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Provincial Nominee Program (PNP): Moving to Canada as a permanent resident (PR)
Canada has specific immigration programs designed to enable individuals with different skills, education, and work experience to settle in Canada and contribute to the Canadian economy. For those intending to move to Canada as a permanent resident (PR), the permanent residence programs managed through the Express Entry system are the most popular options, but not the only ones. There are other options such as the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP), Family sponsorship, Atlantic Immigration Pilot (AIP), the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot (RNIP), the Caregiver program, and the Start-up Visa program. In this article, we will be focusing on the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) to help you understand how the various processes work, and the steps to be followed to apply for permanent residency through a PNP. How do Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) work? According to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) are primarily aimed at individuals who: 1. Have the skills, education and work experience to contribute to the economy of a specific province or territory, 2. Intend to settle permanently in that province or territory, and 3. Want to become permanent residents of Canada. Each province and territory has its own Provincial Nominee Program streams (immigration programs that target certain groups such as new graduates, business people, skilled workers in specific professions, or semi-skilled workers), and unique requirements. Understanding PNP application options There are two ways to apply for PR through the PNPs: 1. Paper-based process (involves submitting a physical application and supporting documents) 2. Express Entry (online application) The mode of application will depend on the PNP stream under which you apply. How to apply for PNP: Paper-based process The paper-based process involves two stages: Stage 1: Receiving a nomination certificate from the province or territory you intend on settling in permanently. Stage 2: Applying to IRCC for PR status after the province or territory nominates you. Here’s a step-by-step approach on how to apply for permanent residency as a Provincial Nominee, through the paper-based process. Stage 1 includes steps 1 to 4, while steps 5 and 6 are part of stage 2. Step 1: Identify where you want to live in Canada Canada has ten provinces and three territories. To apply for PR status as a Provincial Nominee, it is important to decide where you want to settle – more specifically, in which province or territory. You might want to take into consideration factors such as the cost of living, employment opportunities, and the type of lifestyle you want to adopt. Step 2: Check the PNP eligibility criteria To be nominated by a province or territory, you must follow the instructions on their website and contact them directly. To check the eligibility criteria, here are the PNP websites for each province/territory: • Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program (AINP) • British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP) • Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program (MPNP) • New Brunswick Provincial Nominee Program (NBPNP) • Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Nominee Program (NLPNP) • Northwest Territories Nominee Program (NTNP) • Nova Scotia Nominee Program (NSNP) • Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program (OINP) • Prince Edward Island Provincial Nominee Program (PEI PNP) • Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) • Yukon Nominee Program (YNP) Nunavut is currently only accepting applications for entrepreneurs wanting to start their business in the territory. Applicants intending to settle permanently in the Province of Quebec should contact the province directly for instructions on how to apply for PR status – they should not use the below guidance. Step 3: Apply to the Canadian province or territory where you intend to live Each province has various PNPs designed to fill their specific labour market needs. Applicants should review the PNP streams for their province of interest carefully, as each will have unique eligibility criteria, and application intake processes. In general, applicants can either: 1. Apply to the province directly for a provincial nomination, OR 2. Be invited to apply to the province for a provincial nomination. Tips: While applying to a specific province/territory through the paper-based process, you must select a non-Express Entry stream AND meet the eligibility requirements of the chosen stream for the province/territory. Many provinces have very specific deadlines for application submissions. Applicants may wish to begin gathering necessary documents before they are invited, so they can ensure everything will be available within the deadline imposed by the province. Step 4: Wait for the nomination After submitting an application, if you meet the program’s eligibility criteria including demonstrating an intention to settle in that province, you will receive a provincial nomination certificate. You may refer to specific provincial or territorial PNP websites for processing timelines. Step 5: Apply Once you’ve been nominated by a province or territory, you can submit your application for Permanent Residence to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. The application package for Provincial Nominees includes the instruction guide, document checklist, and all the forms you