Canada will fund Covid vaccine development for the developing world: report

The NPC Healthbiz Weekly has launched. It's your weekly briefing on topics pertinent to healthcare marketers and executives, from Chronicle Companies, organizers of the 14th National Pharmaceutical Congress, which begins Oct. 21. More info at pharmacongress.info

⇒ Issue #106 (In numerology, 106 is likely to be highly intuitive, spiritual, and wise.)
⇒ Confirmed Covid cases in Canada as of 09/04: 132,527*
⇒ Confirmed Covid fatalities in Canada as of 09/04: 9,189*
⇒ Worldwide Covid cases as of 09/04: 26,333,573*

⇒ Worldwide Covid fatalities as of 09/04: 869,306*

September 4, 2020—TGIF and happy long weekend CurveFlatteners. It's assistant editor Kylie Rebernik here, reporting from my music room/gaming room/home office in Oakville, Ont.

This weekend traditionally marks the end of summer and the ushering in of fall. Normally, I would be hitting up a local ribfest, however with Covid-19 that is not in the cards this weekend, and I will be doing some end of summer cleaning instead. But if you do still want to simulate the experience of wandering about with a chewed animal part in your hand this weekend, the Ontario city of Burlington has turned their annual meat-eaters' bacchanal into a "Drive-Thru Ribfest." If carnivores caterwauling in a parking lot is not your thing, here is a list of all the different Labour Day events happening across Canada this weekend. 

In other news, Canada is set to make a financial contribution to COVAX, an international vaccine collation that is aiming to distribute the Covid-19 vaccine (once tested, proven, and available) to poorer countries that will not be able to afford it. The decision for Canada to contribute to COVAX is in contrast to our neighbours to the south, with President Donald J. Trump announcing on Sept. 1, 2020, that the U.S. would not be supporting COVAX. 

The response from the U.S. is an example of what the Harvard Business Review calls "vaccine nationalism". According to the article (linked above), "if countries with a larger number of cases lag in obtaining the vaccine and other medicines, the disease will continue to disrupt global supply chains and, as a result, economies around the world." It is safe to say, that as it stands the current U.S. officials are only in it for themselves, and if we are not careful we will repeat what happened during the H1N1 virus of 2009, where larger more prosperous countries essentially hoarded the vaccine and poorer countries paid the price.


COVID CHRONICLE 09/04/2020

• Researchers at the University of Alberta are launching a clinical trial of a drug that has been used to successfully cure a disease caused by coronavirus in cats but they suspect will be effective in humans. According to the press release, "this drug is very likely to work in humans, so we're encouraged that it will be an effective antiviral treatment for Covid-19 patients." 
• A new study published in BMJ (Sept. 2, 2020), has found that pregnant women with Covid-19 are more likely to need intensive care. According to researchers, although pregnant women are less likely to show symptoms of Covid-19 compared to non-pregnant women, they are at increased risk of needing intensive care. The study included 11, 432 pregnant and recently pregnant women admitted to the hospital for confirmed or suspect Covid-19. 
• There may be a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and Covid-19. The study, which was published Sept. 3, 2020 in JAMA, examined 489 people who had test positive for Covid-19 but also tested for a vitamin D deficiency in the prior year. Results of the study should that 19% of vitamin D deficient people tested positive for Covid-19, compared to only 12% of non-vitamin D deficient people. 

WHAT CHRONICLE IS WORKING ON TODAY

It is all about Skin Spectrum Summit. As organizers of the Summit, we are working diligently to help deliver the 6th annual Skin Spectrum Summit in a virtual format. The Curriculum Chair is Dr. Gary Sibbald and the Co-Chairs are Drs. Danielle Marcoux and Jason Rivers. The virtual program begins Oct. 1, 2020. Visit www.skinspectrum.ca for more information. 

TONIGHT I AM WATCHING

We are continuing our Marvel marathon and watching Iron Man 3 on Disney+. My partner has never seen on the movies so we are watching them in chronological story order versus the traditional release date order. 

LATER WE ARE COOKING

Steak and fresh veggies are on the menu tonight. Unfortunately, we do not have a BBQ yet, so I become the master of the cast-iron steak. 

THE LONG WEEKEND STARTS NOW

Stay safe through close of the Labour Day weekend on Monday night. The Skin Spectrum Weekly will be delivered Monday morning. Sign up here. Next Tuesday, subscribers will receive the NPC Healthbiz Weekly. Get yours here. The Daily Curveflattener returns next Wednesday, with my colleague Jeremy Visser at the keyboard.