Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Alberta, pre-vaccine roll out
This is a summary, written by members of the CITF Secretariat, of: Charlton CL, Nguyen LT, Bailey A, Fenton J, Plitt SS, Marohn C, Lau C, Hinshaw D, Lutsiak C, Simmonds K, Kanji JN, Zelyas N, Lee N, Mengel M, Tipples G. Pre-Vaccine Positivity of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Alberta, Canada during the First Two Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Microbiol Spectr. 2021 Sep 3;9(1):e0029121. [...]
Poor antibody response to the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for patients with chronic kidney disease
Patients with chronic kidney disease, including those on dialysis, have been prioritized for vaccination due to increased risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes such as hospitalization and death.
Intention to vaccinate among participants of a national study
In a recent article published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, CITF-funded researcher Dr. Prabhat Jha and his Action to beat Coronavirus (Ab-C Study) team estimated 9% of Canadians would refuse a COVID-19 vaccine and the authors identified key populations to work with to improve vaccine acceptance.
Careful vigilance of population immunity, booster vaccines, masks, and social distancing required to fend off a new COVID wave
A study out in preprint in August (and therefore not yet peer-reviewed) led by CITF Scientific Advisor Dr. Jane Heffernan and which included CITF Scientific Lead, Data Management & Analysis, Dr. David Buckeridge, modelled immunity to COVID-19 across Canada.
Latest Canadian Blood Services data show improvements in vaccine uptake and equity in vaccine coverage
The month of June saw many Canadians rolling up their sleeves for a COVID-19 vaccine. The latest results from the Canadian Blood Services’ serosurvey reflect this, with vaccine-induced seroprevalence soaring to 86% across Canada (excluding the Territories and Quebec), up from 60% the month prior. Most importantly, the gap in vaccine coverage among socioeconomic groups has narrowed considerably compared to previous months. And while [...]
Survey offers new insight into which Canadians do not intend to get vaccinated
A national survey has found that at the start of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, most Canadians planned to get vaccinated, but that intentions were lower among certain demographic groups, including residents of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, individuals without a university degree, and racialized Canadians.
Give them an inch, they’ll take a mile: SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in BC, January to April 2021
In a recently published paper in Emerging Infectious Diseases, CITF-funded researchers, Dr. Agatha Jassem, Dr. Marc Romney, Dr. Mel Krajden and colleagues sought to summarize observations regarding variants of concern (VOCs) in British Columbia over a 16-week period from January to April 2021.
Cutting-edge technologies can be used to anticipate functional and clinical impact of new variants of SARS-CoV-2
In a recent review in Clinical Proteomics, Dr. Andrei Drabovich and his team from University of Alberta provide insights on the use of cutting-edge technologies to empower basic and clinical research on COVID-19.
Not all immune responses are created equal: antibody responses 3-5 months post-vaccination with Moderna or Pfizer in long-term care residents
In a recent CITF-funded study, not yet peer-reviewed, researchers from McMaster University Dr. Andrew Costa and Dr. Dawn Bowdish, in collaboration with the COVID in Long Term Care Study Group, examined immunity responses to COVID-19 vaccines in nursing home residents after two doses of Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.