need. Tip: Be honest, accurate, and truthful while completing your application. If you are found to have misrepresented any information in your application, it may lead to a refusal of your application, and you could be found inadmissible to Canada and barred for up to five years. The next step in the application process is to pay the fees. As of April 30, 2020, these fees have increased from $1,040 CAD per adult applicant and an additional $150 CAD per child, to $1,325 CAD per adult applicant and $225 per dependent child. This amount includes: • Processing fees for you and anyone you include on your application. • The Right of Permanent Residence Fee (RPRF) – $500 CAD which must be paid by all adult applicants on the application; you can opt to hold on to it and pay at the next step. Although the application is paper-based, you must pay the fees online and print out a copy of your payment receipt to be included in the application. For biometrics: You must also pay a biometrics fee of $85 per adult applicant, to a maximum of $170 per family. You must include proof of having paid these fees in your application. After your application is received, you will receive a confirmation letter with instructions on how to submit your biometric data. Biometrics (fingerprints and photo) are required to be given in-person at various collection centres worldwide. You will have 30 days from the date of the letter to complete this process. You must book an appointment at a collection point close to you and show the confirmation letter when you give your biometrics. Third-party fees: Depending on your situation, you may need to pay third parties for medical exams, police certificates, language testing, and educational credential assessment (ECA). The instruction guide for your application will help you understand which fees apply to you. After completing the application package and gathering all the supporting documents, you have to mail your application along with the online payment receipt to the address in the instruction guide. Remember, do not send the application to your local visa office; it must be sent to the Centralized Intake Office in Canada, after which it may be transferred to your local visa office abroad. Tip: To avoid rejections, before you send your application, ensure you answer all questions, sign your application and all forms, and include the correct processing fee, and supporting documents. You must also include a copy of the valid nomination certificate that the province or territory sent you. If your nomination has expired, you should contact the issuing province or territory. Step 6: Receive the Confirmation of Permanent Residence and arrive in Canada The processing time for each application depends on which visa office is processing it. After submitting your application, at any time, you can check the application processing times and status of your application online. As of April 2020, the average processing time for paper-based applications is 15 to 19 months. While your application is being processed, you will be informed when to submit medical exams and police certificates if they were not provided with your initial application, or have expired since submitting. Medical exams: You and all dependent family members (even if they are not moving to Canada with you) will be required to complete a medical examination from a designated panel physician. Police certificates: You may need a police certificate from any country or territory in which you have spent six months in a row or more since the age of 18. In some countries, it can take a long time to get a police certificate. Therefore, you may want to get them early. If you meet program and admissibility criteria, IRCC will reach out to request the documents required to finalize the application, including your passport (or passport copies) and photos. You’ll also need to pay your Right of Permanent Residence fee, if you haven’t already. At this stage, you must update IRCC on any significant changes to your circumstances, such as family status or new medical concerns. If no changes are reported, IRCC will finalize your application and issue you a: • Confirmation of permanent residence (COPR) document • Permanent resident visa (if you are from a country where you need a visa) • Letter with important information about your COPR and other requirements Tip: Keep your COPR document in a safe and secure place. Do not alter your COPR in any way, and do not sign the document until your arrival in Canada as a permanent resident. Arrival in Canada Once your application has been approved, you must travel to Canada to complete the Permanent Resident landing process – this is the final stage in processing, and once complete, your permanent residence status will be granted! During the landing process, upon your arrival to Canada you must present your COPR, and your PR visa (if you need one). You will also need to show your passport, and you may be asked for proof of funds to support yourself and your family. The officer will ask you a few questions to make sure you still meet the terms to immigrate to Canada. They will be similar to the ones you answered when you applied. Once satisfied that you remain admissible to Canada, the officer will allow you to enter Canada as a PR. The officer will also confirm your Canadian mailing address, and your PR card will be mailed to you at this address. Note: You don’t have to apply separately for a PR card, if you provide a Canadian mailing address. The application for a PR card is submitted by the officer at the time of completing your landing formalities. If you