FoMD in the News
Ross Neitz - 28 August 2020
This is a roundup of relevant news and media stories involving the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. We appreciate you relaying information that is relevant to faculty members in your respective areas.
TOP STORIES
A drug designed for cats may protect people from the coronavirus, according to a University of Alberta study. Lead author Joanne Lemieux, a professor of biochemistry at the U of A, is interviewed. Story also runs in the UK Mirror, The Times of India, and about 30 other international media outlets, as well as CTV Edmonton and Fox News.
CTV News Edmonton: Here's how to make masks fun for kids
There are ways to make wearing a mask fun for kids, as they get used to living with them for long periods of time. Christopher Ewing, a respirologist and clinical lecturer with the Department of Pediatrics, is interviewed. Coverage also appears in the Edmonton Journal, Global News Edmonton and CityNews Edmonton.
Cabin Radio: Medical residents begin inaugural NWT training program
The U of A’s Yellowknife Family Medical Residency Program’s first two medical residents, Thomsen D’Hont and Kajsa Heyes, began training and learning at the Stanton Territorial Hospital and in northern communities earlier this year. Program leads say this program will be the first in Canada to educate and train family physicians in the North.
RESEARCH
Global News: Clinical trial for possible COVID-19 treatment now open in Edmonton, Calgary
A clinical trial for a potential treatment for COVID-19 is now underway in Edmonton and Calgary. Wendy Sligl, a co-investigator from the Department of Critical Care Medicine in the clinical trial, is interviewed.
CTV Alberta Primetime: Airborne transmission of COVID-19 discussed
Infectious-disease specialist Nelson Lee is interviewed about his research into airborne transmission of the virus via microdroplets. (No link)
Business Daily: Sleep that cuts risk of asthma attacks
A new study indicates that teenagers who go to bed late in the night and choose to wake up later in the morning are more likely to suffer from asthma and allergies. Lead author Subhabrata Moitra with the U of A’s Division of Pulmonary Medicine is interviewed.
John Tesh Radio Show: Don't rely on smart tech for medical help
A study led by U of A authors Christopher Picard (Faculty of Nursing) and Matthew Douma (Department of Critical Care Medicine) found that voice-activated virtual assistants are no replacement for calling 911 in health emergencies.
ScienceNews: How two coronavirus drugs for cats might help humans fight COVID-19
At the virtual American Crystallographic Association meeting, U of A biochemist Joanne Lemieux and colleagues revealed that feline coronavirus drug GC376 not only inhibits the SARS-CoV-2 enzyme in a test tube, but can also hinder viral replication in lab-grown monkey cells.
Global News Edmonton: Health Matters: Possible cure for diabetes and pet stress therapy
U of A diabetes expert James Shapiro said his current study into a cure for the disease is the most promising he has ever seen. It involves removing stem cells from the blood of diabetic patients and turning them into cells that produce insulin. They are then transplanted into the liver.
Regina Leader-Post: If you're a man, you don't think about quitting residency: study
Story outlines a study led by Valentin Mocanu, a general surgery resident at the U of A, showing that, among general surgery residents, women of visible minorities (non-white and non-Indigenous) were much less likely to report that they have a collegial relationship with staff, to feel like they fit in at their program and to feel valued at work.
Neurology Today: High-Risk Plaques Common in Patients with Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis
High-risk plaques are present in about one in four patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis and are associated with an increased incidence of cerebrovascular events, according to a new meta-analysis. The U of A’s Joseph Kamtchum-Tatuene is quoted. Coverage also appears on Medscape.
Chatelaine: Why you likely need more vitamin D
Aldo Montano-Loza, a professor of medicine at the U of A, comments that he is preparing to launch a team study on whether administering controlled doses of vitamin D to COVID-19 patients severely deficient in the vitamin could play a role in treating the disease, and recommends that most people should get the recommended supplementation of the vitamin.
CTV News Edmonton: Does singing transmit COVID-19? U of A study aims to find out
The U of A is going to use some high-tech research methods to study if one of the oldest forms of music spreads COVID-19. U of A choir director Laurier Fagnan is working with engineers, doctors and computer scientists in an effort to see if choral singing can be performed safely. Nelson Lee, a U of A infectious disease expert, is among those on the team. Story also run by Global News Edmonton, CBC Radio Edmonton AM and CTV Morning Live.
The science behind the effectiveness of masks is arguably evolving as quickly as the pandemic itself, as revealed in some recently published Canadian studies on the matter. Michael Allen, a professor of family medicine and co-author of one of the studies, is interviewed.
Gilmore Health News: University of Alberta: Vitamin D Is Beneficial for the Microbiota of Newborns
A study involving over 1,100 babies suggests that vitamin D supplementation can have a positive effect on intestinal microbiota by preventing the multiplication of certain bacteria. Anita Kozyrskyj, a professor of pediatrics at the U of A who led the study, is quoted.
