Media Releases and Task Force Announcements

Media Releases and Task Force Announcements2021-11-02T18:12:39-04:00

New study investigates immune response and vaccine hesitancy among First Nations communities

The COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) and the Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group (VSRG) are supporting a new study that will work with three First Nations communities to investigate vaccine hesitancy, the immune response to the COVID-19 vaccine and health outcomes after vaccination within those communities. As of November 9, 2021, according to Indigenous Services Canada [...]

December 7, 2021|Media Releases|

CanPath to study the impact and immune response to COVID-19 infection and vaccination

The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (CanPath) COVID-19 Antibody Study is expanding. The Government of Canada is investing $1.9 million through Canada’s COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) to fund an extension of CanPath’s existing study over a longer period of time, allowing for an additional collection of blood samples and questionnaire responses from participants. This [...]

December 1, 2021|Media Releases|

Delaying second dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine produces stronger immune response

The first peer-reviewed study in North America examining the timing between the first and second doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines shows that a longer dose interval leads to a stronger immune response. The study is funded by the Government of Canada through its COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF). Principal investigator Dr. Brian Grunau, Assistant Professor [...]

December 1, 2021|Healthcare workers, Media Releases|

CITF Leadership Group membership update

Given the toll that COVID-19 has had among Indigenous communities during the pandemic, the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) has put a high priority on studies engaging Indigenous communities and on fostering the relationships necessary for these partnerships to flourish. Considering Dr. Carrie Bourassa’s change in status with CIHR and the University of Saskatchewan, and its impact on her ability to fulfill her Task Force responsibilities, Dr. Bourassa has offered to step down from her Task Force role.

November 2, 2021|Announcements|

New study will assess impact of COVID-19 vaccination on Canadians with immune-mediated inflammatory disease

More than 7 million Canadians suffer from immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID) such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and related conditions. It is important that they too be protected from COVID-19, yet the effectiveness and safety of vaccines for Canadians with these health issues has not been thoroughly investigated. The COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) and Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group (VSRG) are supporting a nationwide study that will assess COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness, safety and vaccine hesitancy in this potentially vulnerable group of people.

September 9, 2021|Media Releases|

Study results show subtle differences in antibody response between Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for residents of long-term care

This CITF-funded research, which is in pre-print, was led by Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute (LTRI) senior scientists Dr. Anne-Claude Gingras and Dr. Allison McGeer and reveals that long-term care (LTC) residents in Ontario who received the Pfizer vaccine had lower antibody responses to Alpha, Beta and Gamma than those vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine. The Delta variant was not assessed.

August 17, 2021|Long-term care & seniors, Media Releases|

Researchers to study COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and safety in transplant patients

A national research study has just launched to investigate the effectiveness and safety of COVID-19 vaccines in transplant recipients. The Government of Canada, through its COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF) and Vaccine Surveillance Reference Group (VSRG), is investing over $2.84 million in this research study, based at University Health Network and called PREVenT COVID, short for Prospective Evaluation of COVID-19 Vaccine in Transplant Recipients: A National Strategy.

July 22, 2021|Media Releases|
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