Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry in Quebec. An analysis focused on outdoor organizations

This study was conducted with the aim of empirically analyzing the impacts of the pandemic of the Covid-19 on the Quebec tourism industry, with a particular focus on the outdoor sector, given that the latter seems to have been a form of escape in several countries and for many citizens. Based on a quantitative approach and a self-administered survey in the summer of 2020 (n = 1210), this study made it possible to analyze the organizational situation of this industry, the tourism performance of the organizations surveyed, their human resources concerns, their short- and medium-term development prospects, as well as the structural and organizational elements where the organizations are the most vulnerable. Overall, it can be seen that the outdoor sector, thanks to its 40 intrinsic characteristics, stands out very positively in this industry, in particular in contrast to organizations located in large urban centers that depend on clients from outside Quebec.

Surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in Norway Rats (Rattus norvegicus) from Southern Ontario

The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from wildlife has raised concerns about spillover from humans to animals, the establishment of novel wildlife reservoirs, and the potential for future outbreaks caused by variants of wildlife origin. Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) are abundant in urban areas and live in close proximity to humans, providing the opportunity for spillover of SARS-CoV-2. Evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and exposure has been reported in Norway rats. We investigated SARS-CoV-2 infection and exposure in Norway rats from Southern Ontario, Canada. From October 2019 to June 2021, 224 rats were submitted by collaborating pest control companies. The majority of samples were collected in Windsor (79.9%;n = 179), Hamilton (13.8%;n = 31), and the Greater Toronto Area (5.8%;n = 13). Overall, 50.0% (n = 112) were female and most rats were sexually mature (55.8%;n = 125). Notably, 202 samples were collected prior to the emergence of variants of concern (VOC) and 22 were collected while the Alpha variant (B.1.1.7) was the predominant circulating VOC in humans. Nasal turbinate (n = 164) and small intestinal (n = 213) tissue samples were analyzed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA by RT-PCR. Thoracic cavity fluid samples (n = 213) were tested for neutralizing antibodies using a surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT) (GenScript cPass);confirmatory plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) was conducted on presumptive positive samples. We did not detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA in any samples tested. Two out of eleven samples positive on sVNT had neutralizing antibodies confirmed positive by PRNT (1 : 40 and 1 : 320 PRNT70);both were collected prior to the emergence of VOC. It is imperative that efforts to control and monitor SARS-CoV-2 include surveillance of rats and other relevant wildlife species as novel variants continue to emerge.

Zoos in Canada: Responses to COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Canadian zoos' current and potentially future operations, form, and function as a modern western zoo. Evolving from ancient institutions that have responded over millennia to their human community interests, desires, social/cultural needs, and constraints of animal keeping and display, zoos continue to evolve. Impacts of this major pandemic on public recreation, animal behaviour, animal health and care, conservation, and other programs in the geographic context of diverse Canadian zoos are explored. Provisional observations and analysis are presented, even as the pandemic still rages in many geographic regions of the world. A cold climate northern country, Canada's unique zoo institutional challenges are investigated, for future zoo prospects in an emerging world with zoonotic and other human disease risks, biodiversity losses, and changing climate. New perspectives with historical geography considerations are also presented including a summary of the major impacts of COVID-19 and Canada's response, resilience and institutional responses, animal behaviour change and care and repercussions on other Canadian zoos. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

« Gardez le vaccin au Sud » : mieux comprendre l'hésitation à la vaccination contre la COVID-19 au Nunavik

