Statistics Canada says the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to an average seven-month decline in national life expectancy, the largest decrease recorded since 1921 when the vital statistics registration system was introduced.
The federal agency released preliminary data Monday showing national life expectancy, which is estimated on an annual basis, was 81.7 years for those born in 2020 — down from 82.3 the year before.
The drop was greater for men, at more than eight months, than for women, at nearly five months. The largest declines in the country were observed in Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
There were 307,205 deaths in Canada in 2020, representing a 7.7 per cent increase from 2019. Of those, 16,151 deaths were attributed to COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic, representing 5.3 per cent of the country's 2020 deaths.
That made COVID-19 the third leading cause of death in Canada in 2020, though Statistics Canada added that the pandemic may have also contributed indirectly to a number of other deaths across the country.
https://www.cbc.ca/n...rease-1.6326089
Grammy award-winning music artist Neil Young has demanded his music be removed from Spotify in response to COVID-19 “vaccine misinformation” on the platform.
In a since-deleted open letter on his website to his manager Frank Gironda and Tom Corson, co-chairman and chief operating officer of Warner Bros. Records, Young wrote, according to multiple news outlets:
“I am doing this because Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines – potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them. Please act on this immediately today and keep me informed of the time schedule.”
https://sputniknews....1092499787.html
Fast, cheap test can detect COVID-19 virus’ genome without need for PCR
https://www.washingt...armony-covid19/
https://www.scienced...20124194941.htm
A new study finds that two forms of immunity – breakthrough infections following vaccination or natural infection followed by vaccination – provide roughly equal levels of enhanced immune protection.
https://www.eurekale...releases/940998
so new i couldn't find a press release. study of the day:
In this review of reports to VAERS between December 2020 and August 2021, myocarditis was identified as a rare but serious adverse event that can occur after mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination, particularly in adolescent males and young men. However, this increased risk must be weighed against the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination.
Compared with cases of non–vaccine-associated myocarditis, the reports of myocarditis to VAERS after mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccination were similar in demographic characteristics but different in their acute clinical course. First, the greater frequency noted among vaccine recipients aged 12 to 29 years vs those aged 30 years or older was similar to the age distribution seen in typical cases of myocarditis. This pattern may explain why cases of myocarditis were not discovered until months after initial Emergency Use Authorization of the vaccines in the US (ie, until the vaccines were widely available to younger persons). Second, the sex distribution in cases of myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination was similar to that seen in typical cases of myocarditis; there is a strong male predominance for both conditions.
However, the onset of myocarditis symptoms after exposure to a potential immunological trigger was shorter for COVID-19 vaccine–associated cases of myocarditis than is typical for myocarditis cases diagnosed after a viral illness. Cases of myocarditis reported after COVID-19 vaccination were typically diagnosed within days of vaccination, whereas cases of typical viral myocarditis can often have indolent courses with symptoms sometimes present for weeks to months after a trigger if the cause is ever identified. The major presenting symptoms appeared to resolve faster in cases of myocarditis after COVID-19 vaccination than in typical viral cases of myocarditis. Even though almost all individuals with cases of myocarditis were hospitalized and clinically monitored, they typically experienced symptomatic recovery after receiving only pain management. In contrast, typical viral cases of myocarditis can have a more variable clinical course. For example, up to 6% of typical viral myocarditis cases in adolescents require a heart transplant or result in mortality.
https://jamanetwork....83-8415d766b180
https://www.eurekale...releases/940822
It’s too early to tell whether CBD helps against Covid-19 — but researchers worry that won’t stop CBD makers
https://www.statnews...ainst-covid-19/
Pandemic causing 'nearly insurmountable' education losses globally: UNICEF
https://phys.org/new...lly-unicef.html
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Monday that it was dangerous to assume the Omicron variant would herald the end of COVID-19′s acutest phase, exhorting nations to stay focused to beat the pandemic.
“It’s dangerous to assume that Omicron will be the last variant and that we are in the end game,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a WHO executive board meeting of the two-year pandemic that has killed nearly 6 million people.
“On the contrary, globally the conditions are ideal for more variants to emerge.”
Though Omicron has sent total cases soaring to nearly 350 million, its less lethal impact and the increasing prevalence of vaccines has led to optimism in some parts that the worst of the pandemic may have passed.
Tedros, the WHO’s first African head who is running unopposed for a second term, urged discipline and unity in combatting the coronavirus.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is now entering its third year and we are at a critical juncture,” he told a news conference earlier. “We must work together to bring the acute phase of this pandemic to an end. We cannot let it continue to drag on, lurching between panic and neglect.”
https://www.theglobe...id-19-pandemic/
Two years after the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe and central Asia, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said the region could be "entering a new phase in the pandemic with plausible hope for stabilization."
"The pandemic is far from over, but I am hopeful we can end the emergency phase in 2022 and address other health threats that urgently require our attention," WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said in a statement on Monday.
Nevertheless, he warned in the statement that "it is far too early to relax" because new COVID-19 variants are almost certain to emerge.
"With the millions of infections occurring in the world in recent and coming weeks, coupled with waning immunity and winter seasonality, it is almost a given that new COVID-19 variants will emerge and return," he said.
The WHO official elaborated by noting the challenges variants have caused, such as "the highly transmissible Omicron variant sweeping the region, from west to east."
"Omicron is displacing Delta with unprecedented speed. Less than two months since it was first discovered in South Africa, it now accounts for 31.8 percent of cases across the European Region, up from 15 percent the previous week, and 6.3 percent the week before that."
http://www.ecns.cn/n...fa9716951.shtml
London police investigating Covid-19 lockdown parties at Downing Street
https://www.rawstory...downing-street/
One of Ulster's most infamous far-right activists has been laid to rest after passing away on New Year's Day with what was reported as "Covid complications."
'Big Merv' Shields was a leading member of the notorious white power Nazi band Screwdriver, where he played the bass guitar for several years on at least three albums.
He played at many White Power concerts and was instrumental in the notorious Blood and Honour neo-Nazi music network.
The music was loud and racist and promoted a whites-only agenda as well as being staunchly loyalist - one of their biggest 'hits' was called Smash The IRA.
*snip*
One picture taken recently shows him sporting a T-shirt with the slogan 'Kill a Commie for Mommy', showing he continued to share his anti-left views.
Along with controversial band leader Donaldson, Shields played gigs as part of the infamous Rock Against Communism movement set-up to oppose the Rock Against Racism movement.
Among those paying tribute to Shields was London UDA leader Frank Portinari.
"Gutted to hear that former Skrewdriver guitarist Big Merv Shields has passed away. Had many a good session with him in the Royal Bar, Sandy Row, Belfast," he wrote.
The Loyalist Defence League also paid their respects, tweeting: "Today there's also the very sad news that a true gentleman and loyal brethren Mervyn Shields has sadly died, we send his family our deepest condolences and sympathies at this sad time."
https://www.sundaywo...l-41244638.html
via https://crooksandlia...and-anti-vaxxer
Argentine Health Minister asks WHO to accelerate approval of Sputnik V — newspaper
It was the first vaccine against coronavirus that Argentina obtained
https://tass.com/world/1392617
Sarah Palin dined at a restaurant while unvaccinated, breaking NYC COVID-19 rules, 2 days before testing positive
https://www.business...-reports-2022-1
"Unvaccinated" Sarah Palin Tested Positive For COVID-19 Right Before Her Defamation Trial Against The New York Times, A Judge Said
The former Alaska governor, who also got COVID last March, has said she would rather die than get vaccinated.
https://www.buzzfeed...efamation-trial