Covid vaccine implementation raises concerns, questions

The NPC Healthbiz Weekly is back to inform you through 2021. 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 Winter Webinar Feb. 10, 2021. More info at pharmacongress.info

⇒ Issue #155 (In numerology, 155 stands for achievement and accomplishment.)

⇒ Confirmed Covid cases in Canada as of 01/15: 693,658*
⇒ Confirmed Covid fatalities in Canada as of 01/15: 17,559*

⇒ Number of Canadians vaccinated as of 01/15: 459,572*
⇒ Worldwide Covid cases as of 01/15: 93,227,344*

⇒ Worldwide Covid fatalities as of 01/15: 1,996,626*

January 15, 2020—Hello young CurveFlatteners, and welcome to the Friday edition of the CuveFlattener. It is your Oakville, Ont. cat-lover and Assitant Editor, Kylie Rebernik at the keyboard today. 

With many provinces issuing stay-at-home orders, there have been questions about the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine in Canada, including the booster shot's need to be delivered closer to the initial dose. According to an article published by CTV News, seven Quebec residents who were among the first Canadians to receive the vaccine's initial dose have subsequently tested positive for Covid-19. All seven residents live in a long-term care home in west Montreal. 

In other vaccine-related developments, the early trials of Johnson & Johnson's new Covid-19 vaccine have shown an immune response in nearly all volunteers, with little to no side effects. Johnson & Johnson's vaccine requires only one dose. A team of international researchers conducting combined Phase I and II trials found that one dose of the vaccine generated both antibody and T-cell response. 

The NPC Podcast returns this month for another season. The National Pharmaceutical Congress organizers are proud to bring you our informative and entertaining weekly podcast series, hosted by Peter Brenders. Peter's guest this week is Karen Lee, CEO of Parkinson Canada. Listen here now, or download the episode and play it at your convenience. The NPC Podcast is presented in cooperation with our partners at Impres Pharma

COVID CHRONICLE 01/15/2020

• Two Canadian researchers are testing the effects of cannabis on Covid-19. The research appears in Preprints. Researchers hypothesize that a specific strain of cannabis could block Covid-19 from entering the body.

• A new review article published in mBio found that patients who had more serious Covid-19 tended to have gastrointestinal symptoms. The review theorizes that people with an altered gut microbiome, for example, those with chronic disease, could allow Covid-19 to spread to more organs faster.
• Statistics Canada is asking residents of the Maritime provinces to donate a few drops of blood to get a more accurate picture of how widespread Covid-19 has become. The federal agency is randomly mailing out antibody test-kits and asking recipients to send back a few drops of blood.

TODAY CHRONICLE IS WORKING ON

The team at Chronicle is working with the educational and planning committees for the upcoming Indigenous Skin Spectrum Summit. The event is co-chaired by Dr. Gary Sibbald and Dr. Rachel Netahe Assinwasis. You can learn more about the Summit here.

TONIGHT WE ARE EATING

Crockpot "crack" chicken burrito bowls. The chicken recipe involves olive oil, balsamic vinegar, chicken, and any BBQ seasoning you want. You let the chicken cook in the slow cooker for four hours, and voila, you have "crack" chicken. 

CATCH YOU NEXT THURSDAY

As we resume crewing our stations and preparing for whatever may be around the corner this year, the CurveFlattener will continue to report to you each Thursday and Friday, right up until the curve is flattened. We’ll be back next Thursday with Jeremy Visser at the controls. Stay safe until then, and have a good week.