are already in Canada, you can make an appointment at an IRCC office near where you live in Canada to complete the landing process and have your permanent resident status granted. You can also leave Canada and return through a Canadian port of entry (an international airport or a Canadian land border) to complete the landing process. How to apply for PNP: Express Entry process There are two ways to apply for PNP through the Express Entry process: Option 1: You contact the province You contact the province or territory and apply for a nomination under their Express Entry stream. If the province or territory agrees to nominate you, you can then proceed to create an Express Entry profile (or update your profile if you already have one) and show you have been nominated. Option 2: Province contacts you You create an Express Entry profile first and indicate the provinces and territories you are interested in while creating the profile. If a province or territory sends a notification of interest to your account, you can contact them directly and apply through their Express Entry stream. Tip: In both cases, you will need to create an Express Entry profile during the process, so you should do it right from the start. Here’s a step-by-step approach on how to apply for PNP through the Express Entry process. Each step outlines the approach for option 1 and 2. Tip: In our blog, Express Entry: Moving to Canada as a PR, we’ve outlined a step-by-step approach to creating and submitting an Express Entry profile. We encourage you to read it and follow the instructions mentioned. Step 1: Get provincial nomination For option 1: If you are already in the Express Entry pool, and you wish to be considered for the PNP, certain streams allow you to apply to the province/territory directly through the Express Entry stream. For option 2: If a province/territory contacts you with a notification of interest for PNP and you want to be nominated by that province or territory, you must contact them directly and apply to their PNP Express Entry stream. (This process will happen between you and the province or territory – you will not use your IRCC account). Note: The notification of interest is not a provincial nomination and does not guarantee you will be nominated. The next steps for both options are similar to Step 2 and 3 of the paper-based process as outlined above, with the only exception of specifically choosing the Express Entry immigration stream while applying on the provincial/territorial PNP websites. Once the province/territory agrees to nominate you, • You must update your profile with the nomination and share your Express Entry profile number and Job Seeker Validation Code with the province/territory; OR • Wait for the province or territory to confirm your nomination with IRCC and accept or reject the nomination in your IRCC Express Entry account within 30 calendar days. Step 2: Apply for PR Once you receive your nomination, there are two things to consider – 1. If you accept the nomination • o The Express Entry system will generate a letter in your account that confirms your nomination. o You will be awarded 600 additional points in your Express Entry profile, which will help you get invited to apply. Note: 600 points is the maximum number of points you can be awarded under the ‘additional’ factors. If you were previously awarded points for having a job offer and/or study in Canada, these points will not be listed in your CRS score. However, as they may be relevant to your ability to meet the criteria of the Express Entry program, you should provide proof of this in your Express Entry application. Upon receiving the invitation to apply, you will have 60 days to submit your online application for PR. Average processing times for Express Entry applications are generally 6 months – you can check the status of your application in your Express Entry account. 2. If you reject the nomination o Your profile will remain in the Express Entry pool, and you may be invited to apply under any other program. o You won’t be eligible for the PNP unless another province nominates you. Step 3: Receive the Confirmation of Permanent Residence and arrive in Canada Refer to Step 6 of the paper-based process. Preparing to settle in Canada Once you receive your COPR and PR visa (if required), there are things you can do to prepare for life in Canada. Pre-arrival • Use free pre-arrival services, which help you find out more about living and working in Canada. • Take steps to get recognition in Canada for your education, work experience, and professional licences/certificates. • Read about living and finding work in Canada. • Learn about the networking culture in Canada, work on your resume, and start building your personal brand. Post-arrival • Find immigrant services which will help you settle and adapt to life. • Read the Welcome to Canada guide to help you adjust. • Use the Living in Canada tool to find the right services. You can use the following Arrive resources to prepare for your job search, even before you arrive in Canada. • Read the Arrive career guide • Improve your resume • Craft and practice your elevator pitch • Practice interview questions • Start building your Canadian network from home • Understand the Canadian market before leaving • Read the newcomer stories on the Arrive blog Arrive supports newcomers step of the way. What can you bring to Canada Before you travel to Canada, see the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) website to find out what you can and cannot bring into the country. Remember: You must tell the border officer if you arrive in