Latest / Morning Medical with Dr. Chow / Quebec's Private Clinics, Ultra-Processed Foods, E-Scooter Risks, and Paris 2024 Covid Measures

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Quebec's Private Clinics, Ultra-Processed Foods, E-Scooter Risks, and Paris 2024 Covid Measures · Morning Medical with Dr. Chow

• 0:00
  Good morning, everyone, and welcome to another episode of Morning Medical with Dr.
• 0:04
  Chow.
• 0:05
  I am your host, Dr.
• 0:07
  Chi-Ming Chow.
• 0:08
  Today, we have some pressing issues to discuss, starting with a significant development in
• 0:13
  Quebec's healthcare system.
• 0:18
  More Quebec doctors are opting out of the public health-care sector than ever before,
• 0:22
  according to data compiled by the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec, or RAMQ.
• 0:27
  A total of seven hundred eighty general practitioners and specialists left the public
• 0:32
  system in the past year.
• 0:34
  This represents an alarming increase of twenty-two percent compared to the year prior.
• 0:39
  Dr.
• 0:40
  Isabelle Leblanc, president of Médecins québécois pour le régime public, expressed deep
• 0:47
  concern over these numbers.
• 0:50
  She pointed out the contradiction in the government's approach, saying, 'On the one
• 0:54
  hand, the government is saying, 'Yes, there aren't enough doctors, we're going to train six
• 1:00
  hundred more a year,' but at the same time, seven hundred eighty of them are going to the
• 1:04
  private sector.'
• 1:06
  The Fédération des médecins omnipraticiens du Québec, which represents more than ten thousand
• 1:12
  family physicians, described the situation as 'deplorable.' According to the federation, the
• 1:18
  growing constraints imposed on family doctors in the public network are a significant factor.
• 1:25
  They argue that doctors completing their studies wish to practice according to their
• 1:31
  field of interest in their region, in line with the needs of the population.
• 1:36
  However, the system increasingly directs their work and reduces the flexibility of their
• 1:41
  practice.
• 1:43
  So, why are so many doctors leaving the public system?
• 1:48
  Dr.
• 1:48
  Leblanc attributes the exodus in part to a campaign by private clinics to recruit doctors.
• 1:55
  She noted that private clinics start soliciting residents specializing in family medicine from
• 2:01
  the very first day of their residency.
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  Working conditions in the public system are also much more demanding compared to the
• 2:08
  private network.
• 2:09
  Dr.
• 2:10
  Élise Girouard-Chantal, a graduating family medicine resident and MQRP board member, said,
• 2:17
  'It's a quality of life choice.
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  There's no on-call duty.
• 2:20
  We don't work nights or weekends.
• 2:22
  The schedule is from nine a.m.
• 2:24
  to five p.m.
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  Patients are less sick because they work, are healthy, and have the money to pay.
• 2:30
  It's a much lighter practice.'
• 2:33
  Another issue is the restrictions the Quebec government imposes on doctors, particularly in
• 2:38
  terms of where they can practice.
• 2:40
  Dr.
• 2:41
  Girouard-Chantal explained that the restrictions are so intense that it is almost
• 2:46
  impossible to choose where you want to work and with which clientele.
• 2:51
  However, Quebec's Health Ministry warned against misinterpreting the data.
• 2:58
  They stated that not all physicians who left the public sector moved to the private sector.
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  Some are on sabbatical, for instance.
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  The ministry noted that the percentage of non-participating physicians in the public
• 3:10
  sector increased only slightly, from two point one six percent in two thousand twenty to three
• 3:17
  point three seven percent today.
• 3:19
  This means that approximately ninety-seven percent of physicians in Quebec are
• 3:23
  participants in the public system, despite an upward trend in non-participating physicians.
• 3:29
  What needs to be done to retain doctors in the public system?
• 3:33
  Dr.
• 3:34
  Leblanc believes that paying doctors more money would not make any difference.
• 3:39
  'Doctors are very well paid in the public system.
• 3:42
  It's really more a question of working conditions,' she said.
• 3:46
  Improving the working conditions of nurses, orderlies, and other health-care workers is
• 3:51
  essential because, without retaining these essential personnel, doctors cannot provide
• 3:56
  adequate care in an enjoyable working environment.
