Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

It doesn’t matter what you call it.

The COVID-19 pandemic has and will continue to affect your life and the lives of those around you.

The global COVID-19 pandemic has had an immeasurable impact on how we work, socialize, and live our day-to-day lives. The growing infection rates continue to challenge our healthcare system, diminishing ICU capacity and placing increasing demand on healthcare workers. The government is under constant pressure to provide adequate testing and find effective ways to protect the most vulnerable Canadians from exposure to SARS-CoV-2.

The goal of this website is to expand your “COVID-19 toolkit”.

There are many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic that can be daunting: What is SARS-CoV-2, and how can it hurt me? Are masks and social distancing enough to protect me? How do I know the information I see about COVID-19 and the pandemic online is correct and truthful?

The material in this website addresses these issues and more, providing a broad scope of information about the toxicity of COVID-19. This conversation is not limited to just the physiological impacts of COVID-19; its toxicity extends to over-sanitization, the wellbeing of healthcare workers, the development and exacerbation of mental health conditions, and the damage that COVID-19 misinformation can have on the broader public. Several resources for COVID-19 testing, as well as financial and mental health assistance, are provided for your convenience.

It is the authors’ hope that this website will provide not only greater public understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic, but promote the scientific literacy and understanding needed to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Stay safe.

Signed,

Alexandra Cullen, Grace Dutra, Pei Yuan Li, Victoria Simone, and Shelby Stein