Allison McGeer
Born1953 (age 70–71)
Alma materUniversity of Toronto (BS, MSc, MD)
Known forPandemic response, SARS coronavirus research, vaccine approval, public health guidance
Scientific career
InstitutionsSinai Health System
Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute
Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology at the University of Toronto

Allison Joan McGeer FRCPC (born 1953) is a Canadian infectious disease specialist in the Sinai Health System, and a professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology at the University of Toronto. She also appointed at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health and a Senior Clinician Scientist at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, and is a partner of the National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases. McGeer has led investigations into the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in Toronto and worked alongside Donald Low. During the COVID-19 pandemic, McGeer has studied how SARS-CoV-2 survives in the air and has served on several provincial committees advising aspects of the Government of Ontario's pandemic response.

Early life and education

In 1974, McGeer earned a B.Sc. in biochemistry from the University of Toronto.[1] She earned a master's degree and then an M.D. in 1982.[1][2] She trained in internal medicine and infectious diseases at the University of Toronto. From 1989 to 1990, McGeer was a clinical fellow in hospital epidemiology at Yale New Haven Hospital.[2]

Career

In 1989, McGeer joined the Sinai Health System, where she specialised in microbiology.[2] She holds a joint position as Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology and of Infectious Diseases at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.[3]

At the University of Toronto, she has focussed on developing mechanisms to stop the spread of infectious diseases in hospitals and care homes.[2][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] She also contributed to a review of influenza diagnosis among older hospitalized patients on behalf of the Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) Serious Outcomes Surveillance (SOS) Network.[6]

She is the director of infection control, and works as a microbiologist and infectious disease consultant at the Mount Sinai Hospital. Her staff directory page acknowledges funding through an unrestricted educational grant from Pfizer Canada.[2]

McGeer studies the prevention and management of bacterial and viral infections.[7] Her primary areas of research interest are the prevention of healthcare associated infection, the epidemiology of influenza, and adult immunization. She has received research grants from Pfizer and Seqirus, as well as personal and consulting fees from AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Medicago, Merck, Moderna, and Sanofi Pasteur.[8][9][10]

SARS and MERS

McGeer led the investigations into Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Toronto.[11][12][13][14] She was based at the Ontario SARS emergency operation centre. At the time, she contracted the disease,[15] and accidentally exposed several other health officials to the disease.[16] 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.[17][18] McGeer believes that Toronto eliminated SARS by isolating people who were infected or at risk from the virus, preventing its spread.[19] 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.[17][20] During the 2013 MERS outbreak, McGeer visited Saudi Arabia with the World Health Organization to help to track the spread of the virus.[21][22][23] Through careful monitoring of the air, food and water supply, McGeer helped to control the spread of the virus.[21]

COVID-19 pandemic

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic McGeer provided health advice to the Canadian public,[24][25][26] including as a member of the Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table.[27] She also serves on Canada's COVID-19 Expert Panel, assembled by Chief Science Advisor of Canada Dr. Mona Nemer to assist in providing advice and guidance to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the federal government.[28] In late January 2020, McGeer expressed concerns over the ability to contain SARS-CoV-2,[29][30] particularly the unknown incubation period, which makes it difficult to track and quarantine people who have been exposed.[31] In early March she emphasized the need for Canadians to follow public health advice to prevent the widespread transmission of SARS-CoV-2.[32] According to McGeer, the most important guidance was to limit social contact and stay at home when feeling unwell.[25][32][33]

McGeer started to investigate how long SARS-CoV-2 can survive in air in March 2020.[34] 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.[34] 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.[34] McGeer and Duchaine are interested in how the virus survives in air in a hospital setting, particularly around patients who are being intubated.[34] She hopes her research will provide insight as to whether face masks should be worn to reduce the transmission of the virus.[34] 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.[35]

In her role at Mount Sinai Hospital, McGeer acted as a local principal investigator for the "CONvalescent Plasma for Hospitalized Adults With COVID-19 Respiratory Illness" (CONCOR-1) study.[36] She also served as a principal investigator on a study examining the association between frailty and outcomes of COVID-19 infection.[37]

In May 2021, McGeer explained that National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) deliberations to approve COVID-19 vaccines couldn't be made available to the public because the agency "has nothing like the budget or staff that would be needed" to do so. While NACI is mandated to "gather and evaluate the available data relevant to vaccines," McGeer also noted "they are not adequately resourced for rapid and comprehensive scientific assessment."[38] She welcomed NACI's September 2021 recommendation of a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot for residents of long-term and congregate care facilities, citing evidence of waning immunity among this population.[39]

McGeer was recruited as a member of the newly formed Ontario Immunization Advisory Committee (OIAC), created by Chief Medical Officer of Health Kieran Moore in August 2021 to work on provincial vaccine programs (including for COVID-19).[40]

