Contact tracing? There's an app for that

The NPC Podcast is on the air. The organizers of the National Pharmaceutical Congress are proud to release our new weekly podcast series, hosted by Peter Brenders. Peter's guest this week is Christine Lennon of Incyte Biosciences Canada. Listen here now, or download the episode and play it at your convenience. The NPC Podcast is presented in cooperation with Impres Pharma.

⇒ Issue #90 (In numerology 90 connotes humanitarianism, compassion, and idealism)
⇒ Confirmed Covid cases in Canada as of 08/06: 120,033*
⇒ Confirmed Covid fatalities in Canada as of 08/06: 9,010*
⇒ Worldwide Covid cases as of 08/06: 18,835,986*
⇒ Worldwide Covid fatalities as of 08/06: 708,278*

August 6, 2020— Welcome back to another (foreshortened) week of pandemic updates, fellow Curveflatteners. Wondering how it's Thursday already, this is Chronicle editorial assistant Jeremy Visser.

As someone who likes to be up to date with the newest apps and tech, I'm happy to be located in Ontario, which is the first province to have the hottest new app of 2020: the Covid Alert app. Currently topping Apple's Free Apps chart, ahead of TikTok, Instagram and Pokemon Go, the Covid Alert app is definitely a must-have this summer.

With a ringing endorsement from the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Daniel Therrien, the app manages contact tracing without location tracking or using GPS. Instead, the app uses Bluetooth to communicate with nearby phones and will alert you if you've spent 15 minutes within two metres of someone who reported a positive test for Covid-19 to the app.

Of course, you would have to enter that data in the app for this to work, but the voluntary use of the app is one of its strengths, alongside its privacy policy, which has earned it over one million downloads since its release last Friday (07/31.)

The app will not share your location, name, address, contacts, health information or the health information of anyone near you. Despite all this, Mr. Therrien had to state that it isn't 100 per cent anonymous. However, you can at least be sure your information won't be sold to Cambridge Analytica.


COVID CHRONICLE 08/06/2020

• A study published online first in the American Journal of Roentgenology investigates the recent association of strokes with Covid-19. The study suggested that Covid-19 was associated with large vessel occlusion strokes, as opposed to small-vessel occlusion strokes.
• A study published online in the JAMA Network, looked at school closures in association with decreased incidence and mortality of Covid-19. The US-based study looked at schools from 50 states between March 9 and May 7, suggesting that school that closed earlier when incidences were low, had the largest relative reduction in incidence and mortality. However, the authors admit that the reduction could have been due to other concurrent interventions.
• An Australia-based study published online first in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, showed transmission in New South Wales schools were low and consistent with mild and infrequent disease noted in their child population. The authors suggest their findings could help inform public health policy as the return to public schools nears.

WHAT CHRONICLE IS WORKING ON TODAY

A web redesign for skinspectrum.ca. Improvements are currently underway for the webpage for the annual Skin Spectrum Summit. Moving to a virtual summit this year, the Canadian Conference on Ethnodermatology is open for registration with information on dates, times, and conference themes listed.


RIGHT NOW WE ARE LISTENING TO...

Transitional Forms by Sharptooth. The new album from the Baltimore-based hardcore punk band has been out for a month now, but I'm only just getting around to listening to it.


TONIGHT WE ARE WATCHING...

A re-watch of season one of Atlanta. Written, directed, and starring Donald Glover, this unique entertainment details protagonist Earn Marks’ attempt to manage his cousin, a rapper known as Paper Boi. It's a hilarious and insightful show focusing on Black identity and social issues through segments that focus on incarceration, rap culture, and even a Black Justin Bieber.

TONIGHT WE ARE COOKING...

Breakfast Taquitos. It's been an unusual couple of months where I've been trying a lot of new things: working from home, wearing protective masks whenever I leave the house, and even actually offering to cook dinner for once. In a slight switch from my signature scrambled tofu wraps, I decided to mix things up with this scrambled tofu taquito recipe.


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.


C’est tout. Stay in touch, stay safe and enjoy this Thursday. Editorial Director Allan Ryan will be here tomorrow for your news updates.