EXPERTS
CBC News Edmonton: Education minister to provide update on Alberta's school re-entry plan
The Alberta education minister is set to provide more information about how the province expects to keep students and staff safe when in-person classes resume in September during the coronavirus pandemic. Infectious-disease specialist Lynora Saxinger is interviewed.
New Canadian clinical guidelines for obesity—the first in almost 15 years—advocate for doctors to focus on a patient’s overall health and lived experience rather than solely on their weight. U of A professor of family medicine Denise Campbell-Scherer said primary care providers will likely need training and help building new skills to integrate the new guidelines into their practice.
Globe and Mail: Parents and teachers express concern over Alberta’s school reopening plan
Story includes comment from U of A infectious-disease specialist Lynora Saxinger.
CBC News: Should you travel on an airplane? Here's what one infectious diseases doctor has to say
If you're wondering whether you should hop on a plane, take a moment to consider how important it is to take the trip, says Lynora Saxinger. Saxinger also comments on serology testing, in a CBC Radio interview.
As bars and restaurants begin to reopen across Ontario and other provinces continue to see a significant rise in COVID-19 cases traced back to indoor eateries, some infectious-disease experts say easing up on public drinking laws may not be such a bad idea. U of A infectious-disease specialist Ilan Schwartz is interviewed.
630 CHED: Ryan Jespersen Show: Vaccine developed in UK discussed
The possibilities and progress of a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed in the United Kingdom are discussed by Lorne Tyrrell, director of the Li Ka Shing’s Institute of Virology.
CBC News Network: Your COVID-19 questions answered
Questions from viewers about the virus are answered by infectious-disease specialist Lynora Saxinger.
New York Times: The Many Symptoms of Covid-19
The symptoms of coronavirus can be unpredictable from head to toe. Infectious-disease specialist Ilan Schwartz is interviewed.
iPolitics: Public health agency plans to convince Canadians to get COVID-19 vaccine
The Public Health Agency of Canada has begun planning how it will convince people to get immunized against COVID-19 once a vaccine becomes available. Pediatric infectious-disease specialist Joan Robinson is interviewed.
Global News: Coronavirus cases spiked in reopened U.S. schools. Should Canadians be concerned?
As Canadian provinces announce their plans for the upcoming school year, parents and staff are concerned about safety. While experts say we are not in the same situation as the U.S., they believe we can expect coronavirus cases in schools, and should prepare accordingly. Infectious-disease specialist Lynora Saxinger is interviewed.
CBC News: Living with face masks: How to stow them, reuse disposables and more
Article on use and care of face masks references information given previously by Lynora Saxinger.
CNN: In Canada, obesity will no longer be determined by weight alone
New guidelines for treatment of obesity aren't just about losing weight anymore. Arya Sharma, a professor of medicine at the U of A, is interviewed. He is also interviewed on CBC Radio Active.
Rocky Mountain Outlook: Canmore council approves mandatory mask bylaw that comes into effect Aug. 7
Amy Tan, an associate professor of family medicine at the U of A, was in front of Canmore council to address the issue from a medical evidence perspective and answer questions.
630 CHED: Ryan Jespersen Show: The province has updated its back to school plan
Lynora Saxinger, an infectious-disease specialist at the U of A, gives expert comment on Alberta’s updated back-to-school plan.
Macleans: How going maskless became socially unacceptable
For many Canadians, a non-religious face-covering used to signal danger or shame. Now going without one does. Lynora Saxinger is interviewed.
CBC News Calgary: AHS looks to quickly double COVID-19 testing capacity before September
Alberta Health Services is looking to the private sector to double its testing capacity and handle asymptomatic testing ahead of September. Lynora Saxinger is interviewed.
Leyla Asadi, an infectious-diseases physician with a master’s in public health who is currently pursuing a PhD at the U of A, is worried about the current school reopening plan.
Infectious-disease specialist Stan Houston said getting COVID-19 from surfaces is less of a concern than first thought. “I think people are feeling that the evidence is going away from that as being a major risk. And of course handwashing will mitigate that."
CBC News: What's missing from Canada's plans to get kids back to school safely
Infectious-disease expert Lynora Saxinger said while there's no way to ensure zero risk of COVID-19 cases in schools, it's important to clamp down on potential outbreaks and isolate infected students and classes quickly to prevent entire schools shutting down.
Today’s Parent: A parent's guide to virtual doctor appointments—they're here to stay!
U of A pediatrics professor and clinician Raphael Sharon said he has done about 80 per cent of visits virtually and 20 per cent in the office since the pandemic started, but says there are many situations where you need to see the patient in the clinic.