The COVID‑19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of vaccines to prevent infectious diseases, but also the issues related to vaccine acceptance among individuals and groups targeted by vaccination programs. The concept of vaccine hesitancy is now commonly used in public health spheres to refer to the fact that a portion of the population has significant doubts and concerns about vaccines that can lead to a vaccine refusal or delay. Most research on vaccine hesitancy focuses on individual knowledge, beliefs, values, attitudes, life trajectories and experiences. However, the focus on individual determinants of vaccine hesitancy can lessen the importance of broader structural and socio-cultural influences on attitudes and decisions about immunization. Based on interviews conducted in Nunavik, this article proposes to explore how organizational and historical factors, social norms, and shared values and beliefs about the etiology of COVID‑19 and the efficacy and usefulness of vaccines to prevent the virus, influence COVID‑19 vaccine hesitancy in Inuit communities.Alternate :La pandemia de la COVID‑19 evidenció la importancia de la vacunación para prevenir las enfermedades infecciosas, pero también los retos ligados a la aceptación de las vacunas entre individuos o grupos específicos. El concepto de desconfianza en la vacunación se volvió de uso común en la salud pública para referirse al hecho de que una parte de la población tiene temores importantes relacionados con la vacunación;temores que pueden llevar al rechazo o postergar la vacunación. La importancia de los conocimientos, creencias, valores, actitudes, trayectorias de vida y experiencias individuales en las investigaciones sobre la vacunación a veces puede ocultar la importancia de influencias estructurales y socioculturales más amplias sobre las actitudes y decisiones con respecto a la vacunación. A partir de entrevistas realizadas en Nunavik, este artículo se propone explorar cómo los factores organizacionales e históricos, las normas sociales, los valores y las creencias compartidas respecto a la etiología de la COVID‑19 y sobre la efectividad y el poder de las vacunas en la prevención, influyen sobre la desconfianza en la vacunación contra la COVID‑19 en las comunidades inuit.Alternate :La pandémie de la COVID‑19 a mis en évidence l'importance de la vaccination pour prévenir des maladies infectieuses, mais également les enjeux liés à l'acceptation des vaccins par les individus et groupes ciblés par les programmes. Le concept d'hésitation à la vaccination est désormais couramment utilisé en santé publique pour référer au fait qu'une partie de la population entretient des craintes importantes par rapport à la vaccination ;craintes qui peuvent mener à refuser ou à retarder la vaccination. L'accent important mis sur les connaissances, les croyances, les valeurs, les attitudes, les trajectoires de vie et les expériences individuelles dans les recherches sur la vaccination peut toutefois occulter l'importance des influences structurelles et socioculturelles plus larges sur les attitudes et décisions à l'égard de la vaccination. À partir d'entretiens menés au Nunavik, cet article propose donc d'explorer comment les facteurs organisationnels et historiques, les normes sociales, les valeurs et les croyances partagées à propos de l'étiologie de la COVID‑19 et à propos de l'efficacité et de la puissance des vaccins pour la prévenir, influent sur l'hésitation à la vaccination contre la COVID‑19 dans des communautés inuit.

Les représentations de l'interculturalisme à l'Assemblée nationale du Québec

L'interculturalisme n'ayant toujours pas été officialisé par l'intermédiaire d'une loi ou politique publique formelle et contraignante, comment les parlementaires québécois – mais aussi les intervenants avec qui ils dialoguent – se le représentent-ils dans leurs échanges à l'Assemblée nationale? Cet article se propose de répondre à cette question en réalisant une analyse de contenu critique qualitative et systématique des échanges portant sur l'interculturalisme à l'Assemblée nationale du Québec depuis l'apparition de cette notion en 1987 (33e législature) jusqu'à la portion de la 42e législature (2018-) qui précède l'ajournement des travaux au mois de mars 2020, en raison de la pandémie de COVID-19. En montrant l'existence de deux principales coalitions de discours, l'une qualifiée de libérale-pluraliste et l'autre de républicaine-moniste, cet article décortique les débats parlementaires en illustrant comment les acteurs associés à ces deux approches se représentent les fondements du modèle québécois en matière d'aménagement de la diversité, le rapport qu'il propose entre la culture majoritaire et les minorités ethnoculturelles, et ses objectifs présumés.Alternate :Interculturalism has yet to be formalized through a binding law or public policy. In that context, how do Quebec's parliamentarians-and the stakeholders with whom they interact-represent it in their exchanges at the National Assembly? This article seeks to answer this question by conducting a qualitative and systematic critical content analysis of the exchanges on interculturalism in the Quebec National Assembly from the emergence of this notion in 1987 (33rd legislature) to the portion of the 42nd legislature (2018−) that precedes the adjournment of the proceedings in March 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By showing the existence of two main discourse coalitions, one characterized as liberal-pluralist and the other as republican-monist, this article analyzes the parliamentary debates by underscoring how the actors involved in these two approaches are representative of the foundations of the Quebec model of diversity management and by illustrating the presumed objectives of this model and the relationship it proposes between the majority culture and ethnocultural minorities.

