Canadian COVID-19 News

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Midnight Son

I lost the link, but search cbc, there was an announcement that there is a company starting in Edmonton, I believe, they have the building, are going to start stage 2 trial, and are putting together the cash. They are associated with University of Edmonton. How far they have gotten?

A COVID-19 vaccine developed by a University of Alberta professor and his team is scheduled to begin human clinical trials in early 2021.
Two DNA vaccines are currently being worked on by Dr. John Lewis, CEO of Entos Pharmaceuticals, and a professor of oncology at the U of A, and his team.
The Government of Canada has granted Lewis $4.2 million to take the project to the next step, part of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research rapid research funding competition
The Entos CEO said the method, named Fusogenix, has several advantages: stronger defence, a more stable vaccine and the ability to make a lot of product quickly.
Phase 1 is expected to start in August in Halifax.
Phase 2 could start in September, expanding across Canada and the U.S.
It is hoped Phase 3 can begin by the end of 2020. That portion would involve working with the World Health Organization to test the vaccine in regions of the world where there is active COVID-19 infection.

Entos: Fusogenix ➥ https://www.entospharma.com/

U of A: Entos DNA vaccine for COVID19 ➥ https://www.ualberta.ca/research/our...e-for-covid-19

A closer look at Canada's homegrown COVID-19 vaccine candidates ~ CBC
... there are more than half a dozen Canadian vaccine candidates registered with the World Health Organization (and at least a handful that are not). At least three of the Canadian vaccine candidates are already being tested on humans...
➥ https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/c...irus-1.5764874

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by pcmm

The media fixates on the slow roll out because the numbers just don't work. The feds insist that every Canadian "who wants a vaccine will have it by September" but the vaccine deliveries and actual injections (in Ontario at least) are running at rates that will take 5 years to complete for Ontario alone. Unfortunately we're not ahead of most countries.

Most countries won't see a vaccine for years. Most countries are a lot poorer than Canada. The countries with the greatest clout, and those with local production, are first in line. Canada, as per usual, is a secondary power which puts us second in the line. But most countries are way poorer and way less powerful that us.

I don't expect the political statement of September to be achieved. But I know it will happen as soon as it can. There's no rational reason to suggest any government of any stripe is going to try and make it go slower.

So yes, we're ahead of most countries. Maybe not most G7 countries, since most of those actually have national vaccine production. We, in our wisdom, sold that off to the private sector back in the Mulroney days. Since then we've had to rely on foreign production.

Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda... all games. If different decisions had been made back in the Spring, this might be different. Yes, people should be held accountable for bad decisions, but the fact is we're getting the vaccine as soon as reality allows.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Most countries won't see a vaccine for years. Most countries are a lot poorer than Canada. The countries with the greatest clout, and those with local production, are first in line. Canada, as per usual, is a secondary power which puts us second in the line. But most countries are way poorer and way less powerful that us.

I see the current delays as teething problems, and with all these other vaccine candidates moving through testing, and the Russian and Chinese vaccines already out, I'm optimistic that there will be enough vaccines for the world within ... 18 months? And the companies with vaccine surplus, like Canada, will sell or donate those.

The remaining hurdle will be funding the vaccinations in poorer countries.

[rbk]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

I see the current delays as teething problems, and with all these other vaccine candidates moving through testing, and the Russian and Chinese vaccines already out, I'm optimistic that there will be enough vaccines for the world within ... 18 months? And the companies with vaccine surplus, like Canada, will sell or donate those.

The remaining hurdle will be funding the vaccinations in poorer countries.

A lot of countries won’t be allowed as per supply contracts to re-sell or even donate to other counties. Very few details have been released about the supply contracts with various companies.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Globally there are delivery glitches, but I still expect that by May/June supply will be steady and vaccinations on track. I am willing to predict that you will be launching your boat this summer.

I don't quite share your optimistic timeline LE, but I agree. In six months I bet we'll be awash in vaccine. Production is ramping up everywhere, and more vaccines are getting approved all the time.

I'm still not expecting it to arrive fast enough to save this coming Newfoundland season, but I'd dearly love to be proven wrong on this.

[Argyle38]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Canada inks deal to produce millions of COVID-19 shots domestically
National Research Council-owned facility in Montreal will produce the Novavax vaccine

But...
So I guess I'm going to lose another cruising season .

