Latest Covid kerfuffle: Truck-stops reserve the right to refuse service to truckers

⇒ Issue #62
⇒ Confirmed Covid cases in Canada as of 06/25: 104,087*
⇒ Confirmed Covid fatalities in Canada as of 06/25: 8,544*
⇒ Worldwide Covid cases as of 06/25: 9,547,902*
⇒ Worldwide Covid fatalities as of 06/25: 483,247*

June 25, 2020—Happy Thursday, fellow CurveFlatteners. Reporting your Covid-19 news today is Jeremy Visser from the way-windy west end of Toronto.

Although the weather outside says differently, it is the first week of summer. While my summer plans haven't been overly altered by closed borders and travel restrictions, Canadians are worried that Covid-19 has summer road trips plans via truckers in Manitoba.

With half of new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Manitoba coming from truckers, some businesses have refused service to the drivers, blaming them for bringing the pandemic into the province. 

Of course, when we say "half of new confirmed cases", more precisely, we're talking about three out of six. So, perhaps these truckers may be facing unnecessary discrimination bringing shipments during a time when people are looking for economic revival.

While previous research shows that the summer humidity and weather won't significantly slow down the spread of Covid-19, worries that air conditioning may increases pandemic growth have arisen. A report released by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control details that infectious aerosols travelling through the ventilation system ducts of HVAC are very low.

It seems AC use won't play a large part in giving Covid-19 a memorable summer, but the report still recommends taking the regular precautions of social distancing and face masks, since confined indoor spaces are the most likely places for increased transmission. On top of regular measures, they encourage directing airflow away from individuals, AC systems that increase the use of outdoor air (as opposed to recirculation of indoor air), and adhering to regular cleaning and changing of filters. 

COVID CHRONICLE 06/25/2020

• A study published in The Lancet supports evidence that social distancing and face masks reduce pandemic growth. The systematic review and meta-analysis echoed public health advice of keeping one meter or more distance from people in health care and non-healthcare settings, with face masks and goggle wear associated with less infection.

• A research letter published in JAMA Network Open looks at sterilization of N95, KN95, and surgical face masks on filtration efficiency in light of PPE shortages. The research found that using hydrogen peroxide had fewer negative effects on filter material than chlorine dioxide, but both cases had decreased filter efficiency.

• A study from Wuhan, China, published in the British Medical Journal looked at 420 healthcare professionals between four hospitals, being exposed to patients with Covid-19. Using proper PPE and having adequate training prevented any of the study participants from testing positive for Covid-19, despite the high risk. The study recommends the priority of PPE for healthcare professionals.
• A study from the University of Leeds in the U.K. analyzes the most common symptoms among adults with Covid-19. The systematic review looks at 148 studies involving 24,410 adults from nine countries.

STORIES CHRONICLE IS WORKING ON TODAY

My colleague and fellow west-ender Dhiren Mahiban interviewed Dr. Amin Kanani about recommendations for Benadryl to be moved behind the counter. The article will be published in the upcoming issue of Pediatric Chronicle.  

RIGHT NOW WE ARE LISTENING TO... 

The new single "livebait" by Capstan. The progressive post-hardcore band from Florida has been playing non-stop on Spotify for the last week or so. While the new single screams (literally) of the vocal influences of He Is Legend, their entire discography is a mixture of heartfelt lyrics and commentary on capitalism and material culture.  

RIGHT NOW WE ARE WATCHING... 

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. With 20 films from Studio Ghibli gracing Netflix today, there's a lot to choose from. The obvious topical choice involves a post-apocalyptic world with toxic jungles, where people using far more restrictive PPE than ours try and to a second destruction of what little is left of the planet and marred eco-system. From the director Hayao Miyazaki.

TONIGHT WE ARE COOKING... 

I picked up some rosemary sourdough loaf from The Bread Essentials on Royal York Road and had it for lunch with some avocado and now I'm no longer able to think of any other food. It's that good. 

HOW IS YOUR WEEK GOING?

Please make use of the comments section at the Daily CurveFlattener, to let us know what you're up to today. Or feel free to check in via LinkedIn, email, or your choice of connector. By all means, pass this newsletter along to your colleagues.

That's it. Stay in touch, stay safe and hold out for the weekend. Editorial Director Allan Ryan will be back tomorrow to finish up the week.