Monday, May 17, 2021

Research Talks presents A Year of COVID-19: Innovative Research

A message from the Office of Research.

The second installment of the A Year of COVID-19 series is planned for Thursday, May 20 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. 

Please visit the A Year of COVID-19 page to register for one or more events in the series.

With a focus on innovative research, this online panel session features:

• Dr. Clark Baldwin, medical director, Campus Wellness, University of Waterloo (Rapid antigen testing on campus – an extra layer of protection in the fight against COVID-19)
• Sue Horton, professor, School of Public Health and Health Systems, Faculty of Health, University of Waterloo (Reflections of a year of COVID-19 on social sciences research)
• Mark Servos, professor, Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Waterloo (Wastewater-based surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in support of public health action)

Q and A with the experts: What to know about your first vaccination

The University of Waterloo has a number of experts available for comment on various aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Complications associated with the COVID-19 vaccines have left members of the public concerned. How likely are people to suffer serious side effects having been vaccinated? Kelly Grindrod, a pharmacist and professor, provides answers to this and other questions.

Is it okay that I got AstraZeneca as my first dose?

All four vaccines approved in Canada—AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and Moderna—are extremely effective at protecting against severe illness, hospitalization and death. The many, many Ontarians who have managed to get a first dose of AstraZeneca gained protection from COVID four to eight weeks ahead of when they were expected to be vaccinated. Emerging research is showing that a single dose of AstraZeneca appears to offer similar protection to a single dose of Pfizer against hospitalization, and also seems to reduce contagiousness pretty well. That means people who got a first dose of AstraZeneca not only protected themselves but protected the people around them too.

The “safety signal,” or the rare but serious clotting side effect that has emerged with AstraZeneca, has prompted the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) to identify the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines as “preferred” when the risk of COVID is lower. Expect this to be an ongoing conversation in the coming weeks and months.

Can you explain the rare but serious side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine?

We continue to learn more about the rare but serious side effect called “vaccine induced thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT).” There are two viral vector vaccines approved in Canada—AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson. Both appear to cause VITT. Pfizer and Moderna are mRNA vaccines and do not appear to cause VITT.

According to the latest available data, the risk of VITT with AstraZeneca appears to be around one to two people per 100,000. The risk with Johnson & Johnson may be lower, at around one in 500,000. Canada has administered over two million doses of AstraZeneca in the last month, meaning we should expect to see approximately 20 to 40 cases of VITT in the coming days and weeks. This compares to the approximately 40 COVID deaths we see daily in Canada right now.

VITT is different from a normal clot. It is a very serious reaction where the body forms antibodies against platelets 4 to 28 days after an AstraZeneca or Johnson & Johnson vaccination. This leads to multiple clots, low platelets, and bleeding. Younger women may be at slightly higher risk, but it can occur at all ages and in all genders. Most cases have been after the first dose. Here is a useful FAQ document from Thrombosis Canada about VITT.

Canada is getting a lot more Pfizer. What does that mean for us?

Two things have changed recently in Canada with regards to the Pfizer COVID vaccine—a huge increase in shipments and approval for kids aged 12 and older.

Pfizer has indicated that it is dramatically increasing its vaccine shipments to Canada, sending us over two million doses a week starting in May. This news speeds up our vaccine timelines. The Canadian government now predicts we can vaccinate every Canadian who wants a vaccine by July 1. This is also likely to speed up the time to second doses, as more Canadians may be able to get their second doses in the summer.

The other news was the approval of Pfizer for children aged 12 and older. In March 2021, Moderna also began a trial in children as young as six months. We expect news about kids aged six months to 11 years in the summer months. This means that older kids may be fully vaccinated early in the school year while younger kids could be a few months behind.

If I got AZ as my first dose, can I get a different vaccine for my second dose?

