Vaccine effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in British Columbia
Canada and other countries globally have authorized different SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, mostly based on findings from clinical trials which have demonstrated a high degree of efficacy against disease.
Higher prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among people experiencing homelessness in Toronto during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic
A recent pre-print (therefore, not yet peer-reviewed) led by CITF-funded researcher Dr. Stephen Hwang from the University of Toronto and Unity Health, explored the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 among people experiencing homelessness in Toronto during the first wave of the pandemic.
Canada’s monitoring of COVID-19 vaccine safety
Vaccine safety is evaluated by tracking adverse events following immunization to determine whether such events are linked to the vaccine.
COVID-19 serology tests are not all the same, but they are all useful!
An international team of experts conducted a multi-laboratory evaluation of 21 commercial high-throughput assays used in laboratories to determine whether someone has antibodies to SARS CoV-2 proteins, using 1,000 blood-donor samples.
Pregnancy and the Risk of Severe COVID-19 Infection: Methodologic Challenges and Research Recommendations
This commentary From Dr. David Savitz and CITF-funded researcher Dr. Deshayne Fell outlines specific methods that should be implemented in research to more effectively assess the risk of severe COVID-19 among pregnant individuals.
Mental health concerns among sexual health service clients in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic
In a recent Short Communication in Preventive Medicine, CITF Leadership Group member Dr. Gina Ogilvie, CITF-funded researcher Dr. Daniel Grace and colleagues explore the mental health of sexual health service clients, an example of a marginalized community. T
Are people with autoimmune disease more likely to have COVID-19?
A study by researchers at the University of Toronto, in collaboration with CITF-funded researcher Dr. Sasha Bernatsky from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, observed that people with autoimmune diseases had the same proportion of SARS-CoV-2 positive tests and a similar disease incidence compared to the general population in 2020.
Increasing evidence regarding antibodies in saliva following COVID-19 infection or vaccination
Individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 or who have received SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (mRNA or adenovirus-based) have been shown to have virus-neutralizing activity in their saliva.
Mental illness and substance use also linked to increased risk of hospitalization
In a preprint that has not been peer-reviewed, CITF Leadership Group member Dr. Mel Krajden and colleagues sought to identify factors associated with COVID-19 hospitalization by looking at all individuals with lab-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 in British Columbia as of January 15, 2021.