Scientist, Emeritus Professor of Virology, Political Junkie
Dec 14, 2021 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
In Canada, CRTC controls what is broadcast on radio/TV in all provinces. It’s quite restrictive as it tries to preserve some Canadian content/culture which can be overwhelmed by the juggernaut to our south. Altho often annoying, it protects us from some abhorrent US broadcasters.
US also has a similar control body, FCC, which is much less restrictive & allows more latitude in what is broadcast. While this is a benefit in some ways it’s a factor in current dismal state of US with fake news & right-wing ideology flooding the airwaves.
Jun 5, 2021 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
Why are current vaccines not sufficient to protect against COVID? All produce antibody to CoV ‘S’ protein ‘epitopes’ - small regions of 3D structure of S. Major neutralising Abs stop S binding to cell receptor thus preventing cell infection. Others only partially inhibit binding.
So antibodies to S prevent virus from entering cells if they’re a good fit. Selective pressure on virus means these epitopes are high mutation zones to enable virus to ‘escape’ neutralisation. In altering the vaccine to counter this we are always one step behind the virus.
Jan 30, 2021 • 5 tweets • 3 min read
@IrfanDhalla Let’s have a look at that statement Irfan. Herd immunity is herd immunity -the downside of it coming from infection is that morbidity and mortality are a huge issue. Beyond that however immunity from current vaccines is extremely limited - only S protein is incorporated +
@IrfanDhalla + in current vaccines so ability of virus to escape Ab response is considerable. OTOH anyone who’s had natural infection has the complete gamut of immune responses inc critical Tcell activity & memory T cells. If herd immunity is the only consideration, natural infection wins.
Nov 14, 2020 • 7 tweets • 4 min read
@Laurie_Garrett@Laurie_Garrett@kavitapmd I’m exceedingly concerned re sudden focus on Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine - it has not had nearly enough scrutiny in my opinion. Technology is new & untested - company has not described a hypothesis on how vaccine works nor defined how it tests for efficacy.
@Laurie_Garrett@kavitapmd For example -how is it delivered? i/v or i/p or into lungs? What cells has it been designed to target? Direct to Ag presenting cells or to somatic cells? Does the RNA component comprise the whole mRNA or just a part over the major neutralising epitope?
Nov 13, 2020 • 6 tweets • 8 min read
@HalMarshall2309@johnwalters_sd@betsy_klein@MollyJongFast@EricTopol (1) I remain to be convinced about Pfizer’s vaccine & it’s efficacy... However there is already a product that could help immensely - Regeneron’s monoclonal antibody cocktail. Unlike Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine, Rg’s abs don’t need to be taken up by cells, translated to protein and...
@HalMarshall2309@johnwalters_sd@betsy_klein@MollyJongFast@EricTopol (2) then stimulate an immune response to get to...antibodies like Regeneron’s! Now that the hybridoma cells producing the Mcabs are available, building up supplies for use should be technically simple and not too expensive. Moreover, samples of the hybridomas can be sent all...
Oct 14, 2020 • 8 tweets • 9 min read
@EvanSolomonShow@EvanLSolomon@realDonaldTrump@PeterASinger Sweden foresaw the problem US, UK, Canada indeed the world are now facing. Sweden admits its plan to protect elderly & vulnerable didn’t work but that’s not to say it wasn’t the right approach. Stringent laws to isolate seniors’ facilities should immediately have been introduced.
@EvanSolomonShow@EvanLSolomon@realDonaldTrump@PeterASinger Further, it was already known that people with certain conditions were especially vulnerable and they should have been given the right to work from home or go on EI. While COVID is undeniably nasty, so is flu in many cases but the world has not stopped for any flu pandemic EVER.
Sep 1, 2020 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
This is an excellent article on 5 different CoV2 vaccines. I will discuss further below. @BregmanPs . The Top 5 COVID-19 Vaccine Candidates Explained via @MHealthLablabblog.uofmhealth.org/rounds/top-5-c…
What follows is a best guess from a virologist who has given some thought to the issue of best vaccine approach in relation to those most developed at the moment.
Aug 26, 2020 • 6 tweets • 4 min read
@Juliarmstrong4@RickPetree Virtual learning is new to teachers and many will not feel capable of teaching in this mode. There is a real opportunity for enterprising young teachers to set up online teaching via zoom totally separate from the school system...
@Juliarmstrong4@RickPetree The medical school at UBC does part of its instruction in this mode and I also adapted a Virology program to run this way. I’ll give you an example of how this can work suitable for school children...
Jun 12, 2020 • 18 tweets • 7 min read
@HalMarshall2309@cmmorgann@nancyterhune@TepiZep I promised more photos of Tanzania. While looking for them I found the blog post I made for both TripAdvisor and my travel agent, Gane and Marshall. So I will attach it as it puts the photos in context. dropbox.com/s/1s5ppjwlh7fw…
As evening draws in let’s turn from politics to another of life’s necessities (travel) let me tell you some reasons why Tanzania is well worth a visit. TZ is a relatively stable country & safe from terrorists. Much safer than Kenya which always seems to be a hotbed of activity.
May 18, 2020 • 10 tweets • 5 min read
@harrygod Thank you Harry. I thought it was a useful article although I didn’t agree with some of risk levels suggested. Main message is that outdoor activities are best (lucky summer is coming) but not outdoor pools. Parks have reopened in B.C. - but not camping due to wash facilities.+
@harrygod Anything indoors is much more suspect. I agree with you on gyms - definitely not good. Also indoor restaurants, bars nightclubs.
Some stores are managing the risk well -grocery and pharmacies particularly. Best to wear a mask of course.
Mar 5, 2019 • 13 tweets • 6 min read
@EmmMacfarlane Let’s count the ways that Harper affected Canada 1. He showed disdain for parliamentary rules and procedures and even lied in HOC. 2. He prorogued parliament twice in order not to face the animosity of HOC 3. He restricted access to information on a scale hitherto unheard of. (1)@EmmMacfarlane 4. SH muzzled scientists preventing them from presenting results that were inconvenient. 5. MOST egregiously he closed at least 16 research libraries that contained irreplaceable data on environment & had irreplaceable data thrown on dumpsters and burned.
