Health | The Walrus

Black and white photo of a group of newspaper carriers wearing masks.

The Spanish Flu Rewrote History. Will This Pandemic Do the Same?

July 16, 2020July 17, 2020 - by Simon Lewsen

Disease magnifies inequality, brings social turmoil, and offers a shot at meaningful change

Photograph of a public men's restroom with sinks and mirrors against a wall. Urinals can be seen in the reflection of the mirrors.

COVID-19 / Health

Why Are Canada’s Public Bathrooms So Inadequate?

July 8, 2020July 8, 2020 - by Lezlie Lowe

Access to clean, safe facilities is crucial for public health—especially during a pandemic

A man in a checkered shirt stands inside a large, barn-shaped building surrounded by chickens. He is holding a chicken in his hands and leaning towards it.

Health

A Warning from the Chickens of the World

July 6, 2020July 8, 2020 - by David Waltner-Toews

How our reliance on mass-produced food increases the risk of pandemics

A pair of hands points at a black and white photo containing a woman and seven young children.

COVID-19 / Health

The North Knows What It’s Like to Fight a Pandemic

May 26, 2020May 27, 2020 - by Elaine Anselmi

The region isn’t equipped to fight infectious diseases. That doesn’t mean it’s not prepared

Photo illustration of a waterfront boardwalk with a thin crowd of people. Some people are encased in translucent bubbles to maintain social distancing.

COVID-19 / Health / July/August 2020

How to Lift a Lockdown

May 13, 2020July 29, 2020 - by Danielle Groen

From immunity passports to mass testing: the science, logistics, and ethics of recovering from COVID-19

Illustration of two bottles of bleach with large red X's behind them and yellow letters saying, in all capitals, "DO NOT DRINK." The background is turquoise blue.

COVID-19 / Health

Don’t Drink the Bleach

April 29, 2020May 1, 2020 - by Justin Ling

Medical scams are bad enough in ordinary situations. During a pandemic, they can be deadly

Psychedelic-style illustration of a man wearing a white coat and large goggles to protect his eyes. In the goggles' reflection, we see two hands pouring brightly-coloured material from one into the other. His hair is a spectrum of brightly-coloured waves.

Health / May 2020

Why It’s So Hard to Legalize Recreational Drugs

April 28, 2020June 10, 2020 - by Jonah Brunet

Scientists believe that newly invented psychoactive substances might have untapped health benefits. Too bad none of us will ever get to try them

Health

Record of a Pandemic

April 7, 2020August 6, 2020 - by The Walrus Staff

COVID-19 has transformed our world. The Walrus explores these changes and asks what comes next

Illustration of a small bird, perched inside a glass vase on the stem of a flower. The background is a light turquoise blue.

April 2020 / Health

When Is a Senior No Longer Capable of Making Their Own Decisions?

March 18, 2020July 24, 2020 - by Sharon J. Riley

How our medical systems strip elders of their autonomy

An illustration of a person peeking through their fingers. Their eyeball is the shape of the COVID-19 germ (a small round microbe with protrusions that look like the spokes of a crown).

Health / May 2020

Anatomy of a Pandemic

March 11, 2020June 2, 2020 - by Kevin Patterson

Like major contagions throughout history, the new coronavirus causes fear as well as illness. The remedy for both, it turns out, is the same