The COVID-19 "Virtual "Reality : Review of a lecture on vaccines, previewing IBD Talk and some exercise – The Suburban Newspaper

Over the last two months, since the COVID-19 pandemic took over our lives, simple things like attending an interesting lecture have become off limits. Any sort of gatherings, from talks to concerts or sporting events, may be banned for well more than a year as we wait for a vaccine.

If there is anything for us to be thankful about at this time, its technology. Had this occurred more than 25 years ago wed literally all be stuck in the dark with only the telephone as a way to communicate.

Organizations of all kinds have come to realize that the show can still go on to a certain extent via platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Zoom and more. When this is all over, I believe this mode of communication will continue, for now events that might only attract a small crowd are reaching out to so many more.

Last Thursday I attended a 7 pm weekly virtual lecture presented by theMcGill Office for Science and Societyon COVID-19. In addition to Dr. Joe Schwarcz and team members Jonathan Jarry, Ada McVean and communications guru Emily Shore, their special guest was Dr. Paul Offit, Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Vaccine Education Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. It was absolutely fascinating. Dr. Offit has published more than 160 papers in medical and scientific journals in the areas of rotavirus-specific immune responses and vaccine safety. He is also the co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine recommended for universal use in infants by the CDC. He had a lot to say with respect to vaccine development for the coronavirus and offered great insight as to how we can begin moving on in a COVID world.

Normally a 7 pm lecture would require me to come home early for supper and rush out of the house with my food barely digested or grab something to eat on the way. In this case I finished dinner at 6:40 pm, cleared the table and comfortably sat in front of my computer screen 20 minutes later.

For those who missed the lecture you can see it now on the OSS Facebook Page and/or their YouTube Channel. Questions were answered in real-time.

Dr. Offit spoke confidently that we will have a vaccine within a year, noting that many steps will have to be skipped to get it out in a timely fashion. The virus is stable, he said. I do not think it will mutate away from the vaccine. In terms of timing I think it will depend upon how much uncertainty we are willing to live with before the vaccine rolls out to the public. Typically vaccine programs are 20 years. So there is a series of steps you go through; the last one, which is the most important, is the so-called phase three trial where you look at tens of thousands of people who either did in this case or did not get the vaccine to see if it is safe and effective. I would be really surprised if the trials that were done for this vaccine were that big. My sense, from the manufacturers I have talked to, is the trials are going to be anywhere from 1,000 to 6,000 total people the biggest would be 3,000 on each side. That is not a lot. You can rule out common side effects with that kind of trial. But on the other hand you are dealing with a scourge. In the United States 2,000 people a day are dying from this virus so I think you are willing to accept a greater level of uncertainty than if two people were dying. I am optimistic it will be effective. You can start to see people inoculated within a year.

Dr. Offit predicted that the virus might not as active this summer. Will there be a false sense of security? he asks. Will it come roaring back in September, October and in flu season?

Go to the YouTube channel to see it for yourself.

The McGill OSS will be back for another round of COVID and More Conversations on Thursday, May 7 at 7pm. These can be viewed on their Facebook Page and YouTube channel.

Living With IBD During The Pandemic

Next on my agenda will be a virtual lecture entitled Living With IBD During The Pandemic on Tuesday, May 5 (7 pm), presented by the McGill IBD Research Group. Gastroenterologist Dr. Gary Wild, who also has a background in Psychology, will be the guest speaker. The lecture can be accessed via Zoom at this link: https://mcgill.zoom.us/j/91096546702

Virtual Fitness

I am trying to go for regular walks during this pandemic. In addition, occasionally I get on the treadmill. Because I remain one of the lucky ones to have all of my jobs fully functioning, my hours of work have significantly increased over the last several weeks.

But how is this all impacting on the people who went to the exercise gym every day? Virtual fitness of course!

Rona Lis is the invaluable secretary to Dr. David Zukor, the chief of Orthopedics at The Jewish General Hospital. Her days are long. She loves her job, but after a long day dealing with patients she longs for her workout time at OrangeTheory Fitness on Somerled in NDG. Naturally she was heartbroken when gyms were forced to close. But Melanie Shernofsky and the team there merely moved the workouts to Zoom. Members like Rona can either do them live or via a recording when it is convenient. They have been lifesavers, Rona says. It is a blast to watch the people participating, as their dogs and cats go past the screen. Even though I am tired and worn out after work, this makes me so happy!

Miles Krol is doing the same thing at his MilesFit studio in NDG. I've created a free online workout community in Montreal that has exploded! he told me. We're helping hundreds of people and families stay fit and sane during these challenging times!

Among the participants are NDG-Cte des Neiges Borough Mayor Sue Montgomery and CJADs Dan Laxer, two of my favorite people. Mayor Sue and her chief of staff Annalisa Harris have been the victims of unfair treatment by Mayor Valerie Plante and her team. They have done a fine job handling the pandemic in the borough. Mayor Sue is there for her citizens and very visible in the community. Laxer is the co-host of the Sunday Trivia Show with Ken Connors, but spends most of his time writing commercials during the week. I wish we could hear his voice more. But I digress.

This has become something very powerful for the Montreal community, Miles says of the workouts.

Go to his Facebook page to see more. He also did this trailer.

Miles says more than 1,000 Montrealers, plus others from the United States, Israel and Europe, are joining in as well. We have young kids joining in, so we keep families together and we even adjust exercises for the elderly. Everyone can work out with us for free.

Read more:

The COVID-19 "Virtual "Reality : Review of a lecture on vaccines, previewing IBD Talk and some exercise - The Suburban Newspaper