Vaccines

Waging war on our immune systems: Immunologist explains the horrifying toll of measles

Immunologist Samira Jeimy breaks down the horrifying toll that measles takes on our bodies and communities - and what can be done to stop it.

New flu vaccination guidance boosts protection for our most vulnerable

We should put all efforts into achieving our 80 per cent goal of getting older Canadians better protected against the more serious and deadly consequences of influenza in a more cost-effective way.

Safeguarding our children: Vaccination’s crucial role in navigating the coming school year

As we embark on the new school year, the lessons we have learned from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic serve as our compass, guiding us toward effective strategies while helping us discern the ones that fall short.

Episode 61 – Vaccination

‘Extremely frustrated’: B.C. family docs shut out of vaccination drive

“It’s outrageous. We’ve always partnered in influenza vaccination and used our offices and our knowledge of our patients and the local community to facilitate vaccination. And we were utterly shut out.”

What to know about bivalent vaccines

Health Canada authorized the most recent bivalent vaccine to date, a Moderna booster, to target multiple strains of the COVID-19 virus. But what exactly is a bivalent vaccine? And is it safe? Here's all you need to know.

Unlocking the potential of non-coding RNAs as therapeutic targets

Ongoing studies in molecular medicine continue to discover new non-coding RNAs and unravel their key roles in gene expression control. The story of ncRNAs and their relevance to medicine is only beginning.

The Faces & Phases of COVID-19

The Faces/Phases Project is a portrait of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Through a series of data visualizations, we cover the first two years of the pandemic.

Trust is essential to a functioning social safety net: Lessons from the pandemic

For those who already felt disconnected from the health-care systems and policy-makers, the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated lack of trust in health care and public messaging.

Vaccine hesitancy is reviving long dead diseases

Vaccine are perhaps the greatest public health interventions in human history. But immunization coverage has declined over the last decade causing outbreaks of avoidable diseases across the globe.

How plant-based vaccines can revolutionize the fight against infectious disease

For underdeveloped countries the cold storage of vaccines is an obstacle to achieving global health equity. Fortunately, plant-based vaccines provide a novel solution.

Provinces have charted their own paths, but should all adults in Canada have access to second boosters of the COVID-19 vaccine?

Canadian provinces and territories have gone their own ways on the advisability and availability of fourth COVID-19 vaccine doses. But should the general population be eligible for a fourth dose at this time? Or are we better off waiting? We asked a group of experts to weigh in.

Episode 40 – RSV Immunization in Pregnancy and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

The paradox of CO2: Leading cause of climate change essential for food, drink – and COVID vaccines

Carbon dioxide is the leading cause of climate change. But when the U.K. experienced a shortage of CO2 last year, it drove consumer fears of higher prices for food and drink. At the heart of this paradox is that, for all the damage that CO2 does, it also has some essential uses in modern society.

‘We will not hide out of fear’: Open letter speaks out against harassment

Physicians and other health-care workers have been subject to harassment and intimidation for doing their day-to-day work during the pandemic explains Dr. Kaplan-Myrth, who recently penned an open letter asserting why health professionals should not hide out of fear of violence from hate-fueled convoys.

My friend joined the vaccine exodus, but I still can’t wait to welcome her back

I once thought all anti-vaxxers were selfish, putting their “freedom” before the common good. Then a close friend moved to Florida to escape Canada’s vaccine mandates. Now, I hope we can mend fractures in our communities for the good of society.

A recipe for hope: How to vaccinate the world and end the pandemic

Researchers have developed a new COVID-19 vaccine, and they have no intention of filing a patent. Instead, they have concrete plans for large-scale manufacturing in the Global South. This is what global vaccine equity looks like.

Premier Legault comes to his senses

By backing down from the threat of a tax on the unvaccinated, Premier Legault has narrowly avoided yet another policy debacle in the wasteland of COVID public-health policy in Canada.

Cutting through the COVID confusion

Every day, thousands of Canadians are infected with COVID. But this isn’t March 2020. Due to mass vaccination and the particulars of Omicron, the majority of those getting COVID will not need hospital care. What Canadians do need is information, support at home and timely access to primary care.

Let evidence be our guide: Misinformation most insidious when it comes from health-care professionals

Misinformation comes in many forms, but perhaps it is most harmful when it is produced by a health-care professional and published in a respected national newspaper.