• 4:01
  The more people the private sector attracts, the less efficient the public system becomes,
• 4:05
  making it less attractive to work there.
• 4:08
  Dr.
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  Girouard-Chantal added that successive government decisions have gradually opened the
• 4:15
  door to private health-care in Quebec.
• 4:17
  For example, Quebec is the only province where new doctors, at the end of their studies, can
• 4:23
  choose between public or completely private practice.
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  In other provinces, laws prohibit exclusive private practice.
• 4:32
  She pointed out that Quebec has organized the front line around family medicine groups that
• 4:37
  are private-public partnerships, subcontracted surgeries to the private sector, and de-insured
• 4:44
  certain services like psychotherapy and physiotherapy.
• 4:48
  This gives the private sector room to grow.
• 4:51
  In an attempt to reduce surgical waiting lists, a dozen Quebec health-care establishments
• 4:57
  issued calls for tenders to outsource more than six hundred thousand medical procedures to the
• 5:01
  private sector over the next five years, for a total of nearly five hundred million dollars.
• 5:07
  However, Médecins québécois pour le régime public insists that a migration of the
• 5:13
  health-care system to the private sector is not a viable long-term solution.
• 5:18
  'Private clinics are there to make money, not to provide care.
• 5:23
  They more or less take the patients who are richer and healthier,' said Dr.
• 5:27
  Leblanc.
• 5:29
  A recent study published in the journal BMC Public Health explores the role of lifestyle
• 5:35
  and socioeconomic factors on the negative impacts of ultra-processed foods on
• 5:40
  health-related quality of life.
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  Ultra-processed foods are heavily processed foods with low nutritional quality.
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  They are often high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, and lack fiber, protein, and
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  micronutrients.
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  The global consumption of ultra-processed foods continues to rise, leading to increasing rates
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  of obesity and cardiovascular disease, as well as lower health-related quality of life.
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  Prior research has established a positive link between a healthy dietary pattern and improved
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  mental and physical health.
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  Socioeconomic and educational factors can contribute to the consumption of
• 6:21
  ultra-processed foods and modify their impact on health-related quality of life.
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  Although most previous studies have examined the relationship between these different
• 6:30
  factors in adolescents, the present study included a population-based cohort of adults.
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  The current study included 1,766 adults between the ages of 18 and 78 years who were part of
• 6:46
  the Tehran Lipid and Glucose study.
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  Study participants’ intake of ultra-processed foods and their health-related quality of life
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  were evaluated.
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  Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, including smoking and physical activity, were also
• 7:01
  recorded.
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  Both physical and mental health components were assessed separately, and their associations
• 7:07
  determined across ultra-processed food consumption were stratified into tertiles.
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  The model was then extended to understand how lifestyle and socioeconomic factors affected
• 7:18
  this relationship.
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  Almost equally distributed between the two sexes, over 80% of the study participants were
• 7:26
  less educated and current smokers.
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  The mean age of the study cohort was 39 years.
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  Men had higher physical component summary and mental component summary scores than women,
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  whereas smokers had better physical component summary scores than non-smokers.
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  The median consumption of ultra-processed foods accounted for about 12% of total energy intake.
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  Higher ultra-processed food intake was more common among women, younger and unmarried
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  participants, smokers, and those with a lower body mass index.
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  These individuals were also more likely to consume more energy, saturated and unsaturated
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  fats, meat, poultry, fish, and refined flours.
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  Unhealthy fats in the diet may contribute to insulin resistance and low-grade systemic
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  inflammation.
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  Subsequent muscle loss can reduce an individual’s functional status, promote frailty
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  and disability, as well as increase their risk of fractures, all of which reduce
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  health-related quality of life.
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  Comparatively, the consumption of whole grains, fruits, dairy, vegetables, and overall
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  carbohydrates and proteins declined with rising ultra-processed food intake.
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  Previous studies have shown that nutritional improvements increase health-related quality of
• 8:47
  life among adolescents with excessive body mass index; however, more recent studies have
• 8:54
  reported reduced emotional well-being after these interventions.
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  Importantly, these studies are not relevant to adults, as they have primarily been focused on
• 9:04
  adolescents.
