The Current for Dec. 10, 2020
Today on The Current:
Health Canada has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, but challenges remain in getting it to those who need it, and reassuring people who are hesitant to take the vaccine that it's safe. Matt Galloway talks to Pfizer Canada president Cole Pinnow, who says the approval "represents a monumental change in the way that we are fighting the pandemic, and hopefully represents the first big step towards normalcy."
Plus, another creature that may suffer because of the pandemic is the horseshoe crab, whose blood is used in medical development, including COVID-19 research. We talk to David Wheeler, executive director of the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, and biologist Jay Bolden, about efforts to protect the species and others that rely on them.
Then, for nearly two decades, Karin Martin and her husband Trevor Walker have covered their Toronto home with Christmas lights and decorations. They tell us about hundreds of bulbs and extension cords, the month-long process of setting it all up, and the holiday cheer it brings.
And some for-profit long-term care homes have paid out dividends to their shareholders during the pandemic, while also receiving government help and facing accusations of poor standards of care. The CBC's John Lancaster tells us about an investigation into where that money went. Plus, we hear from Dr. Bob Bell, former deputy minister of health and long-term care in Ontario, and Colleen Flood, the university research chair in health law and policy at the University of Ottawa.