General information
Please remember: Choosing sources of information carefully is critical to COVID-19 mental well-being – how-to tips from the Mental Health Commission of Canada
- Updates on Coronavirus disease from the Government of Canada
- What do you know about the novel Coronavirus that is causing a health emergency? a 5-minute video from the World Health Organization
- Selection of trustworthy sources of information on COVID-19 for families and children from Naître et grandir available as text and audio recordings
- Educational posters by Quebec illustrator Elise Gravel, designed for children but great for everyone : What’s up with this coronavirus?, Olga explains how to wear a mask, and What is fake news?
- COVID-19 Health Literacy Project factsheets in 30+ languages created in collaboration with Harvard Health Publishing
- Glossary on the COVID-19 from the Government of Canada
- Coronavirus glossary for kids from National Geographic Kids
Myths on COVID-19
Many myths and conspiracies can be found online. For example: “Can holding your breath for ten seconds reveal if you have COVID-19?” The answer is NO. The following resources debunk the different myths and false claims. If you are going to share information, it is important to check if the claims are true or false.
- COVID-19 : Check first. Share After. – an infographic and a short video produced by the Canada’s Centre for Digital and Media Literacy
- Deep Dive – additional resources for those who want to know more about being critical consumers of information, developed by MediaSmarts, Timothy Caulfield, and the University of Alberta’s Health and Law Institute
- How to Spot Fake News – COVID-19 Edition – an infographic produced by the International Federation of Library Associations (available in English, Greek, Japanese and Brazilian Portuguese)
- Infotagion – a fact checking platform for COVID-19 related misinformation from Damian Collins MP, Former Chair of the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Select Committee
- iHealthFacts – a resource where you can quickly and easily check the reliability of health claims circulated on social media, from Cochrane Ireland
Scientific research on COVID-19
Researchers quickly mobilized to study potential treatments, a vaccine, virus spread, prevention, and illness-related impacts. What is more, much of the latest scientific information on COVID-19 (updated daily) is freely available online.
Please remember: Researchers are making new discoveries about COVID-19 every day and sharing them as quickly as possible. In other words, new research results emerge all the time and can sometimes contradict previous results. This is the right way to advance scientific knowledge until all experts agree on the most plausible conclusion (international consensus).
- Understanding Research – an online platform that introduces basic concepts and methods of scientific research
- You’ve heard about a scientific study? Ask yourself 8 questions – a checklist from Agence Science-Press to be used before drawing conclusions or sharing study results
- LitCovid – a comprehensive resource for tracking up-to-date scientific information from the National Library of Medicine (USA)
- Nature – summaries of the latest significant discoveries about COVID-19 selected by editors of the Nature journal
The information found here is not intended to replace the advice of a health professional. For your specific health care needs, consult a doctor or another health professional.