So tired, tired of waiting, tired of waiting for Covid-19 test results

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 next Wednesday, Oct. 21. More info at pharmacongress.info

⇒ Issue #127 (In numerology, 127 stands for self-reliance and always looking forward.)
⇒ Confirmed Covid cases in Canada as of 10/23: 211,617*
⇒ Confirmed Covid fatalities in Canada as of 10/23: 9,916*
⇒ Worldwide Covid cases as of 10/23: 41,771,162*

⇒ Worldwide Covid fatalities as of 10/23: 1,138,671*

October 23, 2020—Congratulations fellow CurveFlatteners, we made it to the end of the week. Celebrating the dawn of the weekend from the confines of my home office is your editorial assistant Jeremy Visser. 

What are your weekend plans? Perhaps going for a brisk fall walk or spending a night in with takeout? Well, if you're in Toronto, Ottawa, and Peel Region and feeling symptomatic, Premier Doug Ford is urging you to get tested this weekend. Although if you're feeling symptomatic and not in these Covid hot spots, you should still get tested.

Of course, sometimes things are easier said than done. For instance, those who received testing at northwest Toronto's Humber River Hospital have had wait times as long as three weeks. Some are still waiting for their test results after finishing the 14-day isolation period. For those looking for another local hospital with faster times, downtown St. Michael’s Hospital has recently had a Covid-19 outbreak among staff. In a statement from the hospital, they are reaching out to any patients who were in direct contact with the staff members and recommend those who visited in the last two weeks to be aware of emerging symptoms. 

On a related note, I think I'll be spending my weekend indoors now.

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 Kevin Leshuk. 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 10/23/2020

• A new mass screening method dubbed the 'hypercube algorithm' has been estimated to be around 20 times cheaper than individual testing. A study was done at the University of Edinburgh in which a team of researchers conducted field trials in Africa, using the algorithm to pinpoint individual positive test results within a combined sample.

• A recent study has shown that densely populated areas were more likely to reduce visits to "essential" destinations like grocery stores. The study, published in Landscape and Urban Planning, suggested that those in largely populated areas may be more aware of the threat. Using anonymous cellphone information, the study also found that there were next to no reductions in visits to "non-essential" destinations such as parks.

• A research letter recently published in JAMA looked at the causes of excess deaths from Covid-19 and other causes between March and July in 2020. The death count increased by 20% during this period and the authors found that Covid-19 was a documented cause of only 67 per cent of the excess deaths. The authors theorize some deaths could be attributed to unrecognized or undocumented infections.

WHAT CHRONICLE IS WORKING ON TODAY

We're still screen-deep into the 14th annual National Pharmaceutical Congress (NPC). The first day was a success with faculty and delegates and we’re preparing for day two of three on Wednesday, 28th. You can learn more here.

RIGHT NOW WE ARE WATCHING... 

The Wind Rises. I’m eagerly awaiting Hayao Miyazaki’s last Ghibli film to date. A period piece grounded in the real world is a bit of a change of pace for Miyazaki, but I’m sure it will still be magical.


TONIGHT WE ARE READING... 

Here by Richard McGuire. One of the most unique graphic novels I've ever read. Using a collection of still images, disjointed characters and conversations throughout time and abstract use of comics panels make these a quick and memorable read.

ANY PLANS FOR THE WEEKEND?

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 weekend. Come Wednesday, Allan Ryan will take over the DCF reporting duties. Skin Spectrum Weekly subscribers will receive their next edition on Monday, and NCP Healthbiz Weekly readers will get their fix next Tuesday.