Hospitals aren’t overstating COVID deaths but a popular conspiracy theory says otherwise.
Dr. Samir Gupta (@thefeedwithdrg ) explains why that claim doesn’t hold water.
View our original Tweet!
Hospitals aren’t overstating COVID deaths despite what a popular conspiracy theory says. Dr. Samir Gupta (@SammyG_MD) explains why that claim doesn’t hold water.
People living in Canada now have two options for bivalent booster vaccines! The Moderna BA.1 bivalent vaccine and the newly approved Pfizer bivalent BA.4/BA.5 vaccine.
Share our original Tweet!
Do you have any questions about boosters? It's easy, just: 1. Leave your questions in the comments 2. Let us answer them for you!#ScienceUpFirsthttps://t.co/seBC6KouyP
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced'Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) October 7, 2022
Long COVID has over 100 identified symptoms (1,2), of which many are measurable impairments that can’t be explained by the stress of the current pandemic (3). Long COVID is definitely not an imaginary disease.
The most common symptoms reported and their potential explanation are:
Fatigue (2,4,5,6,7,8,9) can be explained by the low oxygen levels measured in long COVID patients. Which can put a huge strain on the body’s metabolism (3).
Cognitive impairment (e.g. attention, memory, thinking, or concentrating disorders) (2,4,5,6,7,8,9) can be explained by inflammation and lower blood flow in the brain but also processes that are similar to the one we see with cognitive aging and neurodegenerative disease (3).
Shortness of Breath (4,5,6,7,9) seems to be caused by a lower lung efficiency at extracting oxygen from the air, even when the patient’s lung structure appears to be intact (3).
Headache (4,5,9), general pain and discomfort (5,6), and mental health symptoms (5,6,8,9) were also common symptoms reported in long COVID patients.
Understanding the mechanisms surrounding long COVID is important because:
Cases are in the millions even when estimates of who is impacted vary between 10 and 80% (4,8,10,11)
Anyone with a SARS-CoV-2 infection can develop long COVID, even asymptomatic individuals → 30-40% did not require hospitalization following their initial infection (5)
9% of long COVID’s patients are still unable to work after 3 months (12)
It can help guide treatment (3).
The good news is that vaccination reduces the risk of long COVID and the more doses you have, the better your chances of not developing it are (7,13,14). All the more reason to get your fall booster!
Share our original Tweet!
Long COVID has over 100 identified symptoms, of which many are measurable impairments that can’t be explained by the stress of the current pandemic. #LongCOVID is definitely not an imaginary disease.#ScienceUpFirst [1/8] pic.twitter.com/bN38NiG8k5
— ScienceUpFirst | LaScienced’Abord (@ScienceUpFirst) September 27, 2022
The pandemic has had A LOT of negative consequences. Contributing to the lowest routine vaccination rates in 30 years is one of them.
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted routine vaccines by disrupting their delivery, shifting resources, as well as fueling the spread of misinformation about vaccines.
As a result, it is estimated that 80 million children, including Canadians, will miss life-saving vaccinations. Experts fear that this could lead to outbreaks of previously eliminated diseases, which would dramatically increase the pressure applied on our already strained health systems.
Fortunately, there is a simple thing you can do to help! Make sure your family is up to date on their routine vaccines.
Share our original Tweet!
Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective interventions to prevent millions of deaths each year.
Because of vaccines, we have eradicated and eliminated many diseases.
So why are routine vaccination rates dropping across the globe?#ScienceUpFirst
Has it been 6 months or more since your last dose or infection?
Yes (2)
No (3)
Get boosted soon.
Fall means more indoor gatherings and with it increased community transmission. Plus, it’s flu season! You want to have maximal protection when that time comes (1).
Has it been at least 3 months since your last dose or infection?
Resident of a long-term care facilities or any other congregate living settings
Have an underlying medical condition that places you at high risk of severe COVID-19
Pregnant
From First Nations, Métis, or Inuit communities
Part of racialized and/or marginalized communities
Yes (6)
No (7)
You should wait before getting boosted.
