Over a span of one week, preliminary results from late-stage clinical trials of two promising coronavirus vaccines have ushered in renewed hope in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
On Monday, U.S drugmaker Moderna announced that its vaccine has proven to be 94.5 per cent effective in protecting people from the COVID-19 disease, according to an interim analysis.
This followed Pfizer and BioNTech’s statement last week in which it said early data for its candidate suggested it was 90 per cent effective at preventing the virus.
Canada has already secured up to 358 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from a wide range of different manufacturers. But how will the vaccines be distributed and with limited supplies in the initial stages, who should get them first?
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The general consensus among health experts and government agencies is that the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, who are at a greater risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, should get immunized first.
2:08 Coronavirus: Trudeau says Canadians must ‘double down’ on public safety measures until vaccine is ready
Coronavirus: Trudeau says Canadians must ‘double down’ on public safety measures