News from Canada

[rvallee]

Even modest post-infection complications can make expanded vaccine coverage cost effective: New modelling

Even modest post-infection complications can make expanded vaccine coverage cost effective: New modelling

New modelling led by scientists at UBC could help public health officials better factor in the long-term impacts of infectious disease.

science.ubc.ca

“Our models indicate even small post-infection costs can tip the scales and make the case for vaccine-driven elimination,” said Dr. Chadi Saad-Roy, an assistant professor in UBC’s Department of Mathematics and Department of Microbiology and Immunology and senior author of the new study, published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

I tried looking for the paper but could not find it, so only posting this here. Vaccination is not available in much of Canada, certainly not in Quebec, for either flu or COVID, only for 65+. And we basically have no continuity of care anymore, so it's all up to individuals to figure it out and arrange everything. Canada pretty much discourages vaccination outside of special circumstances, although all health care issues are provincial.

What's annoying is that there's been several studies showing general benefits to vaccination that go beyond the pathogen itself. They seem to stimulate the immune system in ways that grant protection from common infections. But for most of the population, they are not available. I'm not even sure if out-of-pocket exists.

It's endlessly remarkable how dysfunctional this industry is. We seem to go out of our ways to make all the mistakes all the time when it comes to health.

 

[Mij]

Canada won't expand MAiD for mental illness alone, minister say.

 

[Mij]

Liberals announce bill to prohibit MAID for mental illness alone

The federal government intends to permanently bar people with mental illness alone from accessing an assisted death.

nationalpost.com

"On the separate issue of advance requests, Fraser said the legislation will grant access to MAID “to people who have provided consent at a time when they still have capacity but know that they have been diagnosed with an illness that will take that capacity from them subsequently."

“These are not easy decisions. But we believe they are the correct ones,” Fraser said"

 

[Mij]

Long COVID patients 'devastated' by impending changes to virtual care access in B.C.

"The clinic, which provides virtual care to people across the province, has more than 8,500 patients. The clinic's co-founder estimates more than 300,000 British Columbians are living with long COVID.

But managers there have warned that impending changes to the province's Medical Services Plan are going to make it harder for patients to access care"

 

[Mij]

That's a lot of pwLC in B.C.

 

[Yann04]

Long COVID patients 'devastated' by impending changes to virtual care access in B.C.

"The clinic, which provides virtual care to people across the province, has more than 8,500 patients. The clinic's co-founder estimates more than 300,000 British Columbians are living with long COVID.

But managers there have warned that impending changes to the province's Medical Services Plan are going to make it harder for patients to access care"

Oh that’s not good. And I assume given recent election results the prospects for this being improved upon aren’t exactly high?

 

[Mij]

I don't know if their new Conservative Premier will be any different or better than any other province, and I have a hard time believing that 300,000 British Columbians are living with long covid tbh.