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  The physical component summary score of health-related quality of life reduced with
• 9:11
  higher ultra-processed food intake, whereas the mental component summary score was not
• 9:17
  affected.
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  The adverse effect of ultra-processed food intake on the physical component summary score
• 9:23
  was not observed in those with healthy lifestyles and higher socioeconomic status,
• 9:29
  thus indicating that these factors may prevent insulin resistance and inflammation.
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  The relationship between physical component summary score and ultra-processed food
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  consumption was altered after including parameters like sex and occupation.
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  In women, the physical component summary score was reduced as ultra-processed food intake
• 9:53
  increased.
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  Significant interactions were observed between this relationship and the presence of smoking,
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  education, and physical activity.
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  Smokers, those with low physical activity levels, as well as individuals with a lower
• 10:08
  education status, were more likely to have lower physical component summary scores with
• 10:13
  increased ultra-processed food consumption.
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  Both physical and mental component summary scores were reduced among unemployed
• 10:21
  individuals with higher ultra-processed food consumption.
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  Mental component summary scores did not reflect any other significant differences with changes
• 10:31
  in lifestyle or socioeconomic status.
• 10:35
  In one Australian study of older adults, each additional 10 grams of red meat was associated
• 10:41
  with a 0.4-point reduction in mental component summary scores.
• 10:46
  This observation was contradicted by two randomized control trials in which a
• 10:51
  high-protein diet was not associated with any change in mental component summary scores.
• 10:57
  Notably, most of these studies involved a higher median intake of ultra-processed foods
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  than the present study.
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  Some broad-based studies have indicated that mental component summary scores do not
• 11:11
  correlate with dietary quality.
• 11:14
  Moreover, some prospective studies have reported that younger women consuming a healthy
• 11:20
  diet have higher mental component summary scores than men with similar dietary patterns.
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  Many studies have also shown that unhealthy dietary habits are associated with lower mental
• 11:32
  component summary scores.
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  In conclusion, higher intake of ultra-processed foods was associated with poorer physical
• 11:40
  health, particularly among women, those with unhealthy lifestyles, and individuals with low
• 11:46
  socioeconomic status.
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  Higher socioeconomic status and higher educational and income levels were associated
• 11:53
  with improved physical health-related quality of life.
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  Conversely, lifestyle factors like smoking and low levels of physical activity were associated
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  with worse physical health-related quality of life.
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  The current study is among the first to report how smoking affects the association between
• 12:11
  health-related quality of life and ultra-processed food intake.
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  This study highlights the importance of adopting appropriate lifestyle habits along
• 12:21
  with a healthy diet among women and subjects with low socioeconomic status.
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  Hitting the streets from Vancouver’s west coast to Nova Scotia’s eastern shores, electric
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  scooters are zooming into Canadian cities, embraced as a convenient and eco-friendly mode
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  of transportation.
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  However, this newfound popularity comes with growing safety concerns, as emergency room
• 12:45
  physicians warn about the dangers of using e-scooters due to a reported increase in
• 12:51
  related injuries.
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  “As emergency physicians across the country, we’re seeing incredible injuries from
• 12:58
  e-scooters,” Toronto-based emergency physician Dr.
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  Raghu Venugopal said.
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  “We’re needing to activate trauma teams, we’re needing different surgical specialists to come
• 13:08
  in and treat the multiple traumatic injuries.
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  We’re seeing collarbones shattered needing surgery, we’re seeing six to seven rib
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  fractures in healthy people, we’re seeing ankles destroyed, needing surgery.
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  And we’re seeing internal bleeding in the brain.”
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  Wearing helmets and wrist guards and avoiding speeding are essential for staying safe while
• 13:30
  riding, Venugopal said.
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  Unfortunately, many people ignore these precautions.
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  He noted that many injured patients ride their e-scooters at high speeds without helmets.
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  Electric scooters have become a familiar sight in Canadian cities, thanks in part to the surge
• 13:47
  of scooter-sharing programs.
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  Companies like Bird and Lime have set up shops in major cities like Vancouver, Calgary, and
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  Mississauga, Ontario, allowing residents to rent these vehicles by the hour.
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  Bird Canada launched in two thousand nineteen, and since then has expanded to twenty-five
• 14:06
  Canadian cities, a company spokesperson told Global News in an email Wednesday.
