In the past week, the rolling daily average for new COVID-19 cases in Canada nearly hit 8,500. Just yesterday, Ontario alone posted 4,736 new cases. With the third wave in danger of becoming a tsunami, many people have questions about the mutated versions of the SARS-CoV-2 virus — called variants — that are driving these outbreaks.

Today in The Conversation Canada, York University microbiologist Dasantila Golemi-Kotra has the answers including how the variants emerged, why they seem to be more contagious, how viruses mutate and the likelihood of a vaccine-resistant super-variant.

Also today:

Regards,

Patricia Nicholson

Health + Medicine Editor
Colorized scanning electron micrograph of a cell (orange) infected with UK B.1.1.7 variant SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (green), isolated from a patient sample. Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. (NIAID)

COVID-19 variants FAQ: How did the U.K., South Africa and Brazil variants emerge? Are they more contagious? How does a virus mutate? Could there be a super-variant that evades vaccines?

Dasantila Golemi-Kotra, York University, Canada

Variants of the original SARS-CoV-2 are now in wide circulation. That means the third wave of COVID-19 has come with new questions about the variants, their effects and what might come next.
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Bill C-12: Canada must embrace best practices if it want to reach its greenhouse gas targets

Normand Mousseau, Université de Montréal; Corinne Le Quéré, University of East Anglia

Bill C-12 is a step in the right direction, but its not enough to meet Canada's goal for a decarbonized economy.
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The United States is at risk of an armed anti-police insurgency

Temitope Oriola, University of Alberta

The continued killings of Black people at the hands of the police in the United States has contributed to an environment of continued marginalization and oppression.
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Status for all: Pathways to permanent residency in Canada need to include every migrant

Luin Goldring, York University, Canada; Patricia Landolt, University of Toronto

The system turns employers into immigration enforcement officers and generates a population of people without status who live and work in Canada without a clear path to security of presence or livelihood.
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The future of the family business: 4 strategies for a successful transition

Peter Jaskiewicz, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa; Alfredo De Massis, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano; Marleen Dieleman, National University of Singapore

As aging parents wonder about the future of the family businesses they founded, four succession strategies could help.
People take part in a rally against hate and confront the rising violence against Asian Americans at Columbus Park in New York, on March 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

As Asian Canadian scholars, we must #StopAsianHate by fighting all forms of racism

Cary Wu, York University, Canada; Abidin Kusno, York University, Canada; Ann H. Kim, York University, Canada; Carol Liao; Dennis Kao, Carleton University; Guida Man, York University, Canada; Hae Yeon Choo, University of Toronto; Jing Zhao, University of British Columbia; Min Zhou, University of Victoria; Muyang Li, York University, Canada; S. Harris Ali, York University, Canada; Sibo Chen, Ryerson University; Sida Liu, University of Toronto; Weiguo Zhang, University of Toronto; Zhifan Luo, University at Albany, State University of New York

Fifteen Asian academics discuss the roots of anti-Asian racism and limits of multiculturalism in Canada while charting a path forward.

La Conversation Canada
Une ambiance plus décontractée se fait ressentir lors de réunions actives et cela pourrait favoriser davantage les interactions sociales entre collègues. Shutterstock

Se réunir en marchant pour améliorer la créativité et les relations de travail

Valérie Hervieux, Université Laval; Caroline Biron, Université Laval

Les réunions actives réduisent le stress pendant les rencontres et diminuent la fatigue habituellement ressentie dans les heures suivant celles-ci.
Le vice-amiral Haydn Edmundson dirige le commandement du personnel militaire, qui lui donne autorité sur la carrière des militaires reconnus coupables d’inconduite sexuelle. Accusé d’avoir agressé sexuellement une subordonnée, il est en congé avec solde pour une durée indéterminée. La Presse Canadienne/Justin Tang

Inconduite sexuelle, abus de pouvoir et secret : voici ce dont j’ai été témoin dans l’armée canadienne

Karyne Gélinas, Saint Mary’s University

Il y a quelque chose qui cloche chez les militaires canadiens. Et il est nécessaire de comprendre plus profondément comment persistent dans l’armée les inégalités et les inconduites.

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