Canada has just announced a new shipment of AstraZeneca later this month, with most doses destined to be second doses. The risk of VITT appears to be lower for the second dose than the first dose. The COM-COV study in the UK is also looking at the effects of mixing vaccines, including various combinations of AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax. The research aims to identify if there is any advantage to mixing vaccines, including if there is a stronger immune response. The studies are also looking at side effects and safety. We expect to start seeing some early results late May into June. This may give people who got a first dose of AstraZeneca some options in the months ahead.

Kelly Grindrod is associate professor; programmatic assessment officer; and Ontario College of Pharmacists Professor in Pharmacy Innovation at the School of Pharmacy. Dr. Grindrod's research focuses on using digital technologies to improve how we manage medications. She is currently examining how patients, physicians and pharmacists share medication information. She is also interested in how digital technologies can be used to change clinician practice.

GEDIx Exchange considers the internet of things in rugged environments

A message from GEDI.

IoT technologies can often be used to help reduce waste, increase efficiency, and enhance productivity. This works through the collection and processing of data essential for creating insights needed for critical decision making. However, hostile conditions in industry or “the great outdoors” can create environments making it difficult to extract information in a timely manner.

Instrumenting such locales, while maintaining proper sustainability in protecting the ecosystem, can be full of challenges. This is when robust and rugged IoT sensing systems and networks are needed to facilitate secure data transmission over large distances in infrastructure-poor or -absent areas.

Please join us for 30 minutes at the next GEDI Exchange webinar with AOMS Technologies and LorCan Technologies, as their CEOs discuss instrumenting and sensing in rugged and hostile environments. If you have a few extra minutes, there will also be 10 minutes of audience Q&A after the discussion.

Date and time: Tuesday, May 18, 2021, 1:00 p.m.

To register visit GEDIx: A 30-minute Exchange with AOMS Technologies and LorCan Technolgies.

If you would like to view more from this series, go to the Past GEDIx webinars website.

Senate meets today and other notes

The University's Senate meets today at 3:30 p.m. on Microsoft Teams. Among the agenda items:

• A motion to ratify a number of committee appointments;
• A motion to approve revisions to regulations governing the combination of Liberal Studies with other majors, effective 1 September 2022;
• A motion to approve the categorization of Liberal Studies for the purposes of academic rules and regulations in the undergraduate calendar, effective 1 September 2022;
• A motion to approve the updates to the transdisciplinary studies list in the Faculty of Arts, effective 1 September 2022;
• A motion to approve changes to the co-op sequence for honours economics and honours mathematical economics, effective 1 September 2022;
• A motion to approve revisions to the term distinction awards of excellence, retroactive to 1 September 2020; and
• a motion to delegate the approval of the roster of graduands for the upcoming Convocation ceremonies in June to the Senate's Executive Committee, which has its next meeting on June 7, 2021.

There are a number of Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion workshops coming up this week and next, including:

Workplace Harassment Prevention Workshop, May 18, 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. This workshop will raise your awareness of behaviours and attitudes that may contribute or lead to workplace harassment. You will also learn how these can be recognized and addressed in order to minimize the incidences of harassing behaviour. All welcome.

Taking Action: How masculine identifying folks can engage in bystander intervention, May 25, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. A practical workshop hosted by the Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) of Waterloo Region, masculine identifying folks will gain knowledge of gender-based violence, privilege, and bystander intervention.

Reclaim Your Voice with Jungle Flower, May 26, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Join the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office and Campus Wellness as they welcome Reclaim Your Voice founder, Jungle Flower, who will share her story of healing from psychological abuse and sexual violence, and how she founded a movement to support others on their healing journey. All welcome.

Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence, Part 1: May 31, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Part 2: June 3, 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In this interactive 3-hour workshop, divided over two-days, attendees will develop tools, strategies, and resources to respond effectively to disclosures of sexual violence. All welcome.

The GreenHouse social impact incubator and Concept will be hosting its first Health Challenges Forum tomorrow from 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. This free virtual event will explore the most pressing challenges faced by healthcare professionals at local acute care, long term care, and home care medical organizations.