Two approaches to flattening the curve: Draconian and none at all

 

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 National Pharmaceutical Congress. More info at pharmacongress.info

⇒ Issue #137 (In numerology, 137 represents is a source, where things start or begin their existence.)

⇒ Confirmed Covid cases in Canada as of 11/18: 309,877*
⇒ Confirmed Covid fatalities in Canada as of 11/18: 11,136*
⇒ Worldwide Covid cases as of 11/18: 55,714,647*
⇒ Worldwide Covid fatalities as of 11/18: 1,340,645*

November 18, 2020—Welcome back to another Wednesday and another week of curve flattening. Or at least, that is the ambition. Good intentions notwithstanding, it appears that Covid-19 cases continue to accumulate. This is Jeremy Visser reporting this morning in Toronto.

After Canada's most populous province introduced a new, confusing, and seemingly ineffective pandemic-defense framework, Ontario's numbers have continued to rise (see DCF passim.) Since then, politician Annamie Paul, leader of the Green Party, has called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to appoint a national task force. While Mr. Trudeau has asked provincial governments to take more precautions, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has taken notice and... passed the buck to individual residents on his patch. This has not shown to be effective.

You might look to Australia for an example of proper curve-flattening. Victoria, the epicenter of their second wave, implemented a controversial lockdown that eventually led to 14 days without a single case of Covid-19. This included tactics such as limiting residents to only one hour outside for exercise or shopping a day, fining those not wearing masks or protesting for 'anti-mask rights,' and requiring work permits for those exempt from the strict curfew. Draconian? Perhaps. Unpleasant? A tetch. But it seemed to work.

Of course, releasing some really good public service announcements, as Germany did in preparation for winter, is one other route. The video (above) celebrates couch potatoes, gamers, and those who never leave their house. The previous two announcements in the series can be found here and here. Now, if only Canada could recognize service to our country offered by this reporter (and gamer), in the same way Germany did for its citizens.

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 11/18/2020

• A new study from Queen Mary University of London suggests that those with cardiovascular risk factors such as high BMI and cholesterol are at higher risk for Covid-19. Researchers used a method known as the Mendelian Randomisation to leverage individual genetic information to determine the link to cardiovascular risk factors. The article was published in Frontiers in Genetics. 

• A national survey polled 1,000 anonymous Americans and 80% of participants aged 18-35 are experiencing "significant depressive symptoms" during the pandemic. The study was focused on anxiety and substance use and published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. 

• A recent study has suggested that those who take the antidepressant fluvoxamine suffered less severe symptoms of Covid-19. The small study found significant results when compared to placebo and those on the drug "did not develop serious breathing difficulties or require hospitalization for problems with lung function", according to the researchers. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

WHAT CHRONICLE IS WORKING ON TODAY

Now that the National Pharmaceutical Congress has come to an end, we've turned our attention to concluding the second season of the NPC Podcast. You might just be able to find a new episode this time next week wherever you find your podcasts.

RIGHT NOW WE ARE LISTENING TO... 

Eggy Pocket by the band Bilmuri. I stumbled upon this recording while shuffling through Spotify. Now I can't stop listening to one of the most unique bands I've ever heard that seems to defy any genre labels. This album came out yesterday and fits into an impressive and consistent discography.


TONIGHT WE ARE WATCHING... 

The Handmaid's Tale. A little late to the party but I'm halfway through the adaptation of the CanLit classic from novelist Margaret Atwood.

HOW IS YOUR DAY 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.

Stay in touch, stay safe, and enjoy your day. Allan Ryan will follow tomorrow.