All the cats agree: developing a vaccine is taking furrrever

  

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

⇒ Issue #117 (In numerology, 117 is self-reliant, compassionate, and humanitarian.)
⇒ Confirmed Covid cases in Canada as of 10/01: 161,107*
⇒ Confirmed Covid fatalities in Canada as of 10/0 9,346:*
⇒ Worldwide Covid cases as of 10/01: 33,997,825*
⇒ Worldwide Covid fatalities as of 10/01: 1,014,588*

October 1, 2020—We've arrived in October, CurveFlatteners. While fall began 10 days ago, something about October makes it feel more official. Time to enjoy the falling leaves and pumpkin spice lattes (the latter being a nod to International Coffee Day, which is today.) Here with your passel of pandemic updates this morning is Jeremy Visser, editorial assistant and, in my side-gig, ...volunteer cat-profile writer.

Yes, you heard that right. So, I was purrrticularly intrigued to find out that a recent study published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America) suggested that studying Covid-19 in felines could aid the way to a vaccine. 

A cohort of three dogs and two cohorts consisting of seven cats were observed after being infected with Covid-19. The study suggested that while cats are highly susceptible to infection, they are unlikely to develop clinical disease. The authors also documented that cats had a robust neutralizing antibody response that prevented reinfection.

The authors reinforce that there is no evidence that cats or dogs play a significant role in human infection, but that reverse zoonosis is possible, making pets susceptible to infected owners.

The authors believe that a cat's unique resistance to reinfection could play a role in a vaccine strategy that would protect humans and cats alike. So, keep those felines safe and indoors, they're not so great at understanding the concept of limiting a social circle.

The NPC Podcast is back for another season. 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 Marie Lamont of Inteliquet. Listen here now, or download the episode and play it at your convenience. The NPC Podcast is presented in cooperation with Impres Pharma

COVID CHRONICLE 10/01/2020

• Researchers at King's College London have data suggesting that delirium is a symptom of Covid-19 in frail, older people. Using information for a Covid-19 symptom study app from patients at St Thomas' Hospital, data showed that delirium was a possible warning sign in infected patients, even those who weren't exhibiting the more typically experienced cough or fever.

• A study published in Computers in Human Behavior has suggested that excessive social media use was linked to depression and secondary trauma. The study was conducted in urban districts in Wuhan, China and included 320 participants. More than half the respondents reported some level of depression, while none reported having any depressive or traumatic disorders before the survey was conducted.

• A new algorithm developed at University of Central Florida is able to accurately identify Covid-19 cases in the lungs of patients. The study was published in Nature Communications and details the CT scans, which were problematic as they were hard to distinguish Covid-19 from influenza. The algorithm is able to overcome this distinction and is a useful diagnostic tool, even for asymptomatic carriers.

WHAT CHRONICLE IS WORKING ON TODAY

Tonight begins the first session of the Sixth Annual Skin Spectrum Summit. I've been diligently editing video for presentations for the virtual conference on Ethnodermatology (and was politely asked to remove the cat videos from the presentations.) More information at www.skinspectrum.ca

RIGHT NOW WE ARE LISTENING TO... 

folklore by Taylor Swift. While I'm a little late to the party on this one, I have put my pop-punk and post-hardcore metal on pause for a couple listens of, what could very well be, T Swift's best album.


TONIGHT WE ARE READING... 

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. My Toronto Public Library pile is starting to get a little out of control. Inspired to read the source material from Studio Ghibli's most lacklustre film, I am happy to report that the book is significantly better. In a fantasy story that is equal parts adventure and allegory, it's some fun, short reading.


HOW GOES YOUR WEEK?

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.

Stay in touch, stay safe and enjoy your day. Allan Ryan will be back tomorrow to finish up the week.