Membership

Awards

Selected works and publications

  • 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. PMID 10413735. Wikidata ()
  • 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. PMID 10706897. Wikidata ()
  • 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. hdl:1807/16919. ISSN 0028-4793. PMID 12671061. Wikidata ()
  • Assiri, Abdullah; McGeer, Allison; Perl, Trish M.; Price, Connie S.; Al Rabeeah, Abdullah A.; Cummings, Derek A.T.; Alabdullatif, Zaki N.; Assad, Maher; Almulhim, Abdulmohsen; Makhdoom, Hatem; Madani, Hossam; Alhakeem, Rafat; Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A.; Cotten, Matthew; Watson, Simon J.; Kellam, Paul; Zumla, Alimuddin I.; Memish, Ziad A. (August 2013). "Hospital Outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus". New England Journal of Medicine. 369 (5): 407–416. doi:10.1056/NEJMOA1306742. PMC 4029105. PMID 23782161. Wikidata ()
  • Alhazzani, Waleed; Møller, Morten Hylander; Arabi, Yaseen M.; Loeb, Mark; Gong, Michelle Ng; Fan, Eddy; Oczkowski, Simon; Levy, Mitchell M.; Derde, Lennie; Dzierba, Amy; Du, Bin; Aboodi, Michael; Wunsch, Hannah; Cecconi, Maurizio; Koh, Younsuck; Chertow, Daniel S.; Maitland, Kathryn; Alshamsi, Fayez; Belley-Cote, Emilie; Greco, Massimiliano; Laundy, Matthew; Morgan, Jill S.; Kesecioglu, Jozef; McGeer, Allison; Mermel, Leonard; Mammen, Manoj J.; Alexander, Paul E.; Arrington, Amy; Centofanti, John E.; et al. (2020). "Surviving Sepsis Campaign: Guidelines on the management of critically ill adults with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)". Intensive Care Medicine. 46 (5): 854–887. doi:10.1007/s00134-020-06022-5. PMC 7101866. PMID 32222812.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Pandemic 3.0". University of Toronto Medicine Magazine. Faculty of Medicine. 26 March 2014. Archived from the original on 28 June 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Staff Directory: Allison McGeer". eportal.mountsinai.ca. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  3. ↑ "Allison Mcgeer | Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation". ihpme.utoronto.ca. Archived from the original on 2016-08-21. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  4. ↑ "| Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology --- University of Toronto". www.lmp.utoronto.ca. Archived from the original on 2020-04-06. 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. ↑ Andrew, Melissa K.; McElhaney, Janet E.; McGeer, Allison A.; Hatchette, Todd F.; Leblanc, Jason; Webster, Duncan; Bowie, William; Poirier, Andre; Nichols, Michaela K.; McNeil, Shelly A.; Investigators, on behalf of the Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) Serious Outcomes Surveillance Network (2020-03-09). "Influenza surveillance case definitions miss a substantial proportion of older adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed influenza: A report from the Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) Serious Outcomes Surveillance (SOS) Network". Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. 41 (5): 499–504. doi:10.1017/ice.2020.22. ISSN 0899-823X. PMID 32146920. S2CID 212639677.
  7. ↑ "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.
  8. ↑ Chung, Hannah; Buchan, Sarah A; Campigotto, Aaron; Campitelli, Michael A; Crowcroft, Natasha S; Dubey, Vinita; Gubbay, Jonathan B; Karnauchow, Timothy; Katz, Kevin; McGeer, Allison J; McNally, J Dayre (2021-09-01). "Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness Against All-Cause Mortality Following Laboratory-Confirmed Influenza in Older Adults, 2010–2011 to 2015–2016 Seasons in Ontario, Canada". Clinical Infectious Diseases. 73 (5): e1191–e1199. doi:10.1093/cid/ciaa1862. ISSN 1058-4838. PMC 8423473. PMID 33354709.
  9. ↑ Abe, Kento T.; Hu, Queenie; Mozafarihashjin, Mohammad; Samson, Reuben; Manguiat, Kathy; Robinson, Alyssia; Rathod, Bhavisha; Hardy, W. Rod; Wang, Jenny H.; Iskilova, Mariam; Pasculescu, Adrian (2021-08-27). "Neutralizing antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 variants in vaccinated Ontario long-term care home residents and workers". medRxiv 10.1101/2021.08.06.21261721v2.
  10. ↑ Yau, Kevin; Abe, Kento T.; Naimark, David; Oliver, Matthew J.; Perl, Jeffrey; Leis, Jerome A.; Bolotin, Shelly; Tran, Vanessa; Mullin, Sarah I.; Shadowitz, Ellen; Gonzalez, Anny (2021-09-02). "Evaluation of the SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Response to the BNT162b2 Vaccine in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis". JAMA Network Open. 4 (9): e2123622. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.23622. ISSN 2574-3805. PMC 8414193. PMID 34473256.
  11. ↑ "New Sars warning in Toronto". The Guardian. Reuters. 2003-05-27. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  12. ↑ "Canadian scientist remains cautious of new coronavirus: 'It is very reminiscent of SARS'". ottawacitizen.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  13. ↑ 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.
  14. ↑ 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. PMC 7107923. PMID 15307039.
  15. ↑ Mackay, Brad (2003-05-13). "SARS: "a domino effect through entire system"". CMAJ. 168 (10): 1308–1308–a. ISSN 0820-3946. PMC 154202. PMID 12743085.