Wow, that does seem late. Canada will be massively importing from the 2 or 3 other global manufacturers by the middle of the year, I'd imagine.

Is Canada getting vaccines now? (Sorry if that question has been answered elsewhere in the thread, just curious.)

[rbk]

Originally Posted by Argyle38

Wow, that does seem late. Canada will be massively importing from the 2 or 3 other global manufacturers by the middle of the year, I'd imagine.

Is Canada getting vaccines now? (Sorry if that question has been answered elsewhere in the thread, just curious.)

This will be one of those situations where by the time the facility is built they wont need that facility. This goes back to this spring summer when the PM stated that Canada will be at the front of the line (with our hands out) for vaccines, where most other counties were building or modifying existing facilities to produce whatever the vaccine turned out to be. They didn't have to have specifics completed but surely they could have had a few buildings completed ready to install specific equipment when known, not waiting until May or June 2021 to put shovels in the ground. Yes Canada is set to receive vaccines from various suppliers from around the world but demand is currently high and the contracts that were signed are loose at best regarding specifics for deliverables.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by rbk

A lot of countries won’t be allowed as per supply contracts to re-sell or even donate to other countries.

Really? I think there'd be all kinds of shame directed at any country that had vaccine to spare, but didn't share it. Likewise with any company whose contracts made it harder to reallocate doses. Look how much yelling there is between the EU and the UK right now over allocations.

[sv_pelagia]

CANADA: Cruise ships (AND pleasure boats in the ARCTIC) banned until February 2022

A ban on cruise ships of more than 100 people coming to Canada will remain in place until February of 2022, a federal government release said Thursday.

The temporary measures for cruise ships were scheduled to end in a couple of weeks, on Feb. 28.

Today Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra made the announcement of the interim order, and also extended an order prohibiting pleasure craft in Canadian Arctic waters except for those used by residents of the region.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/princ...901198?cmp=rss

[rbk]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Really? I think there'd be all kinds of shame directed at any country that had vaccine to spare, but didn't share it. Likewise with any company whose contracts made it harder to reallocate doses. Look how much yelling there is between the EU and the UK right now over allocations.

Yup but shame doesn’t trump contractual obligations. At the same time it does stop someone from stockpiling and re-selling at a profit. Either way those contracts which should be public and fully transparent are not in the slightest. It took a week of pressuring and threats of legal action for a heavily redacted portion of an EU contract to be released.

[nwdiver]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Really? I think there'd be all kinds of shame directed at any country that had vaccine to spare, but didn't share it. Likewise with any company whose contracts made it harder to reallocate doses. Look how much yelling there is between the EU and the UK right now over allocations.

Resell no, donate yes.......it would be PR hell if big pharma said you can’t give away something you have paid for.

[BCCLover]

Originally Posted by sv_pelagia

CANADA: Cruise ships (AND pleasure boats in the ARCTIC) banned until February 2022

A ban on cruise ships of more than 100 people coming to Canada will remain in place until February of 2022, a federal government release said Thursday.

The temporary measures for cruise ships were scheduled to end in a couple of weeks, on Feb. 28.

Today Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra made the announcement of the interim order, and also extended an order prohibiting pleasure craft in Canadian Arctic waters except for those used by residents of the region.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/princ...901198?cmp=rss

Apologies if this is something obvious, but what's the definition of "Canadian Arctic waters"? I found something that seems to indicate it's waters north of 60 north. Is that right?

[NaClyDog]

Originally Posted by BCCLover

Apologies if this is something obvious, but what's the definition of "Canadian Arctic waters"? I found something that seems to indicate it's waters north of 60 north. Is that right?

https://www.acls-aatc.ca/files/english/books/6.10.jpg

[BCCLover]

Thanks, @NaClyDog.

[GordMay]

Ottawa’s latest extension of the ban on cruise ships in Canadian waters [1] (through February 28, 2022) angered three Alaska politicians to the point that they released a terse statement Friday [2]. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Representative Don Young expressed strong disapproval of the move, over concern for their affected constituents in the state.

[1] “Government of Canada announces one-year ban for pleasure craft and cruise vessels”
➥ https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-c...e-vessels.html

[2] “Canada Decision to Ban Cruise Ships in Canadian Waters is Unacceptable: Alaska Congressional Delegation”
➥ https://www.sullivan.senate.gov/news...nal-delegation