In March 2020, the RSC President and the Board of Directors determined that the RSC ought to do what it can to ensure that Canada emerges as a better society coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic than it was going into it.
On February 9, three representatives of the RSC Task Force on COVID-19 testified before the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology on the potential for establishing a National Day of Observance for the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The Chair of the RSC Task Force, Dr. Tracy Vaillancourt, read the opening statement and then was joined by Dr. Julia M. Wright (Member of the Task Force and President of the Academy of Arts and Humanities) and Dr. Sharon Straus (Member of the Task Force) in responding to questions from Senators.
The World Health Organization defines an infodemic as “too much information including false or misleading information in digital and physical environments during a disease outbreak.”
While the term is new, the problem is not. For centuries, writers have recognized that disease outbreaks spur the spread of incorrect information, or misinformation.
Tracy Vaillancourt, FRSC and Suniya S. Luthar | February 9, 2022
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Samira Mubareka, Claire Jardine, and Joe Copper Jack | February 2, 2022
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A preprint version of the Executive Summary of a forthcoming RSC Policy Briefing entitled “Investing in the Canadian Nursing Workforce Post Pandemic: A Call to Action” is now available here. The full Policy Briefing is currently undergoing peer review. This preprint version is being published ahead of final peer review due to the urgency of the recommendations. A peer-reviewed policy briefing will be made available as soon as that process has been completed.
COVID-19 has highlighted the extent to which researchers who publicly share their expertise and the results of research face harassment and personal threats. The intimidation of experts has recently garnered significant media attention, but it is a problem that has affected the safety, well-being, and work of those who produce knowledge for some time. There is significant risk not only to researchers, but also to the public if the threat of intimidation prevents researchers from sharing knowledge and expertise.
The RSC Policy Briefing entitled “Protecting Expert Advice for the Public: Promoting Safety and Improved Communications” is now freely and publicly available here.
Established by the President of the Royal Society of Canada in April 2020, the RSC Task Force on COVID-19 was mandated to provide evidence-informed perspectives on major societal challenges in
response to and recovery from COVID-19.
