What one GTA hospital is doing to help treat the most vulnerable COVID-19 patients
For those especially vulnerable to COVID-19, new antiviral and antibody treatments can make a real difference in alleviating the most severe symptoms associated with the disease.
Over the past year, multiple treatments for the novel coronavirus have been developed and approved for use—something experts have said is key to bringing this pandemic to an end.
In January, Health Canada approved Pfizer’s anti-viral pill called “Paxlovid,” which helps decrease the severity of illness in at-risk adults. It has become the first oral and at-home prescription medication to be given approval in this country.
A Canadian study has also found that an intravenous antiviral called Remdesivir can decrease the need for mechanical ventilation in a COVID-19 patient by about 50 per cent.
More locally, a pilot program at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton is treating high-risk COVID-19 patients with monoclonal antibodies, a protein that prevents the virus from infecting healthy cells within the body.
According to the hospital, initial studies showed the therapy reduced hospitalization by about 71 per cent and reduced death by about 70 per cent.
In this week’s episode of Life Unmasked, the team speaks with two Dr. Zain Chagla, an infectious disease physician at St. Josephs, as well two nurses working to administer monoclonal antibodies to patients. The team explains what monoclonal antibodies are, how effective they can be and why treatments such as this are so beneficial—not just for the patient but for the health-care system as a whole.
CTV News Toronto's podcast Life Unmasked airs first on the iHeart app before becoming available on other streaming platforms. If you have questions for the podcast team, or an idea for an episode, please email lifeunmasked@bellmedia.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.