Wednesday, March 31, 2021

University provides update on residence outbreak

A message from Kate Windsor, Director, Safety Office.

On Monday, March 29, Region of Waterloo public health informed us that ten people who live on or have visited our campus tested positive for COVID-19.

All of the cases are related to a large cluster of COVID-19 in the region linked to off-campus gatherings of students from both universities. The cases include COVID variants of concern. As a result of the cluster, Region of Waterloo public health has declared an outbreak of COVID-19 in all University of Waterloo residences. Currently there are a total of 21 cases in this outbreak.

Public health officials are working with our residence and health teams to monitor the situation. Officials have been in touch with all high-risk contacts of the affected individuals. If you do not hear from public health officials, you should continue to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and seek testing if needed.

The outbreak in residences means that we will be implementing changes to our operations in shared dining spaces and shared study spaces. We are urging students to remain in their own accommodation except to attend classes, exercise or get food.

Avoid gatherings and stay safe

This outbreak is another opportunity to remind our community that every student and employee has an important part to play in limiting the risk of COVID-19. It is up to everyone to follow public health guidance and to respect each other as we share the space on our campus. 

Public health advises everyone in Waterloo region to:

• Avoid all social gatherings with anyone not in your immediate household
• Limit non-essential trips outside your home (e.g. work, school, getting food)
• Practice physical distancing
• Wear a face covering
• Wash your hands often
• Avoid enclosed, poorly ventilated spaces and crowded places
• Stay home when you are sick and seek testing

Students in residences can get support

Our Res Life Team is available to help students living in residence. We urge any student living on campus to reach out for help if you are experiencing symptoms, are concerned about exposure, have been identified as a high-risk contact, or have received advice to self-isolate. We are there to help you.

COVID-19 testing is available for University students, employees, postdocs and family members living in the same household. To book a test, please use the online registration form.

We take the privacy of individuals extremely seriously. In reporting on positive cases, the University will protect the private health information of individuals. You should check our disclosure protocol for what to do if someone reveals to you that they have tested positive for COVID-19.

Mei Nagappan receives 2020 Outstanding Early Career Researcher Award

This is an excerpt of an article originally featured on the School of Computer Science website.

Professor Mei Nagappan has received a 2020 Outstanding Early Career Researcher Award from CS-Can/Info-Can, the nation’s professional society dedicated to representing computer science and the interests of the discipline to Canadians. He is the ninth faculty member at the Cheriton School of Computer Science to receive this prestigious award. 

Conferred annually since 2009, the Outstanding Early Career Researcher Award recognizes excellence in computer science research and is given to top faculty members in Canadian computer science departments, schools and faculties who are within the first decade of their career after completing their PhD.

“Congratulations to Mei on receiving an Outstanding Early Career Researcher Award from CS-Can/Info-Can,” said Raouf Boutaba, Director of the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science. “Mei’s research has a broad impact on various stakeholders of software systems. He is regularly invited to serve on program committees of software engineering conferences and on editorial boards of top journals in his field. His many contributions to computer science and software engineering embody the very definition of an outstanding early career researcher.”

Previous recipients of CS-Can/Info-Can’s Outstanding Early Career Researcher Award at the Cheriton School of Computer Science are Professor Florian Kerschbaum (2019 recipient), Professor Daniel Vogel (2018 recipient), Professor Lap Chi Lau (2016 recipient), Professor Kate Larson (2015 recipient), Professor Ondřej Lhoták (2012 recipient), Professor Ian Goldberg (2010 recipient), Professor Bin Ma (2009 recipient) and Professor Éric Schost (2009 recipient).

About Professor Nagappan

Mei Nagappan is the current Ross & Muriel Cheriton Faculty Fellow and an Associate Professor at the Cheriton School of Computer Science, where he has been a member of the faculty since September 2016. Previously, he was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Software Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and earlier still a postdoctoral researcher at the Software Analysis and Intelligence Lab in the School of Computing at Queen’s University, working with Professor Ahmed Hassan. He completed his PhD in the Department of Computer Science at North Carolina State University, under the supervision of Professor Mladen Vouk.

Read the full story on the School of Computer Science's website.

Pharmacists prescribing for minor ailments will save health-care dollars, study shows

This article was originally published on Waterloo News.

Allowing Ontario pharmacists to prescribe for minor ailments could save the province $42 million a year, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Waterloo.

The study used mathematical modelling to examine the economic impact of implementing a compensated program for pharmacists prescribing for minor ailments in the province. 

