The Chemistry Minute

Take a minute to read our posts on current topics in biochemistry and health in the news 🇨🇦 Like and Follow to grow our network! | PhD, Clin Chem | #medlab

[The Associated Press @AP]

Pfizer says it plans to seek U.S. regulators’ approval for a third COVID-19 vaccine dose. The company says its research suggests antibody levels jump markedly after a third dose, but it's not yet clear if and when boosters might truly be needed. ​https://t.co/nD631SWYlx

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

@rabbitholer I always just called it “foam” 😆

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

Pregnant women are now prioritized for vaccination. Good move Ontario 👏

[Christine Elliott @celliottability]

As of April 23, all pregnant individuals can register for #COVID19 vaccination appointments under the “highest risk” health conditions in Phase Two of the province’s vaccine rollout.

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

Pregnant women are an at-risk group for #COVID19, particularly the variants of concern. With two lives at stake, they should be prioritized for vaccination as soon as possible. #pregnancy #vaccines
https://t.co/dHKSOYFMqC

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

For those who have been vaccinated, which vaccine did you receive?
All vaccines are safe and effective. Take the first one offered to you!
#COVID19 #vaccine #Moderna #Pfizer #AstraZeneca #POLL

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

Happy #medlabweek to all the medical laboratory professionals out there! Thank you for all you do!

[Dr. Maria Pasic ✨Be Kind✨ @mariapasic]

It’s national #medlab week! #medlabthx to my awesome team at St Joe’s @UnityHealthTO !!! You have faced this year of adversity with strength, resilience, determination and dedication and you deserve to be celebrated! @MLPAOnews @mlpaoceo

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

Updated guidelines from the AACC on the current approved uses of #COVID19 antibody tests: https://t.co/edDSGi28Id #serology #antibody #prevalence #clinchem #labtest #diagnosis

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

Big news from #Pfizer today: "Ensuring vaccines are safe and effective in children will be crucial to ending the pandemic. Although children are less likely to die of COVID-19, it’s still possible for them to get sick and spread the virus."

https://t.co/HRdyyqheGs

[Isaac Bogoch @BogochIsaac]

An updated review of blood-clotting associated with AstraZeneca #COVID19 vaccines, led by @MPaiMD:

*Appears to be a rare event
*Not more common in those with prior blood clots
*Still learning more, cannot ignore, updates expected

https://t.co/65Jr7msLbs

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

An excellent thread from a thrombosis specialist about the risk of blood clots and vaccination. Please take the time to read it through. #thrombosis #clot #vaccine #COVID19 #CovidVaccine

[Menaka Pai, MSc MD FRCPC @MPaiMD]

Long 🧵 on vaccines and blood clots (from somebody who spends an inordinate amount of time thinking about, preventing & treating blood clots). #COVID19 #COVID19vaccine #hemetwitter #thrombosis 1/n

[Isaac Bogoch @BogochIsaac]

Emerging data demonstrating that separating the dosing of #COVID19 vaccines in those with compromised immune systems (e.g. blood cancers) may not offer sufficient protection.

https://t.co/GTqApgDG6h

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

Statement from the ISTH on the #AstraZeneca #Vaccine and #clots. Take home message: take the vaccine when it first becomes available to you. https://t.co/0X30gDYYcQ #COVID19 #thrombosis

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

As soon as you are able, go get vaccinated, "'cause once you're dead then that's a bit too late" #Jolene #Vaccine @DollyParton #listentoDolly #COVID19Vaccine

[Dolly Parton @DollyParton]

Dolly gets a dose of her own medicine.

@VUMChealth

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

Big news for Canada today as the #AstraZeneca #vaccine has been approved. 20 million more doses coming. No issues with #safety, and the vaccine was tolerated well by the study participants.

Health Canada approves use of AstraZeneca vaccine | CBC News https://t.co/pUdD4b9uTU

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

More precise, saliva-based tests are emerging that could allow "a mobile lab [to] be taken to schools, nursing homes or workplaces in the back of a minivan, providing relatively quick and very accurate tests", said Prassas. #COVID19 #saliva #rapidtest #diagnostics #precision

[Dr. Maria Pasic ✨Be Kind✨ @mariapasic]

Proud of my dad for his hard work towards developing a #saliva -based test for #COVID19! “This assay can be a game changer,” predicted study author Eleftherios Diamandis. #MesoScale #highprecision #rapidtest #medlab
https://t.co/jDhNz20NIl

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

People who have had COVID-19 should still get vaccinated, but "just one dose of the vaccine is enough to turbocharge their antibodies and destroy the coronavirus — and even some more infectious variants". #COVID19 #immunity #vaccine #antibodies
https://t.co/hv1rMUCS67

[Eric Topol @EricTopol]

More real world data, from the UK, age > 80, emphasizing:
1. Vaccines work really well, even against B.1.1.7
2. First dose effect is strong, but even more protection with 2nd dose
https://t.co/JGZWsTGBFf
by @wsj_douglasj and @MaximColch

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

The future of SARS-CoV-2 as an endemic virus seems to be very likely, based on this poll from @nature.

[Isaac Bogoch @BogochIsaac]

1/ @nature asked over 100 scientists if they felt that #COVID19 was going to become endemic & circulate on earth for years to come. ~90% felt this was a likely or very likely scenario.

Link: https://t.co/sV3AZx4VkR

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

This is very cool!!!

[Nature Portfolio @NaturePortfolio]

Computer, which reaction should I run next? Research in Nature shows that Bayesian optimisation can be used to help synthetic chemists optimise their reactions with greater efficiency and consistency. https://t.co/aWf7ihDmNh

[The Chemistry Minute @chemistryminute]

Vaccination will be very important in reducing this risk, in both young and old. Risk of death from COVID-19 is 3.5 times higher than influenza, CMAJ study finds https://t.co/8jSmdAtmPG