Canada with more than $10,000 CAD. If you do not disclose this, you may be fined and your funds will be seized. The PNP process may seem daunting as there are many steps involved. However, if you follow the instructions provided by the Government and consult with authorized immigration representatives, you will be able to successfully realize your dream of moving to Canada! Original article located here, published by Arrive. About Arrive Arrive is powered by RBC Ventures Inc, a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada. In collaboration with RBC, Arrive is dedicated to helping newcomers achieve their life, career, and financial goals in Canada. An important part of establishing your financial life in Canada is finding the right partner to invest in your financial success. RBC is the largest bank in Canada* and here to be your partner in all of your financial needs. RBC supports Arrive, and with a 150-year commitment to newcomer success in Canada, RBC goes the extra mile in support and funding to ensure that the Arrive newcomer platform is FREE to all. Working with RBC, Arrive can help you get your financial life in Canada started – right now
Declining viewership for live events, including the Super Bowl, presents concerns for advertisers
This year’s NFL Championship, best known as the Super Bowl, will again be one of the most watched events. But public interest in live events appears to be declining, even for the “Big Game,” say two marketing professors at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. “Live sports events are the last stand for live TV, with the Super Bowl being the biggest spectacle to unite the American audience. Live events like this are languishing. Need proof? Look at record low ratings for award shows,” said Ann Bastianelli, teaching professor of marketing at Kelley, who added that the Super Bowl remains “a rare opportunity to gauge the U.S. cultural consciousness.” “The early reports and teasers suggest that Super Bowl viewers are in for a smorgasbord of memorable and even humorous commercials, providing some much-needed laughs during the ongoing pandemic. Even so, the Super Bowl isn’t enjoying the same viewership it once had which should prompt changes in marketing decisions,” added Demetra Andrews, clinical associate professor of marketing. With a television audience of more than 90 million last year, the Super Bowl continues to provide the biggest platform for advertisers. But, according to Andrews, television viewership of the Super Bowl has declined fairly steadily for years and the increase in livestreaming of the game does not account for the decline. Of note, she said, is a persistent decline in watchers aged 18-49 since 2008, a key component of the Super Bowl audience. According to Morning Consult, 40% of Generation Z-aged American aren’t sports fans, compared to only 24% of Millennials opting out of sports. Gen Z may be more likely to watch and share ads online than during the sporting event. “Despite this, the price for advertising during the Super Bowl has remained high for a 30-second ad. This is likely to prompt marketing organizations to reexamine the value of the Super Bowl as a promotional platform,” Andrews said. The cost of a 30-second commercial in the 2022 game is $6.5 million, up significantly from the $5.5 million price tag of just a year ago. “Clearly, the network is not bashful about asking that, even with the misgivings that advertisers have had in the past few years,” Bastianelli said. Super Bowl parties traditionally have been a big part of the game day experience and something most attractive to advertisers. But with larger gatherings discouraged and even restricted last year, this aspect was greatly diminished for the 55th Super Bowl. More people may gather to watch the game, while others will be hesitant to do so. “Without Super Bowl parties, brands might not get the same return on investment, because people couldn’t discuss ads in real-time with others, so brands shifted to digital/online advertising to avoid the $5.5 million price tag,” Bastianelli said. They also do this “because spending money online builds reach and frequency and gives brands valuable data to maximize customer engagement much more cost-efficiently. “The downside is that, while culture spreads at the speed of social, it’s much harder to stand out with sustained hype,” she added. Reevaluation of the Super Bowl as a promotional platform should include a determination of whether an organizations’ target customer groups are likely to watch or attend a Super Bowl event, Andrews said. Both professors are available for interviews. Contact George Vlahakis at vlahakis@iu.edu for assistance.
The landscape of college athletics has changed greatly in the past year. For the first time ever, student athletes can now profit from the use their name, image and likeness. It’s been a hot topic subject for years, and now it’s come to fruition. Dr. David Hunt is an associate professor at Augusta University’s Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and also the faculty athletics representative at AU. “It’s different for Division I and for Division II. For DI, there’s bigger audiences and they have bigger followings. But it isn’t D1, D2 and D3 specific; it just seems like people are willing to put more money into programs at the D1 level,” said Hunt. While some may think NIL deals go to the most popular athletes, that’s not always the case. “There are a lot of NIL opportunities for people who don’t have a huge number of followers, because it tends to hit a particular niche,” added Hunt. It’s not just the