Press "Enter" to skip to content

Month: May 2024

‘FLiRT’ COVID-19 subvariant dominant in Canada. What to know about the strainElectron microscope image of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles. Virus particles are shown emerging from the surface of cells cultured in the lab. Image captured and colourized at NIAID’s Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana. Photo by: NIAID. Creative Commons CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 Generic license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/.
Topic: variantsView all posts for the topic: variants

‘FLiRT’ COVID-19 subvariant dominant in Canada. What to know about the strain

Published May 10, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: Global News
Published on:
By Katie Dangerfield

Canada’s lull in COVID-19 cases faces a potential disruption with the emergence of a new family of subvariants, playfully dubbed the ‘FLiRT’ variants.

These genetic cousins, originating from JN.1, the Omicron subvariant that fuelled the winter surge, are now spreading nationwide, with one variant, KP.2, quickly gaining dominance in Canada.

KP.2 is the dominant subvariant of the JN.1 strain, explained Gerald Evans, an infectious disease specialist at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. As of April 28, national data shows that KP.2 accounted for 26.6 per cent of all COVID-19 cases in Canada, surpassing other JN.1 subvariants.

Continue reading‘FLiRT’ COVID-19 subvariant dominant in Canada. What to know about the strain
Comments closed
Topic: Ottawa-GatineauView all posts for the topic: Ottawa-Gatineau

$1 million investment for cleaner, healthier air, energy savings at CHEO

Published May 9, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CTV News
Published on:
By Toula Mazloum

The federal government says the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario’s (CHEO) will have major updates, resulting in healthier and cleaner air, and energy savings.

An investment of up to $1 million from the Low Carbon Economy Fund (LCEF) will go to the hospital to support its Deep Energy Retrofit Program, the government announced on Thursday.

Continue reading$1 million investment for cleaner, healthier air, energy savings at CHEO
Comments closed
Topic: vaccinesView all posts for the topic: vaccines

Researchers estimate vaccines have saved 154 million lives over past half-century

Published May 9, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: Medical Xpress
Published on:
By Bob Yirka

An international team of health and medical researchers including workers at the WHO, working with economists and modeling specialists, has found that the use of vaccines to prevent or treat disease has saved the lives of approximately 154 million people over the past half-century.

In their study, published in The Lancet, the group used mathematical and statistical modeling to develop estimates for lives saved due to vaccines and then added them together to find the total.

Continue readingResearchers estimate vaccines have saved 154 million lives over past half-century
Comments closed
Topic: OntarioView all posts for the topic: Ontario

Radio | Ontario Today with Amanda Pfeffer

Published May 8, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CBC Radio One / Ontario Today
Published on:

What questions do you have about COVID-19?

Dr. Fahad Razak joins Ontario Today and takes your calls. Razak is an internal Medicine Physician at St. Michael’s Hospital. He’s also the former scientific director of Ontario’s COVID-19 Science Advisory Table.

Continue readingRadio | Ontario Today with Amanda Pfeffer
Comments closed
High-risk Albertans urged to get another vaccine dose as COVID-19 cases ticking upElectron microscope image of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles. Photo by: NIAID. Creative Commons CC BY 2.0 DEED Attribution 2.0 Generic license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/.
Topic: AlbertaView all posts for the topic: Alberta

High-risk Albertans urged to get another vaccine dose as COVID-19 cases ticking up

Published May 7, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CBC News
Published on:
By Jennifer Lee

After trending downward for several months, COVID-19 is on the upswing in Alberta once again.

The province’s respiratory virus dashboard shows a number of key indicators, including case counts, hospitalization numbers and positivity rates, are ticking up.

“Many jurisdictions in Canada have seen a slight bump in late April in the number of COVID cases, the positivity rate and also in their wastewater monitoring,” said Dr. Dan Gregson, an infectious diseases specialist in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary.

Continue readingHigh-risk Albertans urged to get another vaccine dose as COVID-19 cases ticking up
Comments closed
Topic: rapid testsView all posts for the topic: rapid tests

Ottawa will stop providing COVID-19 rapid tests to regions

Published May 7, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CBC News
Published on:
By Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon

The Canadian government plans to stop supplying provinces and territories with free COVID-19 rapid tests, which has an infection control epidemiologist worried about two-tiered health care, increased spread and increased health-care costs.

“The federal government continues to support Canada’s rapid testing needs while the federal inventory remains,” Health Canada spokesperson Nicholas Janveau told CBC News.

Continue readingOttawa will stop providing COVID-19 rapid tests to regions
Comments closed
Topic: pandemic responseView all posts for the topic: pandemic response

Scientists, clinicians across Canada preparing for future pandemic threats

Published May 6, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: The Canadian Press
Published on:
By Nicole Ireland

Nearly $574 million will be doled out to researchers across the country for projects aimed at ramping up Canada’s preparedness for future health emergencies, including the next pandemic, the federal government announced on Monday.

One of the 19 projects is a national network of existing emergency departments and primary-care clinics, called Prepared, that will screen for any new viruses or pathogens that start to appear in patients.

“As a public health specialist and as a practising physician, I would very much anticipate there being another respiratory pandemic in the future. The challenge is we don’t know when it will be or what it will be,” said Dr. Andrew Pinto, Prepared project lead and a family physician at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto.

Continue readingScientists, clinicians across Canada preparing for future pandemic threats
Comments closed
Topic: rapid testsView all posts for the topic: rapid tests

What are the most reliable rapid antigen tests?

