Pandemic Geographies

Exploring the Spatial Dimensions of the COVID-19 Pandemic in British Columbia & Beyond

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic people have been inundated with geographic information. From conversations about where new cases are located, news reports of ‘at risk’ locations such as long-term care facilities, and orders to ‘shelter in place’ or ‘live life local’, the spatial dimensions of the COVID-19 pandemic have become part of our everyday life. As the pandemic has evolved so too has our awareness of the spatiality of both its spread and its control. As a group of health geographers based at Simon Fraser University, we have been undertaking research to deepen our understanding of these spatialities and their implications in the Canadian context with a focus on identifying and exploring vulnerable places.

Projects

A Spatial Approach to Exploring Vulnerability in the Context of COVID-19 in British Columbia

Funder: Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research & BC Support Unit.
Team: Valorie Crooks, Nadine Schuurman, Melissa Giesbrecht, Leah Rosenkrantz, Jessica Tate, Kristie Nicol, Paul Bergerner
The goal of this project is to use spatial data to produce a series of sophisticated maps, based on complex spatial science and incorporating feedback from knowledge end-users, that will identify neighbourhoods in the Canadian province of British Columbia with particular COVID-19 vulnerabilities. We have produced two publicly available maps. The first one explores COVID-19 risks in neighbourhoods across British Columbia. The second one looks at the anticipated secondary health impacts of the pandemic in neighbourhoods across British Columbia. You can view these maps here.

Fostering Meaningful Partner Engagement in COVID-19 Research and Evaluation in Long-Term Care and Assisted Living at Fraser Health Authority

Funder: BC Support Unit
Team: Janice Sorensen, Anette Berndt, Valorie Crooks, Adriaan Windt, Clayon Hamilton
The aim of this project is to establish a Partners Group to support COVID-19 related research and evaluation focused on the long-term care sector in British Columbia’s Fraser Health Authority. The Partners Group will improve the quality of engagement with long-term care residents and other key stakeholders (e.g., staff, family and friend caregivers, health care providers) throughout the research process.

Publications

Books

Andrews, G., V.A. Crooks, J. Pearce, J. Messina (eds.) (2021). COVID-19 and Similar Futures - Pandemic Geographies. UK: Springer Nature.

Op-Eds

Lee, K., A-M Nicol, J. Piper, V.A. Crooks “Closing some of the U.S.-Canada land border crossing could help control the COVID-19 pandemic.” The Conversation, March 2021
Crooks, V.A., A-M Nichol, E. Cadesky, J. Snyder, K. Lee “COVID-19 hotel quarantine: Exemption for ‘essential’ medical travel confuses doctors, patients.” The Conversation, February 2021
Crooks, V.A., & J. Snyder “Why some snowbirds are flying south despite the COVID-19 pandemic and travel restrictions.” The Conversation, January 2021
Snyder, J. & V.A. Crooks “Snowbirds complicate vaccine rollout.” Healthy Debate, January 2021

Journal Articles & Chapters

Rosenkrantz, L., Schuurman, N., Bell, N., Amram, O. (2020). The need for GIScience in mapping COVID-19. Health & Place, 102389
Rosenkrantz, L., Schuurman, N. (2021). ‘Examining geographical visualizations of COVID-19’, in Andrews, G.A., Crooks, V., Pearce, J., and Messina, J. (ed.) COVID-19 and similar futures- Pandemic Geographies . Switzerland: Springer Nature. In Press

In The Media

Our COVID-19 Mapping Project

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Other Expert Commentary

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Meet the Team

Dr. Valorie Crooks

Dr. Valorie Crooks is a health geographer who focuses on health services research. She is a Professor in the Department of Geography at SFU and holds the Canada Research Chair in Health Service Geographies.

Email: crooks@sfu.ca

Dr. Nadine Schuurman

Dr. Schuurman is a GIScience researcher research focuses on spatial epidemiology: understanding the spatial distribution of health events and health services in support of improved population health and health care provision.

Email: nadine@sfu.ca