notoriety on the court or playing field that can garner an NIL deal, but also a player's social media activity and number of followers. These can be a big tool for student athletes receiving compensation for outside business ventures. “It can be cash or it can be in-kind payments. So for some influencers, companies just send them stuff in an effort to get them wearing it on their social media channels.” Some schools and athletic programs have already negotiated deals for an entire team where all the players can benefit from it, but Hunt said it could lead to legal questions over potential conflict of interest deals. “If a basketball program gets a NIL deal for the whole program with Adidas, can an individual player wear Under Armour? Can an athletic department even do that? It can be helpful and beneficial and monetarily advantageous for those students, but it’s not the students doing that,” said Hunt. All the NIL deals, especially those where schools negotiated them, can be used as a recruiting tool to entice athletes to come play for their program. This could create a recruiting advantage for some states over other states. “One university received NIL deals for every single female athlete. That is a huge advantage compared to other universities. So now some universities can recruit students based on the NIL opportunities and if the university has a support program for it, they can say we have a structure in place that you can take advantage of.” This is an important and emerging topic happening in schools and athletic programs across America, and if you’re a journalist looking to know more, then let us help with your questions and coverage. Dr. David Hunt is available to speak with media regarding student athletes now being able to profit from their name, image and likeness – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Study reveals the inside of your car is dirtier than the average toilet
A study by researchers in the College of Health and Life Sciences at Aston University and commissioned by Scrap Car Comparison has revealed that the inside of our cars have significantly higher levels of germs on them than the average toilet. The researchers took samples from car interiors with varied ownership histories, to establish bacterial contamination levels within the vehicles and to highlight how thoroughly people clean their cars. The results revealed that motorists should be cleaning the inside of their cars more frequently, with harmful bacteria likely to be discovered in most cars out on the road today. In particular, the study found that the car boot plays host to significantly high levels of bacteria, with E.coli likely to be found in every boot and potentially on your driver’s seat. More commonly known as faecal bacteria, the findings pose a clear concern for anyone that puts their fruit and vegetables in the boot after a trip to the shops or enjoys a drive-thru dinner in the driver’s seat. Dr Jonathan Cox, a senior lecturer in microbiology at Aston University, said: “The results of this study are fascinating, as they help to show that despite cleaning our cars, the older they are, the dirtier they generally are. “This becomes key when thinking about areas such as the car boot or driver’s seat. Many of us have placed loose food shopping in our boots, or dropped the odd crisp onto our seat, before picking it up and eating it.” Other areas tested included the gearstick, dashboard and backseat which also saw higher levels of bacterial contamination than is found on the average domestic toilet. Bacteria found included Pseudomonas, a bacterium with strains that can’t easily be treated with antibiotics and Staph Aureus, a germ associated with coughs and sneezes that in some cases is linked to MRSA. The researchers identified the filthiest areas of a car: 1. Boot - 1,425 bacteria identified 2. Driver’s seat - 649 bacteria identified 3. Gearstick - 407 bacteria identified 4. Back seat - 323 bacteria identified 5. Dashboard - 317 bacteria identified 6. Steering wheel - 146 bacteria identified. There was also a correlation discovered between the age of a car, and the levels of bacteria likely to be found within it. The older cars sampled for the study exhibited higher bacteria loads than those that have been on the road for a shorter amount of time. However, the researchers found that out of all areas of our cars, the steering wheel was generally found to be the cleanest. This high-contact area saw very low levels of bacterial contamination and could be due to the uplift in hand sanitiser use following the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Cox added: “These results highlight that we should change how we think about our cars and cleanliness. Often, we will clean our cars based on whether they ‘look’ clean versus whether they actually are clean. But you would never even think about eating off your toilet seat. “Upholstery should ideally be given a deep clean and in future I will always clean any used car I might purchase!” Dan Gick, managing director at Scrap Car Comparison, commented: “Taking care of your car, from making sure it’s running well to keeping it clean, all work towards ensuring it has a long life and is a car you love mile after mile. The last thing you want is for your car to become a risk on the roads, as well as a risk to your health. “We hope the results of this study help to highlight the importance of taking good care of your car inside and out. It’s worth thinking about how often you clean the inside of your house and apply the same thought process to your car, especially if you tend to drive it every day”.
