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Category: News

Topic: vaccinesView all posts for the topic: vaccines

Do you need a spring COVID-19 vaccine? Research backs extra round for high-risk groups

Published March 28, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: CBC News
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By Lauren Pelley

New guidelines suggest certain high-risk groups could benefit from having another dose of a COVID-19 vaccine this spring — and more frequent shots in general — while the broader population could be entering once-a-year territory, much like an annual flu shot.

Medical experts told CBC News that falling behind on the latest shots can come with health risks, particularly for individuals who are older or immunocompromised.

“Even when the risk of infection starts to increase, the vaccines still do a really good job at decreasing risk of severe disease,” said McMaster University researcher and immunologist Matthew Miller.

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Topic: AustraliaView all posts for the topic: Australia

Almost one-in-five suffering from long COVID

Published March 28, 2024

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Published by: ANU Reporter
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A study of more than 11,000 Australians who tested positive to COVID-19 in 2022 has revealed almost one-in-five were still experiencing ongoing symptoms three months after their initial diagnosis, according to new research from The Australian National University (ANU).

The study was conducted in Western Australia (WA), with participants drawn from the almost 71,000 adults who tested positive to COVID-19 in WA between 16 July 2022 and 3 August 2022.

Lead researcher, Dr Mulu Woldegiorgis, said the results show the risk of developing long COVID from the Omicron variant is higher than previously thought.

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Topic: AustraliaView all posts for the topic: Australia

Omicron linked to more long COVID-19 cases: study

Published March 28, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: The Canberra Times
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By Aaron Bunch

The Omicron coronavirus variant could be causing more cases of long COVID than earlier versions of the disease, scientists say.

A study of more than 11,000 Western Australians infected in 2022 found almost one in five continued to suffer symptoms three months after they initially tested positive.

Epidemiologist Mulu Woldegiorgis said the findings show the Omicron variant puts patients at greater risk of developing long COVID than previously thought.

“It is more than double the prevalence reported in a review of Australian data from earlier in the pandemic, and higher than similar studies done in the UK and Canada,” she said on Thursday.

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Topic: measlesView all posts for the topic: measles

Le nombre de cas de rougeole en hausse au Canada

Published March 27, 2024

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Published by: La Presse / The Canadian Press
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By Nicole Ireland

The number of confirmed measles cases in Canada so far this year is more than three times higher than all infections recorded in 2023, the country’s public health official said, urging people to make sure their vaccines are up to date.

The Public Health Agency of Canada identified 40 confirmed cases across the country in 2024, its Chief Administrator, Dr. Theresa Tam, confirmed on Wednesday.

Tam expressed concern that an insufficient number of school-aged children have not been properly vaccinated against the highly contagious virus.

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Topic: measlesView all posts for the topic: measles

Measles cases in Canada are increasing, Canada’s chief public health officer warns

Published March 27, 2024

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Published by: CTV News / The Canadian Press
Published on:
By Nicole Ireland

The number of confirmed measles cases in Canada so far this year is more than three times higher than all infections recorded in 2023, the country’s chief public health officer said as she urged people to ensure their vaccinations are up to date.

The Public Health Agency of Canada is aware of 40 confirmed cases across the country in 2024, Dr. Theresa Tam said on Wednesday.

Tam said she is concerned that not enough school-aged children have been adequately vaccinated against the highly contagious virus.

“I strongly advise parents or caregivers to ensure that children in their care have received all measles vaccines according to schedule,” she said in an interview.

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Topic: British ColumbiaView all posts for the topic: British Columbia

Anti-COVID mandate protester found not guilty of criminal charges

Published March 27, 2024

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Published by: CBC News
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WARNING: This story contains offensive and racist language.

A Kelowna man charged with causing a disturbance after yelling at a security guard at a vaccine clinic has been found not guilty by a B.C. judge.

Bruce Orydzuk, 60, was captured on video repeatedly yelling at the guard, who was wearing a turban. The guard had asked him to leave the property of a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in July 2021.

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Topic: Ottawa-GatineauView all posts for the topic: Ottawa-Gatineau

Ottawa Public Library to provide free solar eclipse glasses for residents

Published March 27, 2024

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Published by: CTV News
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By William Eltherington

The Ottawa Public Library will be providing free solar eclipse glasses to residents in anticipation of a partial solar eclipse on April 8.

While supplies last, the glasses that provide proper protection for eclipse viewing will include a printed handout with safety instructions.

The City of Ottawa says it will launch the initiative on Thursday, March 28. All library branches will have total solar eclipse glasses available for the public, starting when branches open on Thursday.

Officials say quantities of glasses are limited, so branches will run out before April 8.

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Topic: OntarioView all posts for the topic: Ontario

Masking policy updated by Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance

Published March 27, 2024

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Published by: CTV News
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By Kristylee Varley

Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance (HPHA) is updating its masking policy.

“Based upon the most recent Public Health Ontario guidance, updates will be made…” read a release from the organization.

Effective immediately, masking will be “welcomed but no longer required,” in many clinical areas of HPHA hospital sites with the exception of emergency departments where masking is still required.

Masking will also still be required for anybody who has symptoms of respiratory infection such as cough, fever and sore throat. If you’re accompanying somebody with symptoms, you must also wear a mask.

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Topic: researchView all posts for the topic: research

Study: Kids with COVID but no symptoms play key role in household spread

Published March 26, 2024

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Published by: CIDRAP
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By Stephanie Soucheray

A study today in Clinical Infectious Diseases conducted across 12 tertiary care pediatric hospitals in Canada and the United States shows that asymptomatic children with COVID-19, especially preschoolers, contribute significantly to household transmission.

