Latest News
Walt Disney World reopens in Florida amid Covid-19 surge
Date Published: July 11, 2020 Source: BBC Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom reopened on Saturday in Florida, almost four months after Disney World was closed due to the outbreak of Covid-19 in the US. Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are expected to open next Wednesday. Visitors will be required to wear masks and follow…
Canada added almost 1 million jobs in June but still almost 2 million down from pre-COVID-19 level
Date Published: July 10, 2020 Source: CBC Over the last month, Canada has added 953,000 jobs as businesses reopened from COVID-19 shutdowns. From a record high of 13.7% in May, the jobless rate across the country has fallen to 12.3% in June. […]
Coronavirus: US surpasses three million cases
Date Published: July 9, 2020 Source: BBC On Tuesday, the United States of America surpassed 3 million cases of COVID-19. Infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, says the country is still in its first coronavirus wave. Despite the increasing number of cases, the White House continues to push for reopening schools and will have the…
Health experts press Ottawa for a more ‘balanced approach’ to tackling COVID-19 pandemic
Date Published: July 7, 2020 Source: The Globe and Mail Eighteen health leaders in Canada have called for a more “balanced approach” to addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that the current approach carries “significant risks to overall population health and threatens to increase inequities across the country.” Canada has had success in controlling COVID-19 […]
Masks mandatory as of midnight in Ottawa, region
Date Published: July 6, 2020 Source: CBC Wearing masks in public indoor spaces are now mandatory in eastern Ontario, including Ottawa, in Stage 2 of Ontario’s reopening plan. Exemptions will be made for children under two years of age and those who are unable to wear masks […]
Coronavirus: world treating symptoms, not cause of pandemics, says UN
Date: July 6, 2020 Source: The Guardian According to a UN report, diseases are expected to jump from animals to humans in the following years due to the destruction of nature and growing demands for meat. Prior to COVID-19, two million per year died from zoonotic diseases, largely in lower income countries. […]
Latest Scientific Updates
Clinical Findings and Disease Severity in Hospitalized Pregnant Women With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Bottom Line: While 20% of women from this study had severe disease (e.g. declining respiratory function, admission to ICU, or both), there were no deaths observed in these patients. In additions, factors such as Body Mass Index (BMI), respiratory rate, and heart rate were associated with severe disease. Reference: Valeria, SM. et al. Clinical Findings and…
Dexamethasone in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19 — Preliminary Report
Bottom Line: Among hospitalized COVID-19 patients, administering dexamethasone resulted in lower 28-day mortality in patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation or oxygen alone. Reference: Horby, P. et al. Dexamethasone in Hospitalized Patients with Covid-19 — Preliminary Report. NEJM (2020). https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2021436 Date Published: 17 July 2020 Synopsis: Preliminary results from the REOVERY trial indicate that the use of dexamethasone…
Clinical update on COVID-19 in pregnancy: A review article
Bottom Line: Current evidence does not suggest increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection in pregnant women, although high-risk obstetrical patients should be appropriately evaluated and managed. Reference: Gillian, RA. et al. Clinical update on COVID‐19 in pregnancy: A review article. The Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research .2020). https://doi.org/10.1111/jog.14321 Date Published: 4 June 2020 Synopsis: In general, pregnant…
Cognitive Bias and Public Health Policy During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Bottom Line: Cognitive errors may distract policy makers and citizens from making appropriate public health decisions that reduce the impact of COVID-19 across the entire population. Reference: Halpern, SD. et al. Cognitive Bias and Public Health Policy During the COVID-19 Pandemic. JAMA (2020). doi:10.1001/jama.2020.11623 Date Published: 29 June 2020 Synopsis: Despite an emphasis on using evidence to guide…
Vertical transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the third trimester: a systematic scoping review
Bottom Line: Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that COVID-19 can be passed from mom to baby during the third trimester. More studies are needed to understand how to manage babies born to mothers with a COVID-19 infection. Reference: Thomas, P. et al. Vertical transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the third trimester: a systematic…
Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone Inhibitors and Susceptibility to and Severity of COVID-19
Bottom Line: Contrary to initial beliefs, use of ACEIs and ARBs is not associated with increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection or increased severity of COVID-19. Reference: Curfman, G. Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone Inhibitors and Susceptibility to and Severity of COVID-19. JAMA (2020). DOI:10.1001/jama.2020.11401 Date Published: 19 June 2020 Synopsis: To enter a human cell, SARS-CoV-2 uses its spike protein and two…
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