A self-directed student-led organization, the Infectious Disease Working Group is responding to misinformation and public health communication gaps through an online resource portal.
Their latest endeavour is a resource tracker: ReConnect, a community resource navigation tool that allows users to locate essential supports such as mental health, employment, training, and childcare in their communities.
“There is a clear and emergent need to support communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and its associated socioeconomic ramifications,” says Kahiye Warsame, a recent MPH alumnus in the Social and Behavioural Health Sciences stream and co-lead of the IDWG. “Our tool aims to bridge the gap in navigating social care systems by centralizing available services and supports on one platform.”
Unfortunately, the tracker also highlights the uneven distribution of social resources across Toronto. Areas outside of the downtown core have higher rates of COVID-19 cases but also have fewer resources and services.
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