The modern office has changed. According to some experts, it’s much overdue. For others, the idea of the separation of domestic and professional lives is still something to accept. Either way, with the onset of COVID-19 and as workplaces adjust to life after the pandemic, working from home is the new norm for many people and it’s likely going to stay that way indefinitely for some. With that reality also comes the fact that your home office needs to be just as safe and secure as your former place of work once was. Worry not – we’ve got experts who can help. It’s why we asked Augusta University’s Dr. Jeffrey Morris, assistant professor in the School of Computer and Cyber Sciences, for some easy tips and helpful advice on making that happen. How to separate home or work? The best way to keep work materials safe would be to have a separate device that is used only for work, such as a company-supplied laptop. Since most of us will not have devices supplied to us, the next best would be to use a device that has minimal other use: Try not to use a computer that the rest of the family uses. If others use the computer, create a new user login and use that for work only. Keep all your work files in an encrypted folder. Ensure you have security software installed on the computer you are using for work. Some of the other ways include using a Virtual Private Network, which I’ll address in the next question. What's the best way to secure your connection? Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a must. Hopefully, your work will provide a VPN connection for use. With the spread of cloud data storage, ensuring all connections are secured (the little lock icon in your browser is visible) is a must. If you have a work laptop/computer assigned to you, do you need to take additional steps to secure it while working from home? Much like being in the workplace, the same rules apply: You should log out of the device once you are done working for the day. This prevents accidental use of the computer by others in the home. Turning the device off when not in use is a good way to ensure this. The device needs to be physically secured as well. If the device does not have an anti-virus software program installed from work, you need to ensure it has it before you use it at home. What are the biggest red flags you should look out for? Be wary of emails. Many people mix their work and personal emails when working from home. You may receive a phishing email to your personal email that is aimed at accessing your work email and computers. Cybercriminals are aware that many people are working from home and trying to gain access to company networks by breaking into home computers and waiting for the user to log into company networks or cloud storage. And don’t forget … Updates. Do them as often as possible. Keep your computers updated. This includes not only the operating system but all the other programs installed on the machine. Cybercriminals are targeting all the other software on the computers as the operating systems are getting harder to exploit. There are programs available that can inventory the software on a computer and tell you which programs need updating. Looking to know more? Then let us help. Dr. Jeffrey Morris is an assistant professor at Augusta University’s School of Computer and Cyber Sciences. He’s available to speak about keeping your home office safe – simply click on is icon now to arrange an interview today.
The Rise of "Don't Weigh Me" Cards
Stepping on the scale is an inherent part of the American healthcare experience. But does it have to be? Healthcare professionals and patients say not necessarily. For patients struggling with mental health, eating disorders, or other body-related concerns, being forced to step on the scale may cause significant distress. Because of this, the "don't weigh me" card has become increasingly popular. Born from the desire to make a trip to the doctor a more inclusive, less stressful experience, the cards sit in waiting rooms across the country and allow patients to discreetly make a choice: Would I like to be weighed today? Similar in size and shape to a business card, patients may grab a card and hand it to the provider before the start of the appointment, indicating the patient should not be weighed and that any discussion around weight should only occur if permission is given. According to Rebecca Shenkman, MPH, RDN, LDN, director of the MacDonald Center for Obesity Prevention and Education at Villanova University, "to be effective and emphatic providers, it is important to ensure a safe and comfortable environment and for the patient to feel seen and heard—and one such way is asking permission to be weighed (if the medical situation does not require a weight)." "This shows patients that their provider respects their voice and choice” Shenkman says. "'Don't weigh me" cards are a tool that providers should recognize as a good 'pause button' that allows them to re-center patient care on the individual and not have a conversation guided by a scale number or attribute certain symptoms or conditions to weight." Healthcare providers may express weight biases that prevent patients from receiving effective care. The provider may correctly or incorrectly attribute a patient's health concerns to weight and overlook additional factors not correlated with obesity. And while obesity is certainly a chronic and progressive medical disease that should not be ignored, there is more to a patient than a number on a scale. "A barrier to effective healthcare utilization is the prevalence of weight bias towards individuals with obesity. A first step to reducing bias is to acknowledge the issue exists and to recognize one's own biases, which may intentionally or unintentionally result in unfavorable behaviors and attitudes towards individuals with obesity," says Shenkman. While communication about weight-related health is important and many times necessary, to center the dialogue on weight alone means missing out on other potential issues. "By letting patients lead the conversation, having an open dialogue and practicing shared decision-making, and approaching the discussion around eating habits and weight-related behaviors within the broader context of health, patients are likely to be more receptive to medical advice given and seek future care." When patients are allowed to choose to be weighed, they are empowered to make their own decisions surrounding their care. "Don't weigh me" cards help provide peace of mind and a comfortable environment for all people, allowing providers to act more effectively and patients to seek out effective care more often.
