on a national hospital network designed to monitor a variety of reactions and complications that could arise with the H1N1 vaccine. (Montreal Gazette, Vancouver Sun, Canwest News Service)
Sept. 11, 2009
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, encourages vaccination against teh H1N1 virus as early as possible, especially among children, to achieve the greatest coverage. (Kelowna.com, Canwest News Service)
Sept. 10, 2009
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson, Faculty of Medicine, explains that young people feel they do not need the flu shot, but stresses the importance of getting vaccinated to avoid spreading the virus. (globeandmail.com)
September 9, 2009
- Syed A. Sattar, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Microbiology and Director, Centre for Research on Environmental Microbiology (CREM) at the Faculty of Medicine, was the sole representative from Canada invited to be a part of the core group who developed The World Health Organization Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Health Care and Their Consensus Recommendations. The tests recommended in this report for the evaluation of hand hygiene agents for acceptance in the field include three protocols developed at CREM; these are already recognized standards of ASTM International, a highly respected standards-setting organization.
- On CTV news last night, Michael Histed, Director of Risk Management Office, talked about the flu prevention campaign on campus and Dr. Earl Brown of the Faculty of Medicine, said that hand washing is one of the easiest way to prevent the transmission of the flu. (CTV)
August 28, 2009
- Professor Earl Brown (Faculty of Medicine) compares the current H1N1 flu pandemic to those of the past, indicating that it could be similar to the 1957 avian pandemic which saw 2 million dead or if it worsens like the 1918 H1N1 Spanish flu which killed 20 to 50 million people. (Ottawacitizen.com)
- Professor Earl Brown (Faculty of Medicine) comments on what the possible evolution of the virus might mean for human beings. (Ottawacitizen.com)
August 24, 2009
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson (Canada Research Chair in Public Health Policy) discusses potential problems with the delivery of the H1N1 influenza vaccine. (The Globe and Mail)
- Professor Doug Angus (Telfer School of Management) criticizes the lack of political debates in Canada regarding the health care system. (The Kingston Whig-Standard, The Toronto Sun)
August 20, 2009
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson (Canada Research Chair in Public Health Policy) discusses the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention's H1N1 flu vaccine priority list. (Nature)
August 19, 2009
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson (Canada Research Chair in Public Health Policy) discusses the importance of having health care workers vaccinated for the H1N1 influenza. (The Ottawa Sun)
August 18, 2009
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson (Canada Research Chair in Public Health Policy) recommends that people not panic ahead of a second wave of swine flu, and thinks it is too early to limit social gatherings. (Canwest News Service, Montreal Gazette, The Windsor Star
- Dr Kumanan Wilson (Chaire de recherche du Canada en politique en matière de santé publique) commente la Loi sur les mesures d'urgences qui pourrait être utilisée si l'épidémie de grippe aH1N1 devenait sérieuse. (Le Devoir)
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson (Canada Research Chair in Public Health Policy) discusses the importance of encouraging health care workers to get the swine flu vaccine. (The Ottawa Sun, The Brantford Expositor)
August 1, 2009
- Dr. Kumanan Wilson (Canada Research Chair in Public Health Policy) discusses the recommendations from health officials to reduce exposure to swine flu. (The Ottawa Citizen, Canwest News Service, Times Colonist (Victoria), The Leader-Post (Regina), Montreal Gazette, Edmonton Journal)