March 29, 2022 Allergy/Immunology UBC, Université de Sherbrooke, and Cornell University researchers report a new enzyme-blocking compound delivered in a nasal spray that effectively treats delta variant infection in mice. Human trials dependent on securing funding.
March 9, 2022 Infectious Disease Mild Covid is associated with comparative imaging scans showing pathological changes in brain structure in people age 51-81 taken from UK Biobank data
February 10, 2022 Epidemiology Does a working paper from economics professor at Johns Hopkins University show lockdowns were ineffective against COVID-19? Explanation by epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, @GidMK, reviews why it did not.
January 31, 2022 Health Policy Ontario starts to ease Public Health COVID-19 measures at 21-day intervals. Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore states “When we reach that low endemic rate, that’s when we review all public health measures in play.”
January 13, 2022 Epidemiology Why Covid parties are not a great idea to “get it over with”. The law of unintended consequences tends to insinuate itself into the process leading to unexpected outcomes.
December 20, 2021 Health Policy COVID-19 testing capacity in Ottawa under strain and pushed to the limit; OPH urging symptomatic people to assume they have COVID and to self-isolate for 10 days.
December 9, 2021 Health Policy Ottawa Medical Officer of Health Dr. Vera Etches expresses concern about rising COVID-19 rates and how it could affect holiday plans.
November 29, 2021 Epidemiology Two cases of Omicron variant reported in Ottawa. Ottawa Public Health is introducing new self-isolation and testing requirements for residents who have travelled to eight countries within 14 days before arriving in Canada “out of an abundance of caution.”
November 24, 2021 Generic Drugs Will the COVID antiviral medications be the Thor’s Hammer against SARS-CoV-2 and help mitigate the ravages of the pandemic? These are impressive drugs but there are logistical, social, geographical, and financial caveats to solve in the process.
November 19, 2021 Health Policy Rapid Covid-19 antigen tests to be sent to the homes of Ontario’s 2.2 million school children for the Christmas break. And Health Canada approves Pfizer vaccine for 5 to 11 year-olds.