In response to contagion, some Canadians go on a binge

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Friday, April 17, 2020 -- Good morning, CurveFlatteners. Today's report, originating from Chronicle HQ in Etobicoke, Ont., Canada, is provided to you by editorial director Allan Ryan.

Slàinte Mhaith. Here's to you. A NANOS poll released yesterday found that 25% of Canadians 35 to 54 years of age report they are consuming more alcohol during the pandemic. The poll was commissioned by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, and reasons cited for the increase include lack of a regular schedule, boredom and stress. Dr. Catherine Paradis of the CCSA says, “The Canadian drinking culture is one where alcohol use serves as a boundary between weekday and weekend, work and leisure; it marks a ‘time out.’ With the ongoing threat of Covid-19, these boundaries have become blurred.”

Over-eating in response to stress generated by the threat of Covid-19 has also been recognized as a common reaction. People may crave snacks with abundant sugar content since the glucose can help to calm a brain that is stressed out, researchers say. According to Amy Reichel from the Schulich medical school in London, Ont. and quoted by CTV, “. . . eating can provide a welcome distraction from the situation that we are currently facing, and can provide a coping mechanism during uncertain times.” 

‘Uncertain times’ might be the reason people are jonesing for a Krispy Kreme donut (or three). At one of the handful of Krispy Kreme stands left in Canada, this drive-thru location in Mississauga, Ont. has seen line-ups with over a hundred cars and wait times of two hours. Some might describe donuts as comfort food—here, individual orders are capped at five dozen. Should be adequate comfort for a while, at least.

COVID CHRONICLE 04/17/2020

• As U.S. President Donald J. Trump burbles about shortening the time before businesses can reopen (and possibly re-opening the Canada-U.S.A. border), Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been served with at least two lawsuits related to the extended stay-at-home order she issued last week. The order bans travel between residences or vacation homes. One of the suits was filed by a man who was upset the order would prevent him from visiting his girlfriend.

• New York state governor Andrew Cuomo yesterday issued an order that requires people to wear masks in public settings whenever it is not possible to maintain social distancing. That follows a similar order issued in Maryland on the previous day. Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam suggested, but did not mandate, a comparable move last week.
• A paper published in The Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine reports that a medical examiner in Thailand contracted Covid-19 from a dead patient infected with the disease. It’s the first reported case of coronavirus transmission from the dead to the living. .

STORIES CHRONICLE IS WORKING ON TODAY

Laser safety protocols improve safety, and do not impact clinic efficiency, according to a letter published in the journal  Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. We've solicited and received some revealing comments on the development from Canadian clinicians. You can read that article in the upcoming issue of The Chronicle of Skin & Allergy.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE LISTENING TO ...

Yusuf Islam. The singer/songwriter formerly known as Cat Stevens picked up his guitar again in 2006 after a hiatus of nearly 30 years. Check out this track from his 2006 comeback album An Other Cup (sic). Midday (avoid city after dark) is a stark yet hopeful tune that seems to reflect world conditions in 2020.

LATER WE’RE READING...

The Price of Altruism: George Price and the Search for the Origins of Kindness. It’s the story of American chemist and theoretical biologist George Price who, after working on the Manhattan Project, was frustrated by the trajectory of his career and life and gave it all up and moved to London, leaving his wife and two daughters behind. His signatory accomplishment was developing an equation that explained why humans lived in families. Now known as the Price equation, the formula captured the essence of evolution by natural selection.

TONIGHT WE’RE COOKING...

Beagles Trudy (left) and Bonnie will be enthusiastically downing their kibble topped with the secret sauce developed by the old man (alright, it’s a few tablespoons of chicken broth). Myself, I’m not very hungry.

PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND?

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That's it. Stay in touch, stay safe. The Daily CurveFlattener will return on Monday.