A longer interval between booster dose and a prior dose/infection leads to a more robust immune response (3).
Don’t forget to revisit this chart once it has been 3 months since your last infection or vaccine.
Get boosted as soon as possible
You are considered at higher risk of developing severe disease from a COVID-19 infection. If the bivalent vaccine is not available, an original booster should be offered for timely protection (2,4).
Can you answer YES to any of these questions?
Are the COVID-19 cases high in your area?
Does your work, hobbies or planned events put you at higher exposure risks?
Do you live or are you in contact with people that are at higher risk of severe disease?
Yes (8)
No (9)
You might consider getting a booster now.
You want peak immunity for higher risk activities (e.g. a wedding) (6).
Consider using other layers of protection (e.g. masks) to decrease your risk of infection (5).
You might benefit from a bivalent vaccine in order to prime your immune system against Omicron variants (4).
You can consider waiting to get a booster
A few other things to consider:
Hybrid immunity (immunity conferred from both vaccination and infection) gives better protection than infection or vaccination alone (4).
Using multiple protective measures creates added layers of protection (5).
Consider the following
What about the bivalent vaccine?
Moderna’s bivalent vaccine is authorized in Canada for any adult (18 years old and over) and at risk adolescent (12-17 years old). The roll-out is expected soon but delays happen. If your risk is high don’t delay. Any booster is better than no booster (4).
Don’t forget to reevaluate
If your current situation changes, so might your booster needs.
Still unsure?
You should talk to your health care provider. They will help you make the best decision for your situation.
To boost now, or to boost later, that seems to be the question on everyone’s mind lately.
First of all, if you still have not gotten your first booster, stop scrolling and book an appointment. Boosters are going to provide you with the most protection possible.
If you already had your first booster you might wonder whether you should get your second booster now or wait. The reality is that this decision will depend on many factors such as the amount of time that has passed since your last dose or infection, if you are at higher risk of severe outcome as well as your level of risk exposure.
We have put this decision tree together to help you decide how soon you should get your second booster. If you are still unsure, please reach out to your health care provider. They are the best resources to help you make an informed decision.
Don’t forget to revisit this decision tree often. If your situation changes, your booster needs might too.
Share our original Tweet!
To boost now, or to boost later, that seems to be the question on everyone’s mind lately.
JUST IN → Health Canada has completed their independent review of the evidence and have found the Moderna bivalent vaccine for adults is safe and effective.
This bivalent vaccine is an adapted version of the original Moderna Spikevax COVID-19 vaccine that targets both the original strain and the Omicron BA.1 strain.
Here is a rundown of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI)’s recommendations →
NACI strongly recommends that anyone over 12 years old that is at high risk of severe disease get a booster dose as soon as possible if 3 to 6 months since their last dose or infection has passed. Both the bivalent vaccine and the original vaccine can be offered.
At risk individuals includes anyone that is:
Over 65 years old
Moderately to severely immunocompromised
Residents of long-term care facilities or any other congregate living settings
Suffering from an underlying medical condition that places them at high risk of severe COVID-19
From First Nations, Métis, or Inuit communities
Part of a racialized communities and/or marginalized communities
Adults (18 years old and older) that are not at higher risk should also be offered a bivalent vaccine 3 to 6 months after their last dose or infection. However, if it is not readily available, an original mRNA booster should be offered to ensure timely protection.
Studies on the differences between boosters are ongoing. However, you will be safer this fall and winter with a booster, any booster, than without one.
What does it mean for a vaccine to be bivalent? Are the COVID-19 bivalent vaccines effective and safe? When will they be available? Are they worth waiting for?
There are so many questions surrounding COVID-19 bivalent vaccines right now. We tried to answer the most common ones.
Share our original Tweet!
There are so many questions surrounding COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccines right now.
Are you wondering why you should get your kid vaccinated against COVID-19?