Companies face unique marketing challenges during Olympics due to human rights concerns
Many companies have used the Olympics as an ideal platform for positioning their brand to worldwide audience. However, with the games being held in a nation facing international criticism over human rights and privacy issues, the 2022 Olympics in Beijing Feb. 4-20 will present challenges in marketing. Kim Saxton, clinical professor of marketing, said China’s human rights policies present a predicament for Olympic sponsors. While some companies – such as the Coca Cola Co. – have said they won’t advertise at the games, others that do may take a different approach than they have in the past. “It creates an interesting challenge. There is more airtime available and the controversy is stoked. The athletes deserve the support. In fact, they depend on it. But with the U.S. government not sending a delegate, it creates an air of caution,” Saxton said, adding “the U.S. government has not expressly said that companies cannot advertise. “There are other issues to consider as well. First, the winter Olympics have been very quiet. It’s quite unusual to have summer and winter Olympics within one year. Many consumers need that bi-annual cadence in order to process information about the Olympics and get excitement up,” she added. “Many Americans right now probably cannot name an athlete in more than one sport. And the games start in about two weeks. “Traditionally, the Olympics is one of the few places that advertisers can find a critical mass of viewers on TV today. The Super Bowl, the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup are the largest TV audiences. So, advertisers have to be creative this year. Some will not mention the host city. Some will run ads that don’t mention the Olympics. Some will stay away. Finally, some will move their efforts to PR. They will balance a fine line of promoting their brands and athletes, while not promoting China.” Saxton can be reached at mksaxton@iupui.edu.
Kelley expert: Olympics could be targeted by hacktivists, others seeking to embarrass Beijing
Scott Shackelford, associate professor of business law and ethics at Kelley, IU Cybersecurity Risk Management Program chair and director of the Ostrom Workshop Program on Cybersecurity and Internet Governance, said the high-profile diplomatic breach leading up to the games — including the boycott led by the United States – “means that the games could be targeted by hacktivists and other groups seeking to embarrass or otherwise harass Beijing.” Scott Shackelford “There are always issues associated with the Olympics given that they are a target-rich environment for criminals seeking to target athletes and spectators alike,” Shackelford said. “Beijing’s harsh data localization, cybersecurity, and cyber sovereignty laws also raises human rights concerns for athletes and reporters attending the games.” He also noted that ironically while the Olympic games generally often coincide with a peaceful break from ongoing geopolitical tensions, this might not last long. “Witness the Russian invasion of Crimea three days after the 2014 Sochi games concluded,” he said. Shackelford can be reached at sjshacke@indiana.edu.
State-sponsored computational propaganda is a potential threat during the 2022 Winter Olympics
Sagar Samtani, assistant professor and Grant Thornton Scholar, whose research centers on AI for cybersecurity and cyber threat intelligence, is particularly watching two major cybersecurity issues during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing Feb. 4-20. “The Olympics are an international, global event. As such, there are often political undertones and agendas that may drive how countries present themselves. Disinformation, misinformation, and computational propaganda that are state-sponsored or provided by individual threat actors could pose a significant threat,” Samtani said. Samtani noted that this will be biggest Olympics for streaming services. For example, NBC Universal will present Winter Olympics record of over 2,800 hours of coverage. But this move away from network reliance on broadcast channels could present a tantalizing target for hackers. “The Olympics are a widely covered, highly publicized TV event. In recent years, streaming services have grown in popularity, while conventional satellite and cable services have declined. As such, the concerns around denial-of-service attacks against prevailing streaming services as it pertains to viewing the Olympics is a very real concern,” he said. Samtani can be reached at ssamtani@iu.edu
Free masks are coming - here's what you need to know
As stores across America prepare to receive "the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in U.S. history," UConn epidemiologist Dr. David Banach is answering the questions about N95 respirators, how they work, and how to use them properly in a new interview with Buzzfeed news: There are several different types and shapes of N95s; some look like duck bills, others like domes, and several have three panels. The main difference between nonsurgical and surgical N95s is that the latter are also fluid resistant to protect doctors and nurses from blood and other bodily fluid sprays, Dr. David Banach, an infectious disease physician and hospital epidemiologist at UConn Health of the University of Connecticut, told BuzzFeed News. ****** N95 respirators are regulated by the US with standards set by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), while KN95s (and KF94s and others) follow international standards, meaning they also should screen out about 95% of germs and particles, but their effectiveness can vary between brands sold in the US. That’s why Banach advises extra caution if you choose to wear these masks. ****** N95 respirators do expire, Banach said, but it’s usually several years after they are made. As long as you store your N95s according to its box instructions, you’ll be fine — unless you’re saving them for the next inevitable pandemic. Dr. David Banach is an expert on infectious diseases and epidemiology and is a leading expert on COVID-19 in America. To book an interview with Dr. Banach, click on his icon today.
