Health | The Walrus

A woman sitting at a desk in front of a laptop and turning her head to the side, viewed from the back. Her face and shoulders are slightly blurred. She is wearing a white shirt and the wall in front of her is sky blue.

Health

Can Virtual Therapy Replace the Real Thing?

September 21, 2020January 29, 2021 - by Allison Crawford

Frozen screens, echoing voices, Zoom fatigue: the new challenges facing compassionate care

How to Vaccinate a Planet

September 15, 2020March 9, 2021 - by Danielle Groen

What it will take to build the fastest inoculation program in history and defeat COVID-19

A man holds up a protest sign that says "Wake up we're dying."

Health

The Pandemic Is Intensifying the Opioid Crisis

September 14, 2020September 17, 2020 - by Alexandra Harvey

Public health measures meant to contain COVID-19 have caused a spike in overdose-related deaths

Illustration of small cartoon people moving freely atop small green platforms––cartwheeling, dancing, and holding hands.

Health

Fat Shaming Shouldn’t Be Part of Our “New Normal”

August 25, 2020August 25, 2020 - by Erika Thorkelson

Even in a pandemic, our culture is obsessed with controlling our bodies

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

COVID-19 / Health / September/October 2020

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, 2020December 1, 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