Dr. Anna Wolak

In the aftermath of the Lapu Lapu Festival tragedy, it is worth sharing that research suggests playing Tetris shortly after witnessing trauma may reduce the risk of PTSD by disrupting visual memory consolidation. It’s not a treatment, but could help survivors & witnesses.

t.co/xgSaTST1JX

Pagdadalamhati. It’s the Tagalog word for grief & mourning.
The Lapu Lapu Day Festival was meant to be a celebration of 🇵🇭 spirit & culture, but it ended in a senseless tragedy. I mourn with my kababayan, grieving the lives taken too soon.
Matatag ang Pilipino. Even in tragedy, we stand strong.

Horrified. Praying for everyone. This was a joyful celebration of Philippine culture that has ended in tragedy. t.co/3yNgB5elNy

Civic duty done!

Absolutely! Children under 1, the immunocompromised… all rely on herd immunity!

Measles was eradicated in Canada(1998) & the US(2000), but ⬇️ vaccination rates have led to outbreaks. A child in TX has died from measles complications.

Please. Get yourselves & your children vaccinated. No one should die from a vaccine-preventable illness.
@DoctorsOfBC #bcpoli

Please make sure you and your children are up to date with your measles vaccines. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases and is not always benign. It can lead to long term disability and can even be fatal. Please protect yourselves & the vulnerable. #bced

www.vch.ca/en/news/meas...

Influenza is on the rise in Canada.
We know how to deal with this
Get vaccinated.
Stay home when sick.
Ventilation and air purification.
Mask in crowded indoor public spaces and transit.
Wash your hands.
Protect yourselves and your kids.
Data from BC shows ⬆️influenza A
#bcpoli

Happy Women Physicians Day to a fantastic group of people!

It’s been 5 years since BC’s first covid pt. I spoke w/ @CKNW about some lessons learned since then including Masking, ventilation, air purification, staying home when sick, fixing the health care system before the next pandemic. Also spoke a bit about long COVID. #bcpoli
bit.ly/3WzugF2

My grandfather had just graduated from the Philippine military academy and he was one of the soldiers who helped escort the Jewish refugees when they came off the boat!

YouTube video by Hananya Naftali How The Philippines Saved 1200 Jews During The Holocaust

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day. On this day, I like to remind everyone about the Philippines’ actions. In 1930, Pres. Quezon welcomed 1,200 Jewish refugees (his “Open Doors Policy”) to Manila. We took them in, while the world was looking away. #NeverAgain

youtu.be/a157JgY3xW4?...

Flu and RSV cases spike in B.C., but COVID-19 remains low | Globalnews.ca New data shared by B.C.'s Centre for Disease Control shows the province has one of the worst flu rates in Canada, as a holiday-season spike in respiratory illnesses continues.

I spoke with Global News today about the state of respiratory illnesses in BC.
Key points:
Influenza & RSV numbers are high & are rising
Covid is present but stable
Get vaccinated
Large % of healthcare visits are for respiratory illnesses ➡️ mask mandate in health care
globalnews.ca/news/1095180...

Found you and followed you!

Also, stay away from sick/dead birds.
Keep pets away from sick/dead birds.

Confirmed H5N1, same clade as the one affecting migratory birds. The child is hospitalized, in critical condition. It is still not known how they caught it.
Layers of protection: clean the air, vaccinate, stay home when 🤒Smart masking with N95.
#bcpoli

t.co/Y7NxF3nevn

Me please! 👋

Me! ✋

Thanks for including me!

With B.C. teen sick in hospital with suspected bird flu, what should parents know? | Globalnews.ca Dr. Anna Wolak, a family physician in Vancouver, said many parents are likely having flashbacks to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, despite this flu being a single case.

I spoke with @EmilyLazatin about Avian flu. While not a cause for panic yet, preparation is key. Schools should improve ventilation. Parents, ensure kids' vaccines are up to date. Stay home when sick. Stay away from sick/dead birds. @GlobalBC #bcpoli

globalnews.ca/news/1086417...

This is not good.
I really hope schools have updated their air purification & ventilation systems so that our kids go back to clean air in their learning environments.
In the meantime: make sure your vaccines are up to date, stay home when sick, clean the air. #bcpoli
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

As an HCW in #bcpoli, I got my invite for a Covid💉today. When I went to schedule it, I noticed that only a handful of pharmacies indicated that they had the updated XBB💉
Maybe the others hadn’t updated yet, but when booking, it’s prudent to ensure you’re getting the correct💉

Covid concerns are back with the fall weather — Dr. Anna Wolak gives us the list we need to check to protect our kids and stay as safe as possible. Here we go AGAIN. COVID

Covid numbers are starting to rise & kids are back at school.
I spoke on the Steele and Vance show about this.
Key phrase: layers of protection!

Vaccinate when available. Ventilation. Stay home when sick. Hand hygiene. Smart masking with N95.
Stay safe!

Tweet by @lmdrcmp “#Surrey - BC AMBER Alert - 8-year-old Aurora Bolton and 10-year-old Joshuah Bolton https://t.co/wXgOkH4EN2”

https://twitter.com/lmdrcmp/status/1681789741677813760?s=46&t=yspRsfkdrsgE-Z-CWMjFjg

Amber Alert.

How Can B.C. Be More Prepared for Fall Covid Boosters? Listen to this episode from Weekend Mornings with Stirling Faux on Spotify. How Can B.C. Be More Prepared for Fall Covid Boosters? Dr. Anna Wolak - Family Physician and Assistant Professor at UBC

I spoke with Stirling Faux about the fall covid shots.
Key messages: covid shots need to be updated annually, don't rely on the strategy of infection-induced immunity, vaccinate kids. #bcpoli
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7z0s8QBNgj42ziEptsqpNg?si=c119889447554b3b

Medical practices cannot run on “IOUs”. Bills must be paid.
But a raise negotiated in 2022 won’t be paid to BC doctors until late 2023/early 2024.
If you want to know why doctors are leaving practice, maybe they just can’t afford to stay. Much less want to stay in a province that disrespects them.

B.C. preparing for fall rollout of new Omicron COVID-19 vaccine | Globalnews.ca "I am almost not calling it a booster dose anymore. It is more an updated dose of the vaccine," Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry told Global News.

I spoke with Global BC about the Covid-19 vaccine fall rollout. NACI's message is clear: a dose of the new vaccine formulation in the fall will increase protection against severe illness. I hope that BC has learned from previous rollouts & will make access as easy as possible. https://bit.ly/3D7LIqd