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One dose of the Pfizer vaccine could be enough to provide complete protection from Covid-19 in people who have already been infected. According to research by Public Health England, a single dose of the Pfizer jab increased the amount of antibodies in a person who had already contracted Covid-19. The study, carried out alongside University College London, involved 51 health workers who had undergone regular tests for infection and antibodies since March. About half of those had been infected and for them a single shot of the Pfizer vaccine increased their antibodies 140-fold compared to their highest levels before inoculation, the Telegraph reports. On top of that, the research found they had more protection than those who would have two shots of the jab and had never been infected. The Pfizer vaccine is among those being distributed in the UK as the country undertakes its biggest immunisation programme in history. More than 19 million people, or one third of the adult … [Read more...] about One dose of Pfizer vaccine could be enough for people who’ve already had Covid

WARNING: This story and podcast contains sensitive subject matter, including suicide and self-harm, that could be triggering for some readers. Suicide is the second leading cause of death of young people in North America. The youth mental health crisis is exploding, with many crying out for help and often finding few resources or trouble accessing the help they need in a timely manner. The Star’s Generation Distress series is a multi-part look of the many issues surrounding mental health, young people and the barriers they face in getting treatment, and what solutions might be available to help fix a challenged system. To talk about this series, This Matters is joined by Robert Cribb , an investigative and foreign affairs reporter at the Toronto Star. He is the director of the newly launched Investigative Journalism Bureau at the University of Toronto which was part of the team that supported this project. Today's episode: Listen to this episode and more at This … [Read more...] about Generation Distress: Discussing the youth mental health crisis

Researchers have learned a lot about the new coronavirus in the 233 days since officials in China reported cases of a then-unknown disease to the World Health Organization. Much of what they’ve learned upended their early assumptions about the virus. The changes aren’t just hard to keep track of; they also make it hard to adjust to new recommendations. Initially, researchers thought it spread almost entirely through droplets of mucus or spit between people in close proximity. Now, we know it can spread through the air. Researchers thought that it was mostly passed between people with obvious symptoms. Now we know that people can contract the virus and never be visibly sick. During an emergency like a pandemic, it’s entirely normal for conclusions to change quickly as new information emerges. But even though it’s normal, it can feel like whiplash trying to keep up with the research. It’s even harder because people are prone to grabbing on to the first piece of information they learn … [Read more...] about For COVID-19 facts, first impressions matter

Several of President Biden ’s Cabinet nominees are experiencing tough confirmation hearings in the Senate. Many Republicans and even some Democrats have voiced opposition to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pick Neera Tanden , and nominees such as Deb Haaland for secretary of the Interior and Xavier Becerra for secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) will most likely be approved by slim partisan margins. These are qualified individuals, and depending on one’s politics, the opposition to their nominations is regrettable. But even more regrettable is the assumption that such opposition is based in racism or sexism, as some Democrats and activist groups have maintained. Regardless of whether one supports the nominees or not, their nominations have been controversial from the start for lawmakers in both parties for reasons rooted in politics and policy positions. Labelling any critique or questioning of these individuals as examples of racial or gender bias makes it … [Read more...] about Politics, not racism or sexism, explain opposition to Biden Cabinet nominees

A former chief scientific adviser says rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine by age rather than prioritising professions "makes sense". Professor Sir Mark Walport, who advised the government from 2013-2017, defended the decision to not prioritise frontline professions after teacher and police unions voiced their disappointment. On Friday, the government announced who would be the next priority for getting the COVID-19 vaccine as part of the second phase of the rollout. If everyone in the top nine priority groups has had their first dose by 15 April, the next group will be those aged 40-49, then 30-39 year olds and finally 18-29 year olds by 31 July. "The rollout is going in such an efficient way by doing it through the ages," Professor Sir Mark told the BBC. Advertisement "Of course, there will be many teachers, many police, who are in the 40-50 age group and indeed who will have been immunised already. So, it does make sense. "It's still … [Read more...] about COVID-19: Vaccine rollout by age not profession makes sense, says ex-chief scientific adviser Mark Walport