Edmonton-based Masks4Canada representative Matthew Butcher, also a U of A radiologist and clinical assistant professor, argued mask-exemption cards should require the same level of proof as accessible parking placards. These placards, issued by the province, require an application and approval by an authorized health-care provider.
Vox: These COVID-19 vaccine candidates could change the way we make vaccines—if they work
U of A professor of surgery Babita Agrawal said a vaccine based on an adenovirus vector, such as the one the Russians are touting, "could be certainly a good vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2.”
CTV News: Massive outbreaks in Israeli schools a 'cautionary tale' for Canada
Infectious-disease specialist Lynora Saxinger says officials in Israel seemed to get a “little overconfident” about case numbers and the extent to which children and teens transmit the disease.
Global News: Coronavirus prevention crushed Australia’s flu season. Can Canada expect the same?
Lynora Saxinger attributes a dramatic decline in flu numbers in Australia so far this season to lockdowns and other measures the country enacted to fight COVID-19.
CBC Radio One (Edmonton): Edmonton put on COVID-19 watch as cases rise
Lynora Saxinger notes that case numbers in Edmonton are now higher than they were at Alberta's previous peak earlier this year.
Global News: Canada’s coronavirus patients getting younger as pandemic moves west
Lynora Saxinger said a recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Alberta “doesn’t really look like it’s slowing at this point,” adding that there are still a lot of unexplained cases in Alberta in which investigators aren’t sure where someone got the virus, which is trickier for public health authorities to track and contain.
CBC News: How many masks should my child take to school? Your back-to-school mask questions answered
In most parts of Canada, students are heading back to class for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic started, and parents have a lot of questions about how to properly prepare their kids to wear masks at school. Lynora Saxinger is quoted.
Global News: Putting off routine medical appointments because of coronavirus? Go now, doctors say
Family medicine professor Tina Korownyk comments that people can postpone annual physical checkups, citing evidence suggesting they aren't particularly helpful.
Pediatric infectious-disease specialist Joan Robinson writes an op-ed discussing the concern many parents are feeling about sending their kids back to school in September.
CTV News Edmonton: Infectious disease expert clarifies COVID-19 op-ed following backlash
Discussion around an opinion piece about the spread of COVID-19 and the safety of sending kids back to school includes interviews with Joan Robinson and Lynora Saxinger. Related coverage also appears on CBC News, Global News Edmonton, 630 CHED and in the Calgary Herald.
Global News: Coronavirus causing heart disease in some patients, study finds
The coronavirus can cause heart disease in some patients, even those who had relatively mild symptoms of COVID-19, a new study has found. Gavin Oudit, a professor of medicine at the U of A, offers third-party comment in the story.
The number of women in the field of neurosurgery is growing but is nowhere near closing the gender gap. Karolyn Au, an assistant clinical professor of surgery at the U of A, is interviewed.
St. Catherine’s Standard: Why BMI is outdated and what that means for COVID-19
Earlier this month Canadian researchers demoted the BMI (Body Mass Index) as a diagnostic tool. The news came in the form of a publication in the Canadian Medical Association Journal called “Obesity in Adults: A Clinical Practice Guideline.” U of A professor of medicine Arya Sharma is interviewed.
Global News Edmonton: How pooling samples could impact COVID-19 testing in Alberta
Alberta Health Services is piloting a new way to test COVID-19 samples: pool testing. U of A virologist David Evans is interviewed.
CTV News Edmonton: Should you pay with cash or debit during the pandemic?
The next time you need to pay for something during the COVID-19 pandemic, experts want you to stop and think. Should you be using cash, or is it better to flash the plastic? Mike Maier (Business) and virologist David Evans are interviewed. Story also runs on CTV Morning Live.
CTV Alberta Primetime: COVID-19 vaccine testing discussed
Infectious-disease expert Lynora Saxinger is interviewed about vaccine trials for COVID-19.
Edmonton Journal: Opinion: Layered approach to protection needed to reopen schools safely
A safe school environment is a non-partisan issue—one that requires collaboration of key stakeholders to ensure a positive outcome, writes Tehseen Ladha, an academic pediatrician and assistant professor of pediatrics at the U of A.
Calgary Herald: Opinion: Young people and the personal choice of wearing a mask
Regardless of their positions on the use of masks, something all young adults seem to agree on is people’s freedom to wear a mask if they so desire. This piece is co-authored by assistant adjunct professor of psychiatry Austin Mardon and MBA student Riley Witiw.
CBC News: How Quebec's back-to-school plans compare to other provinces
As students and school staff across Canada get ready to head back to school, many are wondering if their provincial governments are doing enough to protect children and families. Infectious-disease specialist Lynora Saxinger is interviewed.