Newest Canadian Blood Services data mirrors widescale vaccine roll-out in Canada
The latest results from the Canadian Blood Services' monthly serosurvey indicate that 95% of blood donors sampled in July 2021 had antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, acquired predominantly through vaccination. Not only did vaccine-induced seroprevalence increase among all sociodemographic groups and across all geographic regions, but infection-acquired seroprevalence dropped compared to June 2021. Donors identifying as part of a racialized group and those aged 17 to [...]
A comprehensive review of international vaccine certificate programs for COVID-19
Vaccine certificates or "passports" are becoming more commonplace, with access to restaurants, event venues, and even workplaces increasingly dependent on proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
Antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccines in people living with HIV
Researchers Drs. Zabrina Brumme and Mark Brockman from the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and Simon Fraser University have determined that antibody responses following one COVID-19 vaccine dose are modestly lower in people living with HIV compared to individuals without HIV.
‘Made-in-Canada’ assays perform well to measure seroprevalence
Despite the many assays available to test for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, a gold standard has not yet been established. In an article now published in PLOS ONE, CITF Testing Working Group members Dr. Anne-Claude Gingras from the University of Toronto, and Dr. Steven Drews from Canadian Blood Services, evaluate multiple testing platforms and the concordance between test results in this CITF-funded study. P
Study finds immune cells recognizing SARS-CoV-2 in tissue predating the pandemic
CITF-funded researchers Drs. Götz Ehrhardt and Mario Ostrowski from the University of Toronto set out to determine whether their pediatric tissue samples from 2015-16 contained signs of immunity to SARS-CoV-2.
mRNA vaccines administered with an extended interval between doses elicit strong SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses after two doses
Findings from a real-world vaccination study composed of seniors residing in long-term care facilities were recently released in preprint, therefore not yet peer-reviewed, on behalf of investigators from the CITF-funded study UNCoVER (including Dr. Donald Vinh, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC) and Dr. Marc-André Langlois, University of Ottawa) and the CITF Secretariat (Dr. Bruce Mazer, Associate Director, Strategy, affiliated with the MUHC).
Tracking health events after vaccination: latest results from CANVAS-COVID
The CANVAS-COVID study, funded by the CITF/Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group (VSRG), has collected self-reported information on health events following vaccination in more than one million Canadians so far.
COVID has led to changes in the sexual behavior and access to healthcare among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM)
Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) often experience significant health disparities that may act as barriers to needed health services.
Older adults likely remain at higher risk for COVID-19 − particularly infections caused by variants of concern − even after vaccination
In a recent CITF-funded pre-print, therefore not yet peer-reviewed, Drs. Mark Brockman and Zabrina Brumme from Simon Fraser University and Dr. Marc Romney from the University of British Columbia studied immune responses following COVID-19 vaccination in over 150 adults aged 24-98 years.