Yes Canada, you can have more vaccine, but only if you finish what's on your plate

The NPC Healthbiz Weekly is here 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. 

⇒ Issue #168 (In numerology, 168 speaks to the energy of nurturing and family .)

⇒ Worldwide Covid cases as of 03/04: 115,273,110*

⇒ Worldwide Covid fatalities as of 03/04: 2,561,738*

⇒ Confirmed Covid cases in Canada as of 03/04: 880,835*
⇒ Confirmed Covid fatalities in Canada as of 03/04: 22,105*

⇒ Number of vaccine doses administered to Canadians as of 03/04: 2,091,700*

March 4, 2021—Hello, CurveFlatteners. It's that time again. Giving you your Covid update this morning is Jeremy Visser, podcast producer and fan of all things starting with the letter V (of which I am clearly biased.) Therefore, I'll be changing tack this week and switching from Covid-19 variants and back around to vaccines instead.

Yesterday, 500,000 shipments of the AstraZeneca vaccine arrived in Canada, making it the third available vaccine in the country. The more the friggin' merrier! Unless you're up in your years, in which case, stick with Pfizer or Moderna. The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is not recommended for those 65 and older. In Ontario, the plan is to distribute that vaccine to those between 60 to 64 years of age.

However, this could pose a bit of a problem as 300,000 of these doses are set to expire on April 2nd. This poses a further problem when Ontario is not planning to open its provincial appointment booking portal until March 15. It's seeming like that plan might need some rethinking. 

Of course, rethinking is exactly what's been happening with time intervals between vaccine doses. B.C.'s Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry, is implementing a first-dose strategy with the support of Canada's vaccine panel. The strategy is to extend the interval between doses from 6 weeks to 4 months to allow more of the population to receive their first dose of the vaccine. Newfoundland and Labrador have followed suit with the tactic, while Ontario is still on the fence. 

The NPC Podcast is back for another season. The National Pharmaceutical Congress organizers are proud to release our new weekly podcast series, hosted by Peter Brenders. Peter's guest this week is Dr. Bettina Hamelin, President and CEO of Ontario Genomics. Listen here now, or download the episode and play it at your convenience. Next week, we welcome Paul Petrelli of Jazz Pharmaceuticals. The NPC Podcast is presented in cooperation with Impres Pharma

COVID CHRONICLE 03/04/2021

• Researchers at the University of Cambridge have utilized genome sequencing to examine the impact of Covid-19 on care homes and how the virus spreads in such settings. The study looked at samples from 6,600 patients, 18 pere of which were care-home residents. Since March 2020, the authors have been using this methodology with the Covid-19 Genomics UK Consortium. Genomics: what can't it do?

• A small percentage of those who received the Moderna vaccine have reported delayed skin hypersensitivity as a side effect. A letter to the editor was published online in The New England Journal of Medicine, showing the large, red and itchy skin that could be mistaken for a skin infection. The authors said that the side effect should not stop anyone from receiving the second dose of the vaccine.

• Researchers from Cleveland Clinic's Global Health Center for Pathogen Research & Human Health have developed a Covid-19 vaccine candidate that uses nanoparticles for delivery. One of the benefits of the vaccine would be its thermostability, making it ideal for transport and storage. The vaccine has shown promising efficacy in preclinical trials.

WHAT CHRONICLE IS WORKING ON TODAY

The date for the upcoming Indigenous Skin Spectrum Summit is fast approaching. With educational co-chairs Dr. Rachel Asiniwasis and Dr. Gary Sibbald, it's definitely one to watch out for. You can find more information here.

RIGHT NOW, WE ARE PLAYING... 

Board Games. Seriously, I have spent the last year carefully curating my two-player board game selection. I can't recommend this enough during a lockdown. Ticket to Ride, Villainous, and Everdell have become staples in this house. But my new personal favourite is Root, which is like Risk meets Redwall. It's delightful.

TONIGHT WE ARE COOKING...

Burritos. We grilled some tofu and veggies, smothered it in taco seasoning, then your typical greens, tomatoes, salsa and maybe even vegan sour cream if that's your thing (it's definitely mine). The burrito roll is an art and one that I regularly put to use, lest it goes stale.

HOW IS YOUR WEEK GOING?

Please use the comments section at the 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. Allan Ryan will be back tomorrow to close off this short and snow-filled week of curve-flattening. Stay in touch, stay safe, and enjoy your day.