Published May 6, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: newsGP
Published on:
By Michelle Wisbey

A new study has analysed 26 RATs from Australia and Canada, finding only six could effectively detect the lowest concentrations of COVID-19.

Patients across the globe have come to rely on rapid antigen tests (RATs) to confirm a COVID-19 diagnosis, but a new Australian study has revealed most are not producing accurate results.

Researchers from James Cook University (JCU) say they were left ‘shocked’ after an analysis of 26 RATs from Australia and Canada found just six were effective at detecting the lowest concentration of COVID-19.

One Canadian test failed to detect the COVID-19 protein entirely at any level of concentration.

Continue readingWhat are the most reliable rapid antigen tests?
Comments closed
Topic: pandemic responseView all posts for the topic: pandemic response

The unlearned lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic

Published May 4, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: The Globe and Mail
Published on:
By The Editorial Board

Four years ago this week, there was only one subject on Canadians’ minds: the incipient COVID-19 pandemic. Schools and businesses were locked down in most of the country. The death count was appalling: close to 1,900 in the first full week of the month. In all, about 4,300 Canadians would die that May – with far more brutal waves of infection and death to come.

The story is much different today. Thanks to the rapid development, approval and delivery of vaccines – an amazing human accomplishment that isn’t celebrated enough – COVID-19 has been brought to heel and is now largely seen as just one more viral disease, like the flu or common cold. The availability of home testing kits means most people who become infected by the latest variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus can manage the disease at home, and never trouble the health care system.

That’s good, but it hides the troubling fact that it is difficult to discern coherent policies at any level of government for continuing the fight against COVID-19, for dealing with its long-term effects, or for preparing for another pandemic.

Continue readingThe unlearned lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic
Comments closed
Topic: metforminView all posts for the topic: metformin

Common diabetes drug lowers SARS-CoV-2 levels, clinical trial finds

Published May 3, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CIDRAP
Published on:
By Stephanie Soucheray

Today, researchers from the University of Minnesota published evidence that the common diabetes drug metformin decreases the amount of SARS-CoV-2 in the body and helps reduce the risk of rebound symptoms if given early in the course of non-severe illness.

The study, published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, suggests metformin may also help prevent long COVID.

The researchers tested metformin against a placebo in 999 adults infected with COVID-19. More than 50% of the study enrollees were vaccinated, and treatment took place when the Omicron variant was the most dominant strain in the United States.

Continue readingCommon diabetes drug lowers SARS-CoV-2 levels, clinical trial finds
Comments closed
Topic: New BrunswickView all posts for the topic: New Brunswick

N.B. decides against updates to Clean Air Act to improve indoor air quality

Published May 3, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CBC News
Published on:
By Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon

Nearly a year after the legislature unanimously passed an Opposition motion to update the New Brunswick Clean Air Act and improve air quality in public buildings to reduce the spread of airborne illnesses, such as COVID-19, the government says it won’t update the act after all.

The Department of Environment and Local Government reviewed the act, which dates back to 1997, and “determined updating was not necessary because protections already exist under other legislation,” such as the Occupational Health and Safety Act, said spokesperson Clarissa Andersen.

Continue readingN.B. decides against updates to Clean Air Act to improve indoor air quality
Comments closed
Topic: vaccinesView all posts for the topic: vaccines

Fall COVID-19 vaccine guidelines are out. Here’s what NACI recommends

Published May 3, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: Global News
Published on:
By Katie Dangerfield

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) released its updated guidelines on Friday on the use of COVID-19 vaccines during the upcoming fall season.

Although COVID-19 rates are currently low across the country, NACI said it anticipates a surge in activity during the fall and winter months, aligning with patterns seen in previous years and consistent with the behaviour of other respiratory viruses.

“As COVID-19 activity is expected during the upcoming fall and winter months, and COVID-19 disease can compound the impact on the health system of other fall and winter respiratory viruses, NACI continues to provide early guidance on the use of COVID-19 vaccines to facilitate planning by provinces and territories,” the guidelines state.

Continue readingFall COVID-19 vaccine guidelines are out. Here’s what NACI recommends
Comments closed
Ontario: Consultation on infection prevention and control (IPAC)Image description: Photo of a healthcare worker with long brown hair, who is wearing a white respirator and glasses. To the right, there is some black text reading: Rx Prescription for healthcare settings: Wear an N95, FFP3 or elastomeric respirator. Use HEPA filters. It’s airborne. StillCOVIDing.ca
Topic: take actionView all posts for the topic: take action

Ontario: Consultation on infection prevention and control (IPAC)

Published May 2, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

📣 The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has initiated a consultation on infection prevention and control (IPAC). Do you want healthcare workers to wear N95 respirators? Would it be safer with HEPA filters in healthcare settings? Let them know!

Continue readingOntario: Consultation on infection prevention and control (IPAC)
Comments closed
Topic: rapid testsView all posts for the topic: rapid tests

International study highlights best RATs

Published May 2, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: James Cook University
Published on:

A ground-breaking study by James Cook University researchers has produced damning findings on several COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) available in Australia and overseas.

The new joint study by JCU and National Research Council Canada analysed 16 RATs approved by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and 10 by Health Canada, using a JCU-developed COVID-19 protein and its Canadian counterpart as reference materials.

Out of the total 26 RATs compared, only six were found to be effective at detecting the lowest concentration of the COVID-19 reference proteins in the dilution series used for benchmarking.

Continue readingInternational study highlights best RATs
Comments closed