During a typical disaster, Red Cross volunteers would check on how someone is coping through a face-to-face visit, however, in keeping with COVID-19 physical distancing requirements, teams are currently doing daily check-ins by phone. In Saskatchewan, volunteers have already made more than 200 wellness check phone calls to people with vulnerabilities being supported in self-isolation.
Emergency 15
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For many Canadians in need, COVID-19 brings a whole new set of challenges in terms of food, lodging, hygiene, access to health care, and social interactions. Fewer pedestrians and reduced vehicle traffic mean less charitable giving in public spaces.
Normally, when someone loses everything they own in an apartment fire, the Canadian Red Cross Personal Disaster Assistance Team (PDAT) arrives on the scene with blankets and teddy bears to offer warmth and comfort. That’s how it worked before COVID-19.
As Canadians are encouraged to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, families are facing the challenge of keeping children’s needs met while at home.
For the past two weeks, Canadians aboard a cruise ship have been in quarantine due to an outbreak of COVID-19. The Red Cross is helping Canadians in quarantine after their arrival from Japan – here’s how.
On February 7, Canadians returned from China and arrived at CFB Trenton. They left from Wuhan China, following an outbreak of novel coronavirus. For 14 days after their arrival, they will be in isolation in a temporary lodging site to be monitored for any symptoms before they continue home. The Canadian Red Cross is on the ground, providing support.
In the early days of any emergency, whether it’s a new virus, wildfires or flooding, we frequently see a surge of inaccurate, misleading or at times blatantly false information circulating on social media and through word of mouth. Why is that? Where does this misinformation come from and what impact does it have on those trying to respond to the emergency?
As we get ready in ring in 2020, we're reflecting on some events from the past decade that brought together international aid workers, inspired innovative solutions to complex challenges, and showed the amazing capacity for resilience humans have in the face of disasters.