Agreement of Skeletal Muscle Area and Muscle Quality Between Two Different Image Analysis Software Tools

Background: Both clinicians and researchers have a growing interest in assessment of muscle mass utilizing diagnostic abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans. Different imaging analysis software tools exist for the assessment of muscle mass;however, minimal information is available to describe the agreement between tools. The objective of this project was to determine the agreement, reliability, and strength of the relationship between skeletal muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and muscle quality at the third lumbar region (L3) between two different image analysis software tools (3D Slicer vs SliceOmatic) using a convenient sample of individuals who have undergone diagnostic abdominal CT scan imaging. Method(s): A retrospective sample of individuals who had undergone a diagnostic abdominal CT scan was utilized. For both image analysis software tools, L3 skeletal muscle CSA was identified using a Hounsfield Unit (HU) range of -30 to +150 and muscle quality was defined as the mean HU. For each patient, L3 skeletal muscle CSA (cm2) and mean HU was calculated using 3D Slicer (version 5.0.3) and SliceOmatic (version 4.3, TomoVision, Quebec, Canada). Lin's correlation coefficient (LCC), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Spearman correlation coefficient (SCC) were used to examine the agreement, reliability, and strength of the relationship with both L3 skeletal muscle CSA and muscle quality using3D Slicer versus SliceOmatic. Bland Altman plots were created to depict the agreement of L3 CSA and muscle quality between the two tools. Result(s): A total of 504 patients were included;the sample included 128 healthy adults and 376 patients who had the following diagnoses: breast cancer (n = 175), colorectal cancer (n = 127), sepsis (n = 37) and COVID-19 (n = 37). The mean L3 skeletal muscle CSA measured using SliceOmatic was 140.6 +/- 36.0 cm2 and using 3D Slicer was 137.6 +/- 36.1 cm2. When examining the agreement, reliability, and strength of the relationship of L3 skeletal muscle CSA between SliceOmatic and 3D Slicer, LCC was 0.934 (p < 0.001), ICC was 0.968 (p < 0.001), and SCC was 0.930 (p < 0.001). The mean muscle quality measured using SliceOmatic was 35.1 +/- 10.8 HU and using 3D Slicer was 34.6 +/- 11.0 HU;LCC was 0.928 (p < 0.001), ICC was 0.964 (p < 0.001), and SCC was 0.957 (p < 0.001). Both the Bland Altman plots for L3 skeletal muscle CSA and muscle quality using SliceOmatic and 3D Slicer displayed overall strong agreement (Figures 1 and 2). However, 27 outliers were identified when visualizing the agreement L3 skeletal muscle CSA;further investigation of these outliers revealed that most of these measurements were conducted in critically ill patients (sepsis and COVID-19). Examining L3 skeletal muscle CSA between SliceOmatic and 3D Slicer among a subgroup of patients with sepsis and COVID revealed lower overall agreement (LCC: 0.679, p < 0.0001), reliability (ICC: 0.811, p < 0.001), and strength (SCC: 0.642, p < 0.001). Similar findings were observed with muscle quality between SliceOmatic and 3D Slicer among a subgroup of patients with sepsis and COVID (LCC: 0.585, p < 0.0001;ICC: 0.741, p < 0.001;SCC: 0.592, p < 0.001). Conclusion(s): Overall, both the SliceOmatic and 3D Slicer imaging analysis software tools had strong agreement, reliability, and strength when examining muscle mass and muscle quality. However, the agreement, reliability, and strength between muscle mass and muscle quality was lower between the two tools among critically ill patients compared to healthy controls and patients with cancer. Further research is needed to describe the etiology of this lower agreement in critically ill patients. (Table Presented).

Education Remains Critical with Unemployment, Employment, and Participation Rates in 2020 Being the Worst in Many Years for Aboriginals and Non-Aboriginals

The higher the level of education completed the higher the wage rates, the lower the rate of unemployment, and the higher the employment rates. Unemployment rates were significantly higher and participation and employment rates were significantly lower for Aboriginals and non-Aboriginals in Canada in 2020. This may be attributed to the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. The rate of unemployment increased more for nonAboriginals than for Aboriginals in 2020. However, participation and employment rates decreased more for Aboriginals than for non-Aboriginals. Employment, unemployment, and participation rates are and historically have been more favourable for non-Aboriginals than for Aboriginals. As educational levels increase, employment measures and wage rates improve. Employment measures are examined by gender, age, province, and education, and for Métis, Inuit, and First Nations.