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  “They are a safe, sustainable, and fun way to get from point A to point B without the need
• 14:17
  for a car,” the spokesperson said.
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  “Injuries as a proportion of rides has steadily decreased in Canada for some time.
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  Study after study for the Canadian market by cities with programs have concluded they are at
• 14:29
  least as safe if not safer than traditional bicycles.”
• 14:34
  However, health-care professionals have warned they’re seeing a rise in e-scooter injuries,
• 14:39
  prompting Montreal Children’s Hospital to issue an alert last week.
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  In the past three months, the hospital said it has seen seven cases.
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  That’s up from a total of eight last year.
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  “The types of injuries we see are head injuries, broken bones, things like that.
• 14:55
  The more serious ones are the head injuries and head injuries are quite common,” said Liane
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  Fransblow, the trauma co-ordinator at the Montreal Children’s Injury Prevention Program.
• 15:06
  Hospitals are treating e-scooter injuries in children as young as five, often without
• 15:11
  helmets, she said.
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  Fransblow warned that unless regulations and enforcement are tightened, these injuries will
• 15:18
  only rise alongside the growing popularity of e-scooters.
• 15:22
  Laws regarding e-scooters vary not only from province to province but also from city to city
• 15:27
  across Canada.
• 15:28
  In Vancouver, riders must be at least sixteen years old, wear a helmet, walk their e-scooter
• 15:34
  when on a sidewalk, use a bell when passing others, and ensure they do not exceed
• 15:39
  twenty-five kilometers per hour, and there are no passengers allowed.
• 15:43
  E-scooter rules in Vancouver, among other communities in British Columbia, are part of a
• 15:49
  pilot project aimed at evaluating their use in commuting.
• 15:52
  E-scooters are banned in other cities in the province, such as Surrey.
• 15:57
  In Alberta, while scooter-sharing programs are permitted in some cities, personal e-scooters
• 16:03
  are not allowed on public sidewalks or roadways due to a lack of provincial approval for use
• 16:08
  beyond private property.
• 16:10
  And although wearing a helmet isn’t legally required in the province, it is strongly
• 16:14
  recommended.
• 16:16
  In Ontario, e-scooters are legal in some cities but come with some restrictions.
• 16:22
  Riders must be at least sixteen years old and wear a bicycle helmet if under eighteen.
• 16:28
  The speed limit is capped at twenty-four kilometers per hour and sidewalks are
• 16:32
  off-limits for e-scooters.
• 16:34
  Similar to British Columbia, some Ontario cities like Mississauga and Oshawa have
• 16:39
  embraced e-scooters, while Toronto has opted for a temporary ban.
• 16:43
  In Quebec, you can ride e-scooters if you’re at least fourteen years old.
• 16:48
  You have to wear a helmet and stick to speed limits.
• 16:51
  And if you are between the ages of fourteen and seventeen, you need a special license to ride
• 16:56
  an e-scooter, e-bike, or moped.
• 16:59
  E-scooters and other motorized vehicles, like electric skateboards and bikes, have quickly
• 17:05
  gained popularity in Canada due to their fun, convenient, and environmentally friendly
• 17:10
  nature, said Dr.
• 17:12
  Blair Bigham, an emergency room doctor in Toronto.
• 17:15
  However, he cautioned that e-scooter riders should recognize that riding one is like
• 17:20
  driving a vehicle but without the same protection, and should approach it with similar
• 17:25
  caution to reduce risks of injury.
• 17:27
  He emphasized the importance of wearing wrist guards and a helmet while riding an e-scooter,
• 17:34
  noting the high incidence of wrist and brain injuries among riders.
• 17:39
  “Wrist guards are so important, and I don’t think a lot of people realize that.
• 17:45
  But when you fall you often catch yourself with your hands, which can lead to serious wrist
• 17:49
  injuries if you’re not protected,” Bigham said.
• 17:53
  Venugopal warned that the most significant safety issue he observes with injuries is
• 17:58
  “speed, speed, speed.” “Many of the users of e-scooters are going at very high speeds.
• 18:05
  I’ve had patients tell me with multiple injuries that are serious that they were
• 18:09
  keeping up with the cars,” he said.
