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Allison McGeer
Alma materUniversity of Toronto (BS, MSc, MD)
Known forPandemic response
Scientific career
InstitutionsUniversity of Toronto
Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Sinai Health System
Yale New Haven Hospital

Allison McGeer FRCPC (born 1953) is an Infectious Disease specialist in the Sinai Health System and a Professor at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. McGeer led investigations into the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in Toronto. During the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic, McGeer studied how SARS-CoV-2 survives in the air.

Early life and education

McGeer studied biochemistry at the University of Toronto. She remained there for her graduate studies, first earning a master's degree and then training in medicine.[1] She specialised in internal medicine and infectious diseases. McGeer was a clinical fellow in epidemiology at Yale New Haven Hospital.[1]

Research and career

McGeer studies the prevention and management of bacterial and viral infections.[2] In 1989 she joined the Sinai Health System, where she specialised in microbiology.[1] She holds a joint position as Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.[3] At the University of Toronto she focussed on developing mechanisms to stop the spread of infectious diseases in hospitals and care homes.[1][4] McGeer has studied the impact of influenza on hospital staff. She encouraged people of all ages to receive the universal flu vaccine and supported hospitals in improving their influenza testing.[5]

Leadership during the SARS & MERS outbreak

McGeer led the investigations into Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Toronto.[6][7][8][9] She was based at the Ontario SARS emergency operation centre. At the time, she contracted the disease[10], and accidentally exposed several other health officials to the disease.[11] The health officials were quarantined and did not develop the disease. The basic reproduction number of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV) was between 2.2 and 3.7, but super-spreading events (highly efficient transmission of the virus) occurred in some hospital settings.[12][13] McGeer believes that Toronto eliminated SARS by isolating people who were suffering or at risk from the virus, preventing its spread.[14] A study the critical care units of Toronto's hospitals found that the consistent use of N95 masks was an effective way to protect nurses.[12][15] During the 2013 MERS outbreak, McGeer visited Saudi Arabia with the World Health Organization to help to track the spread of the virus.[16][17][18] Through careful monitoring of the air, food and water supply, McGeer helped to control the spread of the virus.[16] In 2014 McGeer was voted as one of Toronto's best doctors.[19]

Leadership during the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic

Throughout the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic McGeer provided health advice to the Canadian public.[20][21][22] In late January 2020, McGeer expressed concerns over the ability to contain SARS-CoV-2[23][24], particularly the unknown incubation period, which makes it difficult to track and quarantine people who have been exposed.[25] In early March she emphasised the need for Canadians to follow public health advice to prevent the widespread transmission of SARS-CoV-2.[26] According to McGeer the most important guidance was to limit social contact and stay at home when feeling unwell.[21][26][27]

In March 2020 McGeer started to investigate how long SARS-CoV-2 can survive in air.[28] She was interested in how exhaled droplets, which contain both water and the virus, may become an infective aerosol that is light enough to be transported by air currents.[28] Caroline Duchaine, an aerosol specialist at the Université Laval, thinks that the virus may not be as potent in aerosol form, losing parts of its spiky protein shell as it dries out in the air.[28] McGeer and Duchaine are interested in how the virus survives in air in a hospital setting, particularly around patients who are being intubated.[28] She hopes her research will provide insight as to whether face masks should be worn to reduce the transmission of the virus.[28] At the time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were considering whether to advise members of the public to wear masks when they left the house, and they had been made mandatory in the Czech Republic.[29]

Selected publications

Her publications include:

She serves on Canada's National Advisory Committee on immunisation, as well as supporting the Ontario Provincial Infectious Diseases advisory committee.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Staff Directory: Allison McGeer". eportal.mountsinai.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  2. ^ "Coronavirus Q and A: We asked experts to answer some of your most pressing questions. Here's what they had to say". thestar.com. 2020-01-27. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  3. ^ "Allison Mcgeer | Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation". ihpme.utoronto.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  4. ^ "| Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology --- University of Toronto". www.lmp.utoronto.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  5. ^ "Dr. Allison McGeer answers common questions about the flu and the flu shot". Sinai Health. 2018-10-17. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  6. ^ Reuters (2003-05-27). "New Sars warning in Toronto". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-04-06. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ ottawacitizen.com https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/canadian-scientist-remains-cautious-of-new-coronavirus-it-is-very-reminiscent-of-sars/. Retrieved 2020-04-06. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ^ Krauss, Clifford (2003-04-24). "The Sars Epidemic: The Overview; Travelers Urged to Avoid Toronto Because of Sars". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  9. ^ McGeer, Allison (2004-07-15). "Let Him Who Desires Peace Prepare for War: United States Hospitals and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Preparedness". Clinical Infectious Diseases. 39 (2): 275–277. doi:10.1086/421784. ISSN 1058-4838.
  10. ^ Mackay, Brad (2003-05-13). "SARS: "a domino effect through entire system"". CMAJ. 168 (10): 1308–1308–a. ISSN 0820-3946.
  11. ^ "A specialist on front line forced to fight her own battle against SARS". Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  12. ^ a b Poutanen, Susan M.; McGeer, Allison J. (2004). "Transmission and Control of SARS". Current Infectious Disease Reports. 6 (3): 220–227. doi:10.1007/s11908-004-0012-7. ISSN 1523-3847. PMC 7089465. PMID 15142486.
  13. ^ Raboud, Janet; Shigayeva, Altynay; McGeer, Allison; Bontovics, Erika; Chapman, Martin; Gravel, Denise; Henry, Bonnie; Lapinsky, Stephen; Loeb, Mark; McDonald, L. Clifford; Ofner, Marianna (2010-05-19). "Risk Factors for SARS Transmission from Patients Requiring Intubation: A Multicentre Investigation in Toronto, Canada". PLOS ONE. 5 (5): e10717. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010717. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 2873403. PMID 20502660.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: PMC format (link) CS1 maint: unflagged free DOI (link)
  14. ^ "WORLD: How doctors trace an outbreak". ThoroldNews.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  15. ^ Loeb, Mark; McGeer, Allison; Henry, Bonnie; Ofner, Marianna; Rose, David; Hlywka, Tammy; Levie, Joanne; McQueen, Jane; Smith, Stephanie; Moss, Lorraine; Smith, Andrew (2004-2). "SARS among Critical Care Nurses, Toronto". Emerging Infectious Diseases. 10 (2): 251–255. doi:10.3201/eid1002.030838. ISSN 1080-6040. PMC 3322898. PMID 15030692. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ a b "The mysteries of microbiology: Q&A with Professor Allison McGeer | Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology --- University of Toronto". www.lmp.utoronto.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  17. ^ Branswell, Helen (2013-06-04). "WHO expert team, including Canadian, in Saudi investigating MERS outbreak". CTVNews. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  18. ^ "Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus investigation". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  19. ^ "Toronto's 30 Best Doctors". Toronto Life. 2014-03-05. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  20. ^ "Can you have coronavirus and not feel sick? A doctor answers your COVID-19 questions". CBC. 2020-03-18. Retrieved 2020-04-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ a b Nanowski, Natalie (2020-03-12). "The COVID-19 pandemic: What it is, who's at risk, and how you can protect yourself". Retrieved 2020-04-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ "The 2019 coronavirus is not like SARS - Dr. Allison McGeer". Mayjorad Pharmacies. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  23. ^ "U of T infectious disease expert Allison McGeer on coronavirus risks – and uncertainties". University of Toronto News. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  24. ^ Branswell,STAT, Helen. "Experts Warn of Possible Sustained Global Spread of New Coronavirus". Scientific American. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  25. ^ "Containing new coronavirus may not be feasible, experts say". STAT. 2020-01-26. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  26. ^ a b Miller, Adam. "'The time is now to act': COVID-19 spreading in Canada with no known link to travel, previous cases". CBC News. Retrieved 2020-04-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ^ Ireland, Nicole. "COVID-19: The latest guidance for Canadians on travel, quarantines and what to do if you have symptoms". 2020-03-12. Retrieved 2020-04-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ a b c d e "Scientists look for signs of air transmission of COVID-19". Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  29. ^ "The coronavirus question: To mask or not to mask - Macleans.ca". www.macleans.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  30. ^ Poutanen, Susan M.; Low, Donald E.; Henry, Bonnie; Finkelstein, Sandy; Rose, David; Green, Karen; Tellier, Raymond; Draker, Ryan; Adachi, Dena; Ayers, Melissa; Chan, Adrienne K. (2003-05-15). "Identification of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in Canada". New England Journal of Medicine. 348 (20): 1995–2005. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa030634. ISSN 0028-4793.
  31. ^ Chen, Danny K.; McGeer, Allison; de Azavedo, Joyce C.; Low, Donald E. (1999-07-22). "Decreased Susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae to Fluoroquinolones in Canada". New England Journal of Medicine. 341 (4): 233–239. doi:10.1056/NEJM199907223410403. ISSN 0028-4793.
  32. ^ Nuorti, J. Pekka; Butler, Jay C.; Farley, Monica M.; Harrison, Lee H.; McGeer, Allison; Kolczak, Margarette S.; Breiman, Robert F. (2000-03-09). "Cigarette Smoking and Invasive Pneumococcal Disease". New England Journal of Medicine. 342 (10): 681–689. doi:10.1056/NEJM200003093421002. ISSN 0028-4793.
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