The researchers discovered that 10.6% of exposed household contacts developed symptomatic illness within 14 days of exposure to asymptomatic test-positive children, a rate higher than expected.

“We determined that the risk of developing symptomatic illness within 14 days was 5 times greater among household contacts of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2–positive children,” the authors wrote.

They also found that 6 of 77 asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2–infected children during a 3-month follow-up developed long COVID, or 7.8% of them.

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Topic: New BrunswickView all posts for the topic: New Brunswick

3 more COVID deaths in New Brunswick, 4 youth among flu hospitalizations

Published March 26, 2024

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Published by: CBC News
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By Bobbi-Jean MacKinnon

Three more New Brunswickers have died from COVID-19, while no new influenza deaths have been reported, and hospitalizations for both viruses have decreased, updated data from the province Tuesday shows.

A child under four, and three youth aged five to 19 are among those hospitalized by the flu between March 10 and March 16, according to the Respiratory Watch report.

“COVID-19 activity remains moderate; some indicators (number of cases, percent positivity, and hospitalizations) decreased slightly during the current reporting period,” it says.

Influenza activity “slightly decreased” during the reporting week.

Of the three people who died, one was aged 45 to 64 and the other two were aged 65 or older.

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Topic: long COVIDView all posts for the topic: long COVID

Video | Elle espère guérir de la COVID longue depuis 4 ans

Published March 26, 2024

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Published by: Radio-Canada
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By Rad Vidéo

Family physician Caroline Grégoire suffers from post-COVID-19 syndrome [long COVID]. She shares her symptoms and her life’s struggle over the past four years: to manage her energy. She deplores the government’s lack of help and says her chronic fatigue has not always been taken seriously, or even invalidated, by healthcare workers.

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Topic: New ZealandView all posts for the topic: New Zealand

Long Covid: Teachers, healthcare workers most vulnerable occupations, report finds

Published March 26, 2024

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Published by: Radio New Zealand
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Some people who had Long Covid early in 2020 are still not well. So the experience of being not listened to and not believed has been very harmful for them alongside the very considerable health impacts that they’ve had from Long Covid. […] The cost of inaction is going to be very high and that’s going to be a human cost and a financial cost.

— Lead author Amanda Kvalsvig
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Topic: indoor air qualityView all posts for the topic: indoor air quality

CDC releases ventilation guidance for curbing indoor respiratory virus spread

Published March 25, 2024

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Published by: CIDRAP
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By Lisa Schnirring

As part of its updates on strategies to battle respiratory viruses, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on March 22 detailed steps that people can take to reduce the number of respiratory particles that circulate in indoor air. The ventilation guidance update comes as respiratory disease levels such as flu and COVID are declining from a late December peak.

The CDC said ventilation, alongside vaccination and practicing good hand hygiene, is one of the core strategies for protecting people against respiratory illness. “People can still get sick after ventilating a space, so it is important to use ventilation as one part of a multi-layered approach to protect ourselves against getting sick from respiratory viruses,” the CDC said.

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Topic: cardiovascular diseaseView all posts for the topic: cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular risks and COVID-19: New research confirms the benefits of vaccination

Published March 25, 2024

Still COVIDing Canada Posts

Published by: The Conversation
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By Glen Pyle

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease. Yet, from the earliest days of the pandemic, the cardiovascular risks associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection were clear: individuals with severe cases of COVID-19 often died from cardiovascular complications, and those with pre-existing cardiovascular disease were more likely to have severe illness or die.

In short, the cardiovascular system has played a central role in COVID-19 since the beginning.

It is not surprising that as debate over COVID-19 and vaccines flared that cardiovascular disease was a central issue. Those opposed to vaccination often make claims of cardiovascular risks that exceed any benefits. But when data on COVID-19, vaccines and cardiovascular health are reviewed, the conclusions are clear: vaccines are safe and effective at reducing the cardiovascular complications that are a hallmark of COVID-19.

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Topic: PaxlovidView all posts for the topic: Paxlovid

13 Things To Know About Paxlovid, the Latest COVID-19 Pill

Published March 25, 2024

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Published by: Yale Medicine
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By Kathy Katella

Note: Information in this article was accurate at the time of original publication. Because information about COVID-19 changes rapidly, we encourage you to visit the websites of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and your state and local government for the latest information.

Paxlovid, an oral antiviral pill that can be taken at home, is the go-to treatment for COVID-19. If you are at high risk for severe disease from COVID, and you take it within the first five days of experiencing symptoms, it will lower your risk of getting so sick that you need to be hospitalized.

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Topic: cognitive declineView all posts for the topic: cognitive decline

COVID Linked to Lower IQ, Poor Memory and Other Negative Impacts on Brain Health

Published March 24, 2024

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Published by: People
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By Erin Clack

Taken together, these studies show that COVID-19 poses a serious risk to brain health, even in mild cases, and the effects are now being revealed at the population level. […]

The growing body of research now confirms that COVID-19 should be considered a virus with a significant impact on the brain. The implications are far-reaching, from individuals experiencing cognitive struggles to the potential impact on populations and the economy.

— Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly
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Topic: climate crisisView all posts for the topic: climate crisis

Alberta scientists band together to shift climate change focus to health impacts

Published March 24, 2024

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Published by: CTV News / The Canadian Press
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By Bob Weber

Bodies and minds are just as affected by climate change as sea ice and forests, says University of Alberta scientist Sherilee Harper.

“Climate change impacts everything we care about,” she said. “It’s not just an environmental issue.”

That’s why Harper, along with 30 or so colleagues from disciplines as wide-ranging as economics and epidemiology, have banded together into what she calls Canada’s first university hub to shift the view of climate change from an environmental problem to a threat to human health.

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