• 18:11
  “People’s faces are literally shattered …
• 18:14
  and when the bones in their face are shattered, it’s not going to be the same afterward.
• 18:19
  Users really need to pause and think about how fast they’re traveling in just pure concrete
• 18:23
  environments and how you know the human body against concrete at a high speed, it’s just a
• 18:28
  disaster.”
• 18:30
  Another common issue Venugopal sees is multiple people riding one e-scooter.
• 18:35
  These devices are designed for single occupancy only, he stressed.
• 18:40
  Brain trauma resulting from not wearing a helmet is another huge safety issue, said Kelly
• 18:45
  Vogt, a trauma surgeon at the London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ontario.
• 18:50
  “We see a lot of people who come in without a helmet on who are still going the recommended
• 18:54
  speed limit who are injured quite substantially,” she said.
• 18:58
  “It can cause severe, devastating brain injuries that people can never recover from.”
• 19:03
  Venugopal, Bigham, and Vogt all recognize the advantages of e-scooters as an alternative mode
• 19:09
  of transportation in both urban and suburban settings.
• 19:14
  However, they emphasized that it is possible to ride more safely on the roads and minimize the
• 19:19
  risk to your body.
• 19:22
  “I don’t want to pretend like I’m against e-scooters.
• 19:25
  I mean, this is a revolution for a lot of micro transporters in congested cities or even in
• 19:30
  suburban areas where things are spread out,” Venugopal said.
• 19:34
  “And so I think our municipal leaders need to think about how we’re going to incorporate this
• 19:38
  important new mode of transportation.”
• 19:41
  Vogt stressed the importance of riding e-scooters free of any intoxication from
• 19:47
  substances such as drugs or alcohol.
• 19:51
  “Anything that impairs your ability to react and respond is dangerous,” she said.
• 19:57
  She added that it’s also crucial for people to wear all necessary protective equipment and
• 20:03
  believes helmets should be mandatory for all ages.
• 20:06
  Her number one piece of advice is to be aware of your surroundings when going for a scoot.
• 20:11
  Even though there aren’t requirements for licenses for e-scooters, you are a vehicle on
• 20:16
  the road, and you need to be aware and follow the rules of the road,” she said.
• 20:22
  Whether it is the dog days of summer or a cold snap in the dead of winter, extreme
• 20:26
  temperatures tend to bring people's activities to a halt — including doctor appointments.
• 20:32
  Seniors, in particular, are more likely to skip their scheduled medical visits if it is too hot
• 20:38
  or too cold, according to a study from the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.
• 20:44
  On days that are ninety degrees or hotter, for every one degree increase in temperature, the
• 20:49
  rate of missed appointments rises by zero point six four percent, as reported by researchers at
• 20:54
  the Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• 20:59
  The rate of missed appointments is even higher on cold days, going up by zero point seven two
• 21:05
  percent for every one-degree decrease below thirty-nine degrees.
• 21:10
  'The key finding is that people are less likely to keep their doctors' appointments when it is
• 21:15
  extremely hot or extremely cold,' said senior author Nathalie S.
• 21:20
  May, M.D., a professor at Drexel University College of Medicine, in a statement to Fox News
• 21:25
  Digital.
• 21:27
  In the study, the researchers analyzed more than one million appointments involving
• 21:31
  ninety-one thousand five hundred sixty adult patients from January two thousand nine through
• 21:36
  December two thousand nineteen.
• 21:39
  The appointments were all made at thirteen university outpatient clinics in Philadelphia,
• 21:43
  according to a university press release.
• 21:46
  The appointment data was compared to temperature and precipitation records from the
• 21:51
  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• 21:55
  Lakelyn Eichenberger, PhD, a gerontologist and caregiver advocate at Home Instead, an Honor
• 22:01
  Company in Omaha, Nebraska, said she was not surprised by the study findings.
• 22:07
  'For many older adults, going to a doctor's appointment takes considerable effort,
• 22:12
  especially for those with mobility issues, chronic conditions, complex medical needs or
• 22:18
  cognitive impairment,' Eichenberger, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News
• 22:24
  Digital via email.
• 22:26
  'When you add extreme or inclement weather, it presents even more challenges.