Dr. Jim Kellner, pediatrician and subspecialist in pediatric infectious diseases at University of Calgary, is here to give you 3 reasons:
Not all young children have gotten COVID-19
Young children have as much risk as older children of developing severe COVID disease
Hybrid immunity from both vaccination and infection will give your child even better protection from future infections
Share our original Tweet!
Are you wondering why you should get your kid vaccinated against COVID-19?
Dr. Jim Kellner (@Dr_Jim_Kellner), pediatrician and subspecialist in pediatric infectious diseases, is here to give you 3 reasons. Music by Katsusasaki#ScienceUpFirst
In Canada, most people are vaccine confident (around 90% of people 12 years old and over have had 2 doses of the #COVIDVaccine). But when it comes to younger children, it’s a different story. Why is that?
Many parents have the idea that their child is not at risk and will not get severe disease from COVID-19. This is related to the over-optimism bias or complacency. The idea that this won’t happen to me or my kid.
The problem is, the risk for kids is not zero even for healthy childrens. Kids deserve protection against severe disease from COVID-19. And now for the first time, we can protect children as young as six months old with a COVID-19 vaccine.
A big thank you to Dr. Cora Constantinescu, pediatric infectious disease physician at Alberta Children’s Hospital and University of Calgary (@UCalgary), for her expertise.
Share our original Tweet!
PART 1 In Canada, most are vaccine confident. But then why are kids vaccination rates low? Dr. Cora Constantinescu (@DrCora_C) (@UCalgary), is here to explain why.
Should I get the vaccine now or wait until the fall? That is the question everyone seems to be asking right now.
There are valid arguments for both getting your vaccine now or waiting in the fall.
Ultimately, the best strategy will vary from person to person. Talk to a healthcare professional about what is best for you.
Share our original Tweet!
With the NACI recommending a booster in the fall, and the announcement of a seventh wave starting now, we understand you might be confused as to when you should get your booster. Here are some thing to consider →#ScienceUpFirst
Wondering why kids #Under5 are the last to get a COVID-19 vaccine?
Fatima Tokhmafshan, a geneticist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center and a member of the Coronavirus Variants Rapid Response Network, is here to explain!
The short version: two new versions of the virus that causes #COVID19 are spreading rapidly throughout the world. They’re dangerous, especially for vulnerable people.
Share our original Tweet!
Confused about BA.4 and BA.5?
Here’s what we know so far about the latest COVID subvariants ⬇️ #ScienceUpFirst
Health Canada has completed a thorough and independent scientific review of the evidence and have deemed the Moderna vaccine safe and effective at preventing #COVID19 in children 6 months through 5 years of age (1).
Rollout is expected soon, but the details will depend on your province/territory. So check with local providers for how to book appointments!
EFFECTIVENESS: This vaccine is about 50% effective at stopping kids 6 to 23 month old getting COVID, and is a bit less effective – about 37% – for kids 2-5 years old (2). This might seem low, but new variants are now better at evading our immune response and our priority now is to prevent severe disease and hospitalizations (3,4,5). The immune response shown in children was similar to that of adults that received higher doses of the vaccine suggesting that it will protect our kids well against severe disease (2).
SAFETY: In authorizing the Moderna vaccine, Health Canada is saying that the vaccine is safe to use (6). The COVID-19 vaccine will be teaching your little ones’ immune system to fight SARS-CoV-2, it’s normal to have some mild side effects. The most frequently reported side effects found during the trial were: irritability/crying, pain,sleepiness and loss of appetite. But don’t worry, most side-effects go away within a few days (2,7).
Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada will continue to closely monitor the safety of this vaccine and will take action if any safety concerns are identified.
NACI is expected to give recommendations for kids #Under5 later today. You can count on us to update you when we have more information – stay tuned!
THIS JUST IN → Health Canada has completed their independent review of the evidence and have found the Moderna vaccine safe and effective at preventing #COVID19 in children 6 months through 5 years of age.#ScienceUpFirst