AUTOPHAGY AND Acyl-CoA-BINDING PROTEIN INFLUENCE COVID-19 SEVERITY

Background: Autophagy, a cytosolic-structure degradation pathway, allows production of IL21 by CD4 T-cells and efficient cytolytic responses by CD8 T-cells. Autophagy is in part regulated by acyl-CoA-binding protein (ACBP) which has two functions. Intracellular ACBP favors autophagy, whereas secreted extracellular ACBP inhibits autophagy. Herein, we assessed whether autophagy and the ACBP pathway were associated with COVID-19 severity. Method(s): Through the BQC-19 Quebec biobank, somalogic proteomic analysis was performed on 5200 proteins in plasma samples collected between March 2020 and December 2021. Plasma from 903 patients (all data available) during the acute phase of COVID-19 were assessed. COVID-19 severity was stratified using WHO criteria. In vitro, ACBP intracellular levels, autophagy levels (LC3II) and IL21 production were assessed by flow in PBMCs after a 24h stimulation with IL6, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)+ionomycin or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Plasma levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 (full spike protein or RBD) IgG were assessed by ELISA. Result(s): Median age of the cohort was 62 yo, 48% were female, 55% had comorbidities (see table). Increasing plasma levels of ACBP were found with severity (mild, moderate, severe and fatal groups having 5.3, 7.3, 9.5 and 10.6 RFU/50muL of plasma, respectively, p< 0.001 for all comparisons). Patients with comorbidities had higher plasma ACBP levels (7.4 vs 6.4 RFU/50muL, p< 0.001). Plasma ACBP levels were higher during the delta and omicron-variant periods (8.4 vs 6.8 RFU/50muL;p< 0.001). Plasma ACBP levels correlated with LC3II levels (r=0.51, P< 0.001) and IL6 (r=0.41, p< 0.001), but neither with markers IL1beta nor IL8. ACBP levels negatively correlated with IL21 levels (r=-0.27, p< 0.001), independently of age, sex, and severity. ACBP levels were not associated with levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels. In vitro, IL6 stimulation of healthy control PBMC induced extracellular ACBP release. Moreover, adding recombinant ACBP: 1) reduced autophagy in lymphocytes and monocytes upon polyclonal stimulation with PMA/ionomycin or LPS;2) reduced intracellular production of IL21 in T-cells after PMA/ ionomycin stimulation. Conclusion(s): Plasma ACBP levels were inversely linked with IL21 levels, suggesting that autophagy and IL21 allow control of SARS-CoV-2 infection, independently of the level of SARS-CoV-2 antibody secretion. ACBP is a targetable autophagy checkpoint and its extracellular inhibition may improve SARS-CoV-2 immune control. (Table Presented).

ICAM-1 MEDIATES PLASMACYTOID DENDRITIC CELL SENSING OF SARS-CoV-2-INFECTED CELLS

Background: Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are the major producer of type I IFNs (IFN-I), the critically important antiviral cytokines against SARS-CoV- 2. Although pDCs can sense cell-free SARS-CoV-2 virions, it is unknown whether they can detect infected cells to produce IFN-I. Since cell-to-cell transmission accounts for 90% of SARS-CoV-2 infections (Zeng et al., 2022), we examined the relevance of pDC sensing of infected cells in SARS-CoV-2 infection and whether the virus exploits this pathway to evade IFN-I responses. Method(s): LSPQ1, the first SARS-CoV-2 clinical isolate received from the Public Health Laboratory of Quebec, was used as a prototype virus. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concerns (VOCs) were also used. PBMCs or enriched pDCs were cocultured with mock-infected or SARS-CoV-2-infected HeLa-hACE2 or Calu-3. Either PBMCs, enriched pDCs, or HeLa-hACE2 were pretreated with anti-human ICAM-1 antibody or isotype control. The conjugate formation was determined by flow cytometry. Polarized Caco cells were used to validate critical data. Result(s): Upon sensing infected cells, PBMCs release 6-fold more IFN-I than they do when exposed to cell-free virions. Antibody-mediated depletion of pDCs from PBMCs abolishes IFN-I secretion. Direct contact of pDCs with infected cells is required for sensing since the use of a transwell membrane reduces IFN-I release by 85%. Infected cells form conjugates with pDCs more frequently (3.2-fold higher) than uninfected cells. Blocking ICAM-1 on infected cells or pDCs impacts conjugate formation and significantly suppresses IFN-I production by 55-80%, suggesting bidirectional interaction. Moreover, human lung cells infected with VOCs are sensed to a different extent with the alpha variant being the least efficiently sensed by pDCs compared to the delta or omicron strains. Even though SARS-CoV-2 is primarily released from the apical domain of polarized infected Caco cells, sensing of infected cells does occur upon direct contact of pDCs with the basolateral domain, highlighting how pDCs antiviral responses might be triggered in respiratory tissues. Conclusion(s): pDC sensing of infected cells accounts for the vast majority of IFN-I released during SARS-CoV-2 infection. ICAM-1 promotes physical contact between pDCs and infected cells, thus leading to efficient sensing. Differential pDC sensing of SARS-CoV-2 VOC-infected cells suggests that some VOCs might manipulate the interactions of pDCs with infected cells to limit IFN-I responses.

