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What will 2021 be like? Will we still need to take preventive measures against COVID-19 once a vaccine is available?

And just how safe is an enclosed patio?

These are some of the questions listeners have asked Vivek Goel, host of the What’s Next podcast. A professor at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Goel is also a special adviser to the president and provost who is helping guide the university’s COVID-19 planning efforts.

“A patio really has to have at least one side open to the air. Obviously, that's going to get pretty cold in the winter,” Goel says in episode 31 of his podcast. “A fully enclosed patio may actually be more dangerous than indoor dining if there's not adequate ventilation, particularly because there will be gas heaters inside of the space as well.

“So in the cold winter months, in order to support our local restaurants, please consider takeout or delivery.”

It’s the second episode featuring questions for Goel – a renowned public health expert and founding head of Public Health Ontario, which was set up in response to the 2003 SARS outbreak. Back in May, subscribers asked whether they should wash their groceries and if it was OK to visit family. Now, what many want to know is: Are we headed into another lockdown?

The COVID-19: What’s Next podcast is created by Goel in collaboration with a University of Toronto Communications team led by producer Lisa Lightbourn.

Note: The information in this podcast is current as of the posting date. Listeners should consult their local public health agency for the latest information in their jurisdiction.

See a list of all the podcast episodes