How did COVID-19 get so bad in Manitoba and what can we learn from that?
Throughout the pandemic, Ontario and Quebec have consistently had the highest number of infections in the country. But now, Canada’s unexpected COVID-19 hotspot is Manitoba. After seeming to successfully keep the virus at bay during the first wave, things have taken a disastrous turn for the worse. Health-care workers have called on the Manitoba government to take urgent action, saying the pandemic has spiralled out of control in the province. Jason Kindrachuk, a Canada Research Chair in emerging and re-emerging viruses at the University of Manitoba, explains what's happening and the lessons we can all learn as we grapple with this phase of the pandemic.