Queering public health: a critical examination of healthcare access and gender expression among trans, nonbinary, and other gender nonconforming people during COVID-19

Research documenting the impact of COVID-19 on Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (2SLGBTQ+) populations in Canada is limited. Our objectives were to investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown measures on the lives of trans, nonbinary, and other gender nonconforming (TGNC) people. Engage COVID-19 is a mixed methods study examining the impact of COVID-19 on gay, bisexual, queer, and other men who have sex with men (GBQM) living in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, Canada. Using purposive sampling, we conducted in-depth qualitative interviews (between November 2020-February 2021 and June-October 2021) with 93 participants who discussed the impact of COVID-19 on their lives. Seventeen participants were identiAed as TGNC. TGNC participants reported barriers to trans healthcare during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Several participants indicated that some public health interventions during COVID-19 (i.e., lockdowns) eased the pressure to "perform" gender due to fewer in-person interactions. During lockdowns, TGNC participants increasingly cultivated community networks online. Nevertheless, participants reported longing for the social support that was available to them during pre-COVID. Lack of access to community spaces during lockdowns had a negative impact on participants' mental health, despite reduced pressure to perform gender and opportunities for social engagement in online spaces.

Impacts de la pandémie de COVID-19 sur l'industrie touristique du Québec. Une analyse centrée sur les organisations de plein air

This study was conducted withthe aim of empirically analyzing the impacts of the pandemic of theCovid-19 on the Quebec tourism industry, with a particular focuson the outdoor sector, given that the latter seems to have been aform of escape in several countries and for many citizens. Basedon a quantitative approach and a self-administered survey in thesummer of 2020 (n = 1210), this study made it possible to analyzethe organizational situation of this industry, the tourism performanceof the organizations surveyed, their human resources concerns,their short- and medium-term development prospects, as well asthe structural and organizational elements where the organizationsare the most vulnerable. Overall, it can be seen that the outdoorsector, thanks to its 40 intrinsic characteristics, stands out verypositively in this industry, in particular in contrast to organizationslocated in large urban centers that depend on clients from outsideQuebec. © 2023 Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.

"I'm not anti-vax, but this COVID-19 thing stinks of shit”: The making of an anti-restrictive-measure discourse in the Canadian Twittersphere

• This article examines the role played by social media platforms (Twitter in particular) in the fabrication and dissemination of a discourse opposing health measures in the province of Quebec during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Based on a materialist and actor-network theory approach, it analyzes the narratives opposing the measures that circulated in the Quebec Twittersphere during the first two weeks of the implementation of the restrictive measures imposed by the federal and provincial authorities. In particular, we show that the fabrication and dissemination of a discourse opposed to these measures leads to an ideological syncretism with blurred contours that contributes to the trivialization of ideas traditionally associated with conspiracism that target Canadian scientific and political elites. The study, both of the discourse and of the device that promotes it, shows how this device allows individuals on the fringe of the public sphere to transform themselves into popular influencers and moral techno-entrepreneurs who become the figureheads of a movement opposed to the sanitary measures. © Criminologie 2022.

"It felt like building a plane while in flight": the consideration of social inequalities in the design and planning of a contact-tracing intervention for COVID-19 in Montreal, Quebec.

