An intranasal vector vaccine can be used to mount protective responses against SARS-CoV-2 in the respiratory tract
A team led by CITF-funded researcher Dr. Jun Liu at the University of Toronto have demonstrated that a novel intranasal COVID-19 vaccine product can induce robust mucosal and systemic immune responses in a mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Global seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2
A study carried out by SeroTracker (a CITF-funded project) in partnership with the World Health Organization, found global SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence (due to infection or vaccination) was 26% in April 2021. Depending on the region, seroprevalence varied from as low as 1.6% to as high as 57%.
Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among children in school and daycare in Montreal
A CITF-funded study by researcher Dr. Kate Zinszer from the Université de Montréal and colleagues found that SARS-CoV-2 antibodies due to infection in children aged 2 to 17 years in Montreal increased over time, from 3.2% in October-November 2020 to 8.4% in March-April 2021.
Severe adverse effects following immunization with COVID-19 vaccines exceedingly rare: CANVAS-COVID
With more than a million participants enrolled in its study, the Canadian National Vaccine Safety Network (CANVAS-COVID) shows that more than 90% of those who are vaccinated do not experience any side effects other than temporary and localized pain at the injection site.
Researchers identify features associated with heightened risk of myocarditis/pericarditis following mRNA vaccination
A team that included CITF-funded researcher Dr. Jeffrey Kwong from ICES and Public Health Ontario has found that 70% of cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the sac holding the heart) following COVID-19 vaccination in Ontario occurred after the second dose.
Older adults likely remain at higher risk for COVID-19 even after vaccination
In a CITF-funded study originally released as a preprint and now published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, Drs. Mark Brockman and Zabrina Brumme from Simon Fraser University and Dr. Marc Romney from the University of British Columbia examined immune responses following COVID-19 vaccination in over 150 adults aged 24-98 years.
Immune cell analysis reveals the amount of SARS-CoV-2 in blood is a strong predictor of mortality
CITF-funded researchers Drs. Daniel Kaufmann, Andrés Finzi and Nicolas Chomont from the Université de Montréal and the Université de Montréal hospital research centre (CRCHUM), along with their collaborators, found that the amount of viral mRNA in the blood can help identify hospitalized patients who will suffer severe COVID-19, and even death.
Previous infection with common cold seasonal coronavirus may help protect against COVID-19
Nearly everyone has been exposed to the highly prevalent seasonal coronaviruses responsible for the common cold. But could this exposure induce antibodies that also recognize certain proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus?
Increased dosing intervals leads to increased antibody levels and neutralization
Extending the interval between COVID-19 vaccine doses was introduced in Canada to accelerate population coverage with a single dose.