Minor ailments are considered health conditions that can typically be self-diagnosed by patients—such as urinary tract infections and athlete’s foot—and can be managed with minimal treatment or straightforward self-care strategies.

“Globally, health-care systems are experiencing an increased demand for services because of the pandemic,” said Wasem Alsabbagh, a professor at the School of Pharmacy and lead author of the study. “Now, more than ever, we require financially responsible, efficient approaches to health-care service delivery. Minor ailments prescribing by pharmacists is an example of this.”

The researchers developed a model to project how pharmacist minor ailments prescribing will affect Ontario’s health-care system. They focused on the impact in three prevalent minor ailments: upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), contact dermatitis (CD) and conjunctivitis.

The study demonstrated that a significant number of patient visits to walk-in clinics, family doctors and emergency departments would be prevented, as patients could receive care at the pharmacy. This reduction would free physicians’ time for more complex cases and save the health-care system money by requiring a lower cost than what is currently in place.

“Ontario is in the process of establishing a plan for allowing pharmacists to prescribe for minor ailments,” Alsabbagh said. “We wanted to examine the economic impact of a variety of methods for implementing this change to determine which one is most cost-effective for Ontario’s health-care system.”

Eight provinces across Canada already allow pharmacist prescribing for minor ailments, and the style of billing varies province to province. The study determined that if Ontario adopts a compensation model and fee similar to Saskatchewan, the province would save, on average, $12.30, $4.90 and $9.30 for URTIs, CD and conjunctivitis, respectively, per patient. This corresponds to a total saving of more than $42 million annually, an amount that is just a fraction of the province’s savings when other health conditions are considered as well.

These findings provide a unique and important insight for policymakers in Ontario regarding the magnitude of the cost savings and an optimal approach to implementing a compensated program for pharmacists prescribing for minor ailments.  

The study was published in the International Journal of Pharmacy Practice and featured a cross-discipline research team consisting of pharmacy practice researchers, minor ailments experts and pharmacoeconomists. 

Sustainability Office launches podcast

On March 27, the Sustainability Office launched WAT’s Sustainable?, a podcast catered to staff, students and faculty interested in learning about sustainability issues impacting the world, why they matter and what individuals can do to promote sustainability.

New episodes will be published every Thursday during their Earth Month Challenge this April, focusing on themes of sustainable food, waste, nature and wellness.

The podcast is available at anchor.fm/sustainability-office as well as on Spotify, Google Podcast, Breaker and Pocket Casts. Check out the full announcement on the Sustainability Office's blog for more details.

Nutrition Month comes to a close and other notable notes

The Physics Graduate Student Association (PhysGSA) and Wolfram Research are hosting a workshop on Wolfram Language and Mathematica over 6 sessions in April and May. Members of the University community who register will receive two months of access to the latest version of Mathematica. Participants who complete the program will be eligible to receive Wolfram Certification. 

The workshop runs on Thursdays from April 1 to May 6, 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Zoom.

For more information about the workshop you can contact Amir Sadeghi (PhysGSA: ahsadegh@uwaterloo.ca) or Santiago Camacho (Wolfram Research: santiagoc@wolfram.com).

To conclude the Nutrition Month Myth vs. Fact initiative, here's a message from Health Services Dietitian Sandra Ace:

Canadians are reporting record high levels of depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic in a recent survey by Mental Health Research Canada. While many factors contribute to mental wellness, some of which may be beyond our control, the food we eat is an essential piece of the puzzle we do have some control over. Strong evidence indicates food can protect the brain and links a nutritious diet to a lower risk of mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. Our brain relies on many nutrients to support its structure and function, including the production of neurotransmitters. These brain chemicals regulate vital tasks, both physical - like heart rate, breathing and muscle movement, and mental - like sleep, memory, appetite, mood and concentration.

The nutrients that support the brain are found in a balanced diet. A piece of good news after more than a year in varying stages of pandemic-related isolation, is that home cooking has experienced somewhat of a resurgence. Preparing food at home has many benefits and decreases reliance on highly processed foods that don’t nourish our brains. Taking time to prepare food and to eat well, in short, helps to keep us happy.

The theme of Nutrition Month 2021 acknowledges that healthy eating looks different for everyone and reminds you that, if you would like personalized advice about how to “Find Your Healthy,” a Registered Dietitian can help you to identify personal food and nutrition goals and plan a pathway there. It has been my pleasure to once again share tips, facts and insights with you over the past few weeks and I would be happy to hear any feedback you have.

If you have mental health concerns, I encourage you to contact your health care provider or refer to this list of helpful resources from Occupational Health. Best wishes to all for a healthy and happy 2021.