Pre-Omicron effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against hospitalization and death across Canada
Published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, CITF-funded researchers Drs. Jeff Kwong (University of Toronto), Gaston de Serres (L’Institut national de santé publique du Québec), and Mel Krajden (University of British Columbia), found that two doses of mRNA or viral vector ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca’s Vaxzevria or COVIDSHIELD) vaccines provided excellent protection against severe outcomes (hospitalization or death) from COVID-19 during the period before the emergence of the Omicron variant.
Drivers of COVID-19 vaccine uptake and hesitancy among people experiencing homelessness in Toronto: A study protocol
In a paper published in BMJ Open, Drs. Jesse Jenkinson, Stephen Hwang (MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, University of Toronto) and colleagues outlined their study protocol for characterizing COVID-19 vaccine uptake and hesitancy among people experiencing homelessness in Toronto.
A novel method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence
In a preprint, not yet peer-reviewed, CITF-funded researchers developed a novel approach to detect SARS-CoV-2 anti-nucleocapsid antibodies. The ratio-based approach had a 95.2% sensitivity among both previously vaccinated and previously infected donors compared with 63.3% for the conventional approach.
Third dose of vaccine enhances antibody response, particularly among older adults
A manuscript from a CITF-funded study in preprint (not yet peer-reviewed) by Drs. Marc Romney (University of British Columbia), Zabrina Brumme and Mark Brockman (Simon Fraser University), demonstrated that a third dose of an mRNA vaccine significantly enhanced the magnitude and durability of antibody responses, including among older adults (>70 years old) who remained COVID-naïve.
COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is not associated with adverse birth outcomes
In a CITF-funded study published in BMJ and led by Dr. Deshayne Fell from the University of Ottawa and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, researchers explored whether COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy had an effect on preterm birth, small-for-gestational-age at birth, and stillbirth.
No association between COVID-19 vaccination status and health issues in pregnancy: Canadian National Vaccine Safety (CANVAS) Network study
A CITF-funded study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, from the Canadian National Vaccine Safety (CANVAS) Network, led by Drs. Julie Bettinger and Manish Sadarangani (University of British Columbia/British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute.
Studying COVID-19 infections in people experiencing homelessness in Toronto
In a paper published in BMJ Open, Dr. Stephan Hwang (MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital and University of Toronto) and colleagues developed a study protocol documenting the CITF-funded Ku-gaa-gii pimitizi-win study (formerly known as the COVENANT study), which aims to estimate the prevalence and incidence of COVID-19 infection among people experiencing homelessness in Canada.
High COVID-19 vaccine coverage for people experiencing homelessness in Toronto
A manuscript from a CITF-funded study, published in Vaccines, CITF-funded researcher Dr. Stephen Hwang (MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s Hospital and University of Toronto) and colleagues found that vaccine uptake among people experiencing homelessness in Toronto was high, with 80.4% of the 736 study participants having received at least one dose by summer 2021, and 63.6% having received two or more doses.
Immune responses to Omicron in Immunocompromised patients
A CITF-funded study published in Nature Communications by Drs. Deepali Kumar and Atul Humar (University Health Network, Toronto), reported that partially and fully vaccinated transplant recipients who were infected with Omicron (the BA.1 variant) have BA.1-specific immune responses comparable to triple vaccinated individuals with normal immune systems.