OBJECTIVE: In Canada and globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased social inequalities in health (SIH), furthering the vulnerability of certain groups and communities. Contact-tracing is a cornerstone intervention with COVID-19 prevention and control programs. The aim of this study was to describe whether and how SIH were considered during the design of the COVID-19 contact-tracing intervention in Montreal. METHODS: This study is part of the multi-country research program HoSPiCOVID, looking at the resilience of public health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. A descriptive qualitative study was carried out in Montreal, based on a "bricolage" conceptual framework describing the consideration for SIH in intervention and policy design. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 16 public health practitioners, recruited using both purposive and snowball sampling. Data were analyzed thematically, both inductively and deductively. RESULTS: According to participants, SIH were not initially considered during the design of the contract-tracing intervention in Montreal. The participants were frustrated by the Minister of Health's initial resistance to integrating SIH into their public health response. However, adaptations were gradually made to better meet the needs of underserved populations. CONCLUSION: There is a need for a clear and common vision of SIH within the public health system. Decision-makers need to consider SIH prior to designing public health interventions in order for these not to further increase SIH in the future, especially in the face of a health crisis.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Au Canada et dans le monde, la pandémie de COVID-19 a augmenté les inégalités sociales de santé (ISS), aggravant la vulnérabilité de certains groupes et communautés. Le suivi des contacts est une intervention fondamentale des programmes de prévention et de contrôle de la COVID-19. L'objectif de cette étude était de décrire si et comment les ISS ont été prises en compte lors de la conception de l'intervention de suivi des contacts pour la COVID-19 à Montréal. MéTHODES: Cette étude fait partie du programme de recherche multi-pays HoSPiCOVID, portant sur la résilience des systèmes de santé publique pendant la pandémie de COVID-19. Une étude qualitative descriptive a été menée à Montréal, sur la base d'un cadre conceptuel « bricolage ¼ décrivant la prise en compte des ISS dans la conception des interventions et des politiques. Des données qualitatives ont été recueillies au moyen d'entrevues semi-structurés avec 16 praticiens de la santé publique, recrutés par échantillonnage raisonné et en boule de neige. Les données ont été analysées de manière thématique, de façon inductive et déductive. RéSULTATS: Selon les participants, les ISS n'ont pas été initialement prises en compte lors de la conception de l'intervention de suivi des contacts à Montréal. Les professionnels de santé publique ont déploré le manque de volonté du Ministère de la Santé d'intégrer les ISS dans la réponse de santé publique. Toutefois, des adaptations ont été progressivement apportées pour mieux répondre aux besoins des populations vulnérables. CONCLUSION: Il est nécessaire d'avoir une vision claire et commune des ISS au sein du système de santé. Les décideurs doivent prendre en compte activement les ISS pour que celles-ci soient mieux conceptualisées, et que les interventions de santé publique n'aggravent pas les ISS, surtout en période de crise sanitaire.

Working with Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Adaptations and Insights from Youth Workers.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic thrust the world's population into a crisis. Social workers and other professionals working with youth have been front-line witnesses to the accentuated negative impact of this public health emergency on youth and their families as well as to the creative adaptive strategies of youth and their families. Purpose: Because youth workers are often the first to identify and respond to the needs and desires of children and youth, it is critical to better understand the ways in which youth workers adapted, coped, and intervened within the context of this global health, social, and economic crisis. Youth workers play a central role in the lives of children and youth. Their perspective is key to recognizing both practice innovation and organizational impediments. Method: 31 youth workers in mental health, housing, primary care, and child protection participated in focus groups discussing the impact of the pandemic during waves 1 and 2 on the youth and families they work with and, consequently, on their own practice. Results: include two central domains that organize findings around adapting professional practice to crisis situations: (1) the first-person experience of working with youth during the pandemic; (2) the changing needs and risks faced by youth and their families. Discussion: These domains include discussions around participant emotions and feelings of isolation, helplessness, and fear as well as adaptability. The article concludes with recommendations to support youth workers and adapt organizational structures to help protect youth from increased risk and vulnerability during a pandemic or other crises.

