General COVID-19 Resource links
Current information about COVID-19 may be accessed from:
- Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) COVID-19 Resource Hub: https://cts.vresp.com/c/?MentalHealthCommissi/a583350035/49b3686b34/20d4f4d85b
- The Ontario Ministry of Health’s website at:https://www.ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus.
- The Federal Government website at:https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection.html
- The World Health Organization (WHO) also provides extensive and frequently updated information on COVID-19 at: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
- APA- https://www.apaservices.org/practice/news/covid19-psychology-services-protection.pdf
- NASP – Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus): A Parent Resource https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-andcrisis/health-crises/talking-to-children-about-covid-19-(coronavirus)-a-parent-resource
- Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 Informationhttps://hub.jhu.edu/novel-coronavirus-information/
- Free Guide To Living With Worry And Anxiety Amidst Global Uncertainty https://www.psychologytools.com/articles/free-guide-to-living-with-worry-and-anxiety-amidst-global-uncertainty/
Return to Work
For Employees:
- Canadian Mental Health Association. (2021). Returning to the Workplace: A psychological toolkit for heading back to work. Retrieved from: https://ontario.cmha.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/CMHA_ReturnToWorkplace-Toolkit_EN-Final.pdf
- Mental Health Commission of Canada. (2021). How to manage return anxiety as the lockdown lifts. Retrieved from: https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/sites/default/files/2020-06/COVID_19_tip_sheet_Returning_to_work_eng_0.pdf
For Employers:
- Government of Ontario. (2021). Develop your COVID-19 workplace safety plan. Retrieved from: https://www.ontario.ca/page/develop-your-covid-19-workplace-safety-plan
- Government of Ontario. (2021). Resources to prevent COVID-19 in the workplace. Retrieved from: https://www.ontario.ca/page/resources-prevent-covid-19-workplace
- (Osler 2021). The Employer’s COVID-19 Workplace Playbook. Retrieved from: https://www.osler.com/en/resources/regulations/2020/the-employer-s-covid-19-workplace-playbook
Return to School
- Child Mind Institute. (2021). Back-to-School Anxiety During COVID. Retrieved from: https://childmind.org/article/back-to-school-anxiety-during-covid/
- Government of Ontario. (2021). Guide to reopening Ontario’s schools. Retrieved from: https://www.ontario.ca/page/guide-reopening-ontarios-schools
- Government of Canada. (2021). Hand-washing heroes. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/video/covid-19-hand-washing-heroes.html
- Government of Canada (2021). Reduce the spread of COVID-19: Hygiene for Kids. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/video/covid-19-kids-hygiene.html
- The Psychological Society of Ireland published return to school guidance in anticipation of a return to school for pupils in September. The Relaunch – Back to School After COVID-19 Restrictions (Guidance from PSI).pdf
COVID-19 Vaccine
For community members:
- Government of Canada. (2021). Vaccines for COVID-19. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/vaccines.html?utm_campaign=hc-sc-covidvaccine-21-22&utm_medium=sem&utm_source=ggl&utm_content=ad-text-en&utm_term=%2Bcovid%20%2Bvaccine&adv=2122-89750&id_campaign=12876015044&id_source=121197814693&id_content=517692136301&gclid=CjwKCAjw3MSHBhB3EiwAxcaEuw7w1oklnQMrucf2CZ0s-MLFtTSQIrgphV9ZBT5qPQ9dSlDSLYkx6BoCnCMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
- Government of Canada. (2021). What being vaccinated against COVID-19 means for me. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/awareness-resources/vaccinated-against-covid-19-public-health-measures.html
- World Health Organization. (2021). Vaccines Explained. Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/covid-19-vaccines/explainers
- World Health Organization. (2021). COVID-19 advice for the public: Getting vaccinated. Retrieved from; https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/covid-19-vaccines/advice
For service providers:
- Government of Canada. (2021). Addressing vaccine hesitancy in the context of COVID-19: A primer for health care providers. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/health-professionals/vaccines/vaccine-hesitancy-primer.html
- The Public Health Agency of Canada. (2021). The Public Health Agency of Canada Webinar: Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in Clinical Practice. Retrieved from: https://nccid.ca/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/05/PHAC_Addressing-Vaccine-Hesitancy.pdf
- Canadian Pediatric Society. (2021). Our best shot at beating COVID-19: Overcoming vaccine hesitancy in 2021. [online education module]. Available at: https://www.cps.ca/en/clinical/immunization-and-vaccines
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 Vaccination Communication Toolkit For Medical Centers, Pharmacies, and Clinicians. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/health-systems-communication-toolkit.html
- Public Health Agency of Canada. (2016). Communicating effectively about immunization: Canadian Immunization Guide. Retrieved from: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/canadian-immunization-guide-part-1-key-immunization-information/page-5-communicating-effectively-immunization.html
Additional Resources
Canadian Resources:
Strong Minds Strong Kids webinars;
- Past Webinars https://psychologyfoundation.org/Public/Professionals/For-Me/Webinars/Content/Professional__Educators__Social_Service__Health/Webinars/Webinars.aspx?hkey=0e8de7a1-7669-4188-bc3e-0c2b53e6c5bc