  16. ↑ "A specialist on front line forced to fight her own battle against SARS". Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  17. 1 2 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.
  18. ↑ 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. Bibcode:2010PLoSO...510717R. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010717. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 2873403. PMID 20502660.
  19. ↑ "WORLD: How doctors trace an outbreak". ThoroldNews.com. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  20. ↑ Loeb, Mark; McGeer, Allison; Henry, Bonnie; Ofner, Marianna; Rose, David; Hlywka, Tammy; Levie, Joanne; McQueen, Jane; Smith, Stephanie; Moss, Lorraine; Smith, Andrew (2004). "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.
  21. 1 2 "The mysteries of microbiology: Q&A with Professor Allison McGeer | Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology --- University of Toronto". www.lmp.utoronto.ca. Archived from the original on 2020-04-06. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  22. ↑ Branswell, Helen (2013-06-04). "WHO expert team, including Canadian, in Saudi investigating MERS outbreak". CTVNews. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  23. ↑ "Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus investigation". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  24. ↑ "Can you have coronavirus and not feel sick? A doctor answers your COVID-19 questions". CBC. 2020-03-18. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  25. 1 2 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.
  26. ↑ "The 2019 coronavirus is not like SARS - Dr. Allison McGeer". Mayjorad Pharmacies. Archived from the original on 2020-04-06. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  27. 1 2 "About Us". Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  28. 1 2 "COVID-19 Expert Panel". Government of Canada. 2021-01-14. Archived from the original on 2021-11-29. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  29. ↑ "U of T infectious disease expert Allison McGeer on coronavirus risks – and uncertainties". University of Toronto News. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  30. ↑ Branswell,STAT, Helen. "Experts Warn of Possible Sustained Global Spread of New Coronavirus". Scientific American. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  31. ↑ "Containing new coronavirus may not be feasible, experts say". STAT. 2020-01-26. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  32. 1 2 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.
  33. ↑ 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.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 "Scientists look for signs of air transmission of COVID-19". The Globe and Mail Inc. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  35. ↑ "The coronavirus question: To mask or not to mask". Macleans. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  36. ↑ Bégin, Philippe; Callum, Jeannie; Jamula, Erin; Cook, Richard; Heddle, Nancy M.; Tinmouth, Alan; Zeller, Michelle P.; Beaudoin-Bussières, Guillaume; Amorim, Luiz; Bazin, Renée; Loftsgard, Kent Cadogan (2021). "Convalescent plasma for hospitalized patients with COVID-19: an open-label, randomized controlled trial". Nature Medicine. 27 (11): 2012–2024. doi:10.1038/s41591-021-01488-2. ISSN 1078-8956. PMC 8604729. PMID 34504336.
  37. ↑ Canadian Institutes of Health Research (9 September 2010). "Assessing the Association Between Frailty and Outcome of COVID-19 Infection". Canadian Research Information System. Archived from the original on 2022-03-26. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  38. ↑ Semeniuk, Ivan (2021-05-08). "Once a little-known health body, NACI finds itself in the pandemic spotlight over COVID-19 vaccine debate". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  39. ↑ Ireland, Nicole (2021-09-29). "COVID-19 vaccine boosters recommended for long-term care residents, national advisory committee says". CBC News. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  40. 1 2 3 "Ontario Immunization Advisory Committee (OIAC)". Public Health Ontario. Archived from the original on 2021-11-10. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  41. ↑ "Expert Advisory Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (EAGAR) - Membership". Public Health Agency of Canada. 2021-06-11. Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  42. ↑ "Partners – Page 11". National Collaborating Centre for Infectious Diseases. Archived from the original on 2022-01-16. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
  43. ↑ "Toronto's 30 Best Doctors". Toronto Life. 2014-03-05. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  44. ↑ "May Cohen Award for Women Mentors". Canadian Medical Association. 2015.
  45. ↑ "AMMI Canada Lifetime Achievement Award". Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada. 2016.
  46. ↑ "Norman Rosenblum Award for Excellence in Mentorship in the MD/PhD Program". University of Toronto MD Program. 2021.
  47. ↑ "2021 Annual Conference Final Program" (PDF). AMMI Canada - CACMID. 2021-04-25. Retrieved 2022-03-17.
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