Skeptical Communities: The Participatory Dynamics of Political Fandom

Depuis le début de la pandemie de COVID-19, nous avons observé la maniere dont les microcélébrités politiques de la sphere informationnelle québécoise font circuler et répondent â la désinformation afin de creer et de maintenir une communauté. Les possibilités offertes par les plateformes encourageant le développement et le maintien de relations multidirectionnelles qui compliquent les modeles uni directi önnel s ďinfluence ou de manipulation. Nous abordons ces processus épistémologiques a travers le prisme de la propagande participative (Wanless & Berk, 2017, 2019) et du fandom politique (Reinhard et al., 2021). En analysant le contenu et des commentaires de videos affichées sur YouTube par des influenceurs québécois contre le masque, la vaccination et les mesures sanitaires, nous étudions une construction identitaire en opposition aux sources officielles : les membres de la communauté sont des éveillés (éveillés â la vérité), par opposition aux endormis (ceux qui sont endormis ou manipules). Grâce â des analyses qualitatives, cette étude met en lumiére la maniere dont le travail des micro-influenceurs cree des opportunités pour la formation ďune identite communautaire basée sur un affect negatif et une posture épistémologique de scepticisme.

COVID-19: A History: by Jacalyn Duffin, Montreal and Kingston, McGill-Queen's University Press, 2022, 232 pp., CAN $27.95 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-2280-1411-9

Duffin estimates that 55 vaccines were in development and some, such as the mRNA vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, were entirely novel. These are minor quibbles since Duffin works to her strengths as an historian and maintains a clear focus on the science, medicine, and public health responses to COVID-19. Duffin then turns to the science and medicine of COVID, including topics like testing, treatments, and the development of vaccines. [Extracted from the article]

The Socio-Pedagogical Environment of Primary School Students in the Context of a Socially Distanced Classroom

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, classroom activities in the primary school, marked by physical distancing between students and teachers, raise some challenges. Thus, this article seeks to document the primary school students' perceptions regarding their socio-pedagogical environment in the context of a socially distanced classroom. For this purpose, responses to the Questionnaire sur l'environnement sociopédagogique au primaire (QESPP) provided by 1,002 students aged from six to 12 in the fall of 2020 were subjected to descriptive quantitative analyses and to some comparative inferential analyses (SPSS 23.0). Results show a strong tendency of students' positive perceptions toward the various climates of their socio-pedagogical environment, although the relational climate seems to be perceived somewhat less positively.Alternate :En contexte de pandémie de COVID-19, les activités en classe de primaire, marquées par une distanciation physique entre les élèves et les enseignants, posent certains enjeux. Ainsi, cet article vise à examiner la perception des élèves du primaire quant à leur environnement sociopédagogique en contexte d'enseignement distancié. À cette fin, les réponses fournies par 1002 élèves de 6 à 12 ans à l'automne 2020 dans le Questionnaire sur l'environnement sociopédagogique au primaire (QESPP) ont été soumises à des analyses quantitatives descriptives ainsi qu'à quelques analyses comparatives inférentielles (SPSS, version 23.0). Les résultats montrent une forte tendance des perceptions positives des élèves face aux divers climats de leur environnement sociopédagogique, bien que le climat relationnel semble perçu un peu moins positivement.

COVID-19: Physical Activity Behavior Change among Athletes in Québec (Canada).

The context of the COVID-19 pandemic imposed unprecedented restrictions. Within Canada, which is among the most stringent countries in terms of sanitary rules, Québec was among the provinces that imposed the strictest sanitary measures. The impacts of some measures were felt the most among athletes since they made it difficult, if not impossible, to practice their sports. This article therefore aimed to (1) evaluate the impact of the pandemic on the athletes' overall level of physical activity, (2) look at the relationship between overall level of physical activity and the level of psychological well-being and (3) analyze post-pandemic physical activity intentions. For this purpose, an online survey was conducted among 1456 athletes aged 3 to 61 years old. The results of this study show that the limitations imposed during the pandemic led to half of athletes decreasing their overall level of physical activity, leading to a deterioration in their psychological well-being (F(2.1438) = 54.707, p < 0.001). The current research provided further evidence that it is essential to implement strategies that favor practicing physical activities in a pandemic context. Furthermore, since almost all individuals who increased their practice of wheeled sports during the pandemic intend to continue after the pandemic, this is a great opportunity to promote active transportation among athletes by ensuring that the perception of the benefits associated with it does not decrease with time.