- Kids Have Stress Too (Digital Workshop) https://psychologyfoundation.org/Public/Professionals/For-Me/Digital-Training/Content/Professional__Educators__Social_Service__Health/PFC-Digital-Training/Online-Training.aspx?hkey=ac117984-578e-4d19-8263-fd69baf155cb
- The Canadian Red Cross teaches two Psychological First Aid courses, Self-Care and Caring for Others
- CIHR COVID-19 and Mental Health Initiative
- Government of Canada: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
- Public Safety Canada: Guidance on essential services and functions in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Wellness Together Canada
- Coronaphobia
- Psychological First Aid for Frontline Health Care Providers During COVID-19: A quick guide to wellness by Dr. Mélanie Joanisse, C.Psych
- Centre of Excellence on PTSD and Related Mental Health Conditions (Twitter: @VeteranRecovery)
Strong Minds Strong Kids webinars;
International Resources:
- Pandemic Parenting, A platform where experts can share free science-based knowledge, experience, and resources. https://www.pandemic-parent.org/
- eMental Health International Collaborative (eMHIC)
- Phoenix Australia
- US Department of Veterans Affairs – COVID-19 Resources for Managing Stress
- World Health Organization (WHO) Psychological first aid: Guide for field workers published in 2011
- International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership – main site
- International Initiative for Mental Health Leadership COVID-19 archives
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) – main site
- SAMSA COVID-19 resources and information
Dr. Krishana Sankar returns to Mind Full to talk about the science and data around vaccines and COVID-19. Dr. Sankar and the other experts at Science Up First are continuing to combat online disinformation, which is ever-changing and doesn’t show signs of slowing down.
Dr. Tyler Black is a psychiatrist who specializes in suicidology. When, early in the pandemic, wild claims were being made about the spike in suicide we were sure to see as a result of lockdowns, he pushed back with his expertise in the field (spoiler alert – he was right, and suicide actually decreased). He became one of the experts at Science Up First, combatting disinformation online.
This Science Brief was prepared on behalf of the Ontario Behavioural Science Working Group and the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table.
The brief describes how we can use behavioural science principles to maintain and enhance adherence to public health messaging, including promising strategies to increase effective masking and physical distancing.
Psychology Month has focused on dozens of aspects of the pandemic, a global catastrophe that is deeply tragic. To close out Psychology Month 2021, we focus on a few positives that have come about as a result of COVID-19.
Some of the psychologists doing interesting things during the pandemic
Meet some of the psychologists who have been profiled in this Psychology Month. We speak with Dr. Adrienne Leslie-Toogood, Dr. Christine Chambers, Courtney Gosselin and Dr. Mélanie Joanisse about their work during the pandemic.
Dr. Maya Yampolsky spoke to us about the intersection of the pandemic and both structural and overt racism. It was too much to put into just one profile, so we are sharing the whole conversation on Mind Full.
Dr. Steven Taylor of UBC was the first person to identify a need for a comprehensive look at the psychology surrounding pandemics. His book, “The Psychology of Pandemics: Preparing for the next Global Outbreak of Infectious Disease” was published presciently in October of 2019, a month before the first COVID-19 case appeared in Wuhan.
Dr. Marnin Heisel co-wrote the CPA Fact Sheet on suicide, and also co-wrote the Canadian media guidelines for the reporting on suicide. He joins us to talk pandemic, advocacy, and moving forward with a National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
Dr. Heather Prime and two colleagues collaborated on a paper called “Risk and Resilience in Family Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic”. They turned to previous crises (natural disasters, economic crashes, etc) to better understand where families are at and may be headed during COVID-19. You can find their paper here: psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2020-34995-001.html
The CPA sent a letter to the Federal Minister of Finance, The Honourable Bill Morneau, outlining its serious concerns that members in private practice were not eligible for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), and the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) program. The CPA was pleased to see changes in the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) program which expands the payroll threshold from $50,000 to $200,000 to be eligible for a maximum loan of $40,000.
The Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has a podcast covering many of the psychological impacts of COVID-19. Interviews with Dr. Kim Corace, Dr. Keith Dobson, and many others can be heard here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/811163
Dr. Khush Amaria and her colleagues at Mind Beacon have launched a free online mental health resource for the time of the COVID pandemic. Stronger Minds has many videos and interactive features designed to support mental health and assist those who need help.
Quick chat with Dr. Brent MacDonald of MacDonald Psychology Group in Calgary. Dr. MacDonald discusses coping strategies we can all use during the pandemic, and remaining hopeful about the good things that can eventually arise as a result.