• 22:32
  For some, it might seem easier to skip the appointment altogether to avoid the risks that
• 22:38
  extreme conditions could pose.'
• 22:42
  Shana Johnson, a physician in Scottsdale, Arizona, who teaches at the University of
• 22:47
  Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix, also commented on the findings.
• 22:52
  'Individuals with heart and lung conditions, including heart failure, asthma, and chronic
• 22:58
  obstructive pulmonary disease, have a hard time tolerating extreme heat,' said Johnson, who was
• 23:04
  also not involved in the study.
• 23:06
  'The heat may exacerbate their symptoms, making breathing as well as dizziness and falls more
• 23:11
  likely.'
• 23:13
  In her own practice, Johnson has seen many patients who had disabilities or difficulty
• 23:18
  walking.
• 23:20
  'Transportation to the visit and walking safely were greatly affected by the weather,' she
• 23:25
  said.
• 23:26
  'Cold temperatures, which often come with heavy rain or snow, make surfaces slippery,
• 23:31
  increasing the risk of falls and injuries.' If the weather is poor, cancellations and no-shows
• 23:38
  tend to increase, she noted.
• 23:41
  Experts offered the following tips to ensure that seniors make it to essential appointments
• 23:46
  despite challenging weather conditions.
• 23:49
  First, plan ahead to ensure safety.
• 23:52
  Schedule appointments during times when the weather is typically more favorable.
• 23:58
  For example, avoid early morning appointments in winter when sidewalks might be icy, and
• 24:03
  avoid mid-afternoon appointments during the hottest part of the day.
• 24:07
  Monitor weather forecasts and reschedule appointments if extreme weather is expected —
• 24:12
  it is better to err on the side of caution.
• 24:15
  Allow plenty of time to get ready and travel safely to your destination.
• 24:19
  Be prepared for weather-related delays or breakdowns during travel by carrying water to
• 24:23
  stay hydrated and snacks to avoid hunger and lightheadedness.
• 24:27
  Dress in layers during cold weather and wear appropriate footwear to prevent slips and
• 24:31
  falls.
• 24:32
  In hot weather, opt for light, breathable clothing and use sun protection, such as hats
• 24:37
  and sunscreen.
• 24:39
  Consider telehealth appointments when possible.
• 24:42
  Based on the findings, the researchers are calling for telemedicine to become a permanent,
• 24:47
  covered mode of health care delivery.
• 24:49
  Previous studies have shown that the availability of telemedicine reduces the
• 24:53
  chances of missed appointments by thirteen percent.
• 24:57
  If the opportunity to choose an insurance plan that provides coverage for telemedicine
• 25:01
  presents itself, it may be a preferred option.
• 25:05
  Find reliable transportation.
• 25:08
  For patients who still drive, ensure the car is serviced regularly to avoid car trouble.
• 25:14
  If the patient no longer drives, it is important to arrange for reliable
• 25:18
  transportation options.
• 25:20
  This could include asking family members or friends for help — or using home care services,
• 25:25
  ride-sharing services, or senior transportation programs.
• 25:30
  For those using public transportation, seek shelter while waiting for the bus to avoid
• 25:35
  being out in the weather.
• 25:37
  Have the essentials on hand.
• 25:40
  Be prepared for weather-related delays or breakdowns during travel by carrying water to
• 25:45
  stay hydrated and snacks to avoid hunger and lightheadedness.
• 25:49
  If traveling by car, keep an emergency kit with essentials such as water, snacks, blankets, and
• 25:56
  a first-aid kit — as well as any necessary medications that need to be taken throughout
• 26:01
  the day.
• 26:03
  The researchers acknowledged some limitations of the study — particularly that it relies on
• 26:07
  limited data sets.
• 26:09
  'We acknowledge that the data collected on maximum daily temperatures from one central
• 26:13
  location may not capture urban heat island effects throughout the city,' Drexel College of
• 26:19
  Medicine clinical associate professor Janet H.
• 26:22
  Fitzpatrick, M.D., one of the lead authors of the study, told Fox News Digital via email.
• 26:28
  'In addition, patients with multiple medical problems impacted the ability to explore how
• 26:33
  individual diseases affect the associations between extreme weather and missed
• 26:38
  appointments.'
• 26:39
  Other research has pointed to additional factors — such as the day of the week, previous
• 26:44
  no-shows, and the use of automated reminders — as impacting the rate of attendance, according
• 26:50
  to a university press release.
• 26:53
  The researchers recommend considering the availability of transportation in future
• 26:57
  studies assessing missed appointments.
• 27:01
  The Paris Olympic Games have been hit by an unwelcome attendee: Covid-19.
• 27:07
  This week, five players from Australia’s women’s water polo team tested positive for the
• 27:12
  virus.
• 27:14
  This development has raised critical questions about how the spread of Covid-19 will be
• 27:18
  managed during the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
• 27:22
  According to a Paris 2024 spokesperson, there are protocols in place for such cases.
• 27:28
  These protocols include recommendations for mask-wearing for those who test positive,
• 27:33
  limiting contact with others, and regular hand hygiene.
• 27:37
  Hand sanitizer stations have been installed in all residential areas and the Olympic Village
• 27:43
  restaurant.
• 27:44
  The spokesperson emphasized that they are closely monitoring the public health situation
• 27:48
  in France in collaboration with the relevant government ministry.
• 27:53
  Lucia Mullen, an associate scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and a member
• 27:58
  of the World Health Organization’s mass gathering expert group, stated that many
• 28:03
  national teams might have their own safety protocols to protect their athletes.
• 28:08
  Basic hygiene measures such as hand hygiene, social distancing, and isolation for those who
• 28:14
  test positive are being promoted.
• 28:17
  'We are treating Covid-19 no differently than other respiratory diseases,' she said.
• 28:23
  Anna Meares, the chef de mission for the Australian Olympic team, echoed similar
• 28:28
  sentiments.
• 28:29
  'This is a high-performance environment, so we are being diligent,' Meares said at a news
• 28:34
  conference.
• 28:35
  She mentioned that fellow teammates are wearing masks and adhering to social distancing
• 28:40
  measures, such as meeting outdoors.
• 28:44
  She emphasized that they are treating Covid-19 similarly to other bugs like the flu and that
• 28:49
  isolation continues until symptoms subside and tests come back clear.
• 28:55
  Despite the absence of a global public health emergency due to Covid-19, the Olympic Games
• 29:00
  are taking place amid a wave of infections in the United States.
• 29:04
  Even President Joe Biden recently tested positive for the disease.
• 29:08
  The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that if you test positive
• 29:13
  for Covid-19, you stay home until you are fever-free for at least 24 hours without any
• 29:19
  fever-reducing medications and your symptoms have been improving for 24 hours.
• 29:24
  It then advises wearing a mask around others for the next five days.
• 29:28
  Lucia Mullen pointed out that Covid-19 is still circulating and that case numbers are likely
• 29:34
  underreported due to reduced surveillance measures in many countries.
• 29:38
  'We are expecting that there will be some people traveling to the Games who may not know
• 29:43
  they have Covid-19 and could spread it to others,' she added.
• 29:47
  The French capital is expecting to welcome about 15 million tourists during the Olympic
• 29:53
  Games.
• 29:54
  In preparation, public health guidance for travelers attending the 2024 Summer and
• 29:59
  Paralympic Games has been released by the World Health Organization, the French Ministry of
• 30:05
  Health and Prevention, Santé publique France, and the European Centre for Disease Prevention
• 30:11
  and Control.
• 30:13
  This guidance includes checking vaccination status against common infectious diseases and
• 30:18
  adopting precautions if experiencing symptoms like cough, fever, or sore throat.
• 30:24
  In conclusion, while the world is no longer under a public health emergency, the Paris
• 30:29
  Olympic Games are facing the challenge of managing Covid-19 amidst a backdrop of rising
• 30:34
  cases.
• 30:36
  With millions of tourists expected, stringent protocols and personal responsibility will be
• 30:42
  key to minimizing the spread of the virus.
• 30:45
  That wraps up today's episode of Morning Medical with Dr.
• 30:48
  Chow.
• 30:49
  Thank you for joining me as we navigated through these pressing health issues.
• 30:54
  Stay safe and take care.
• 30:55
  I’m Dr.
• 30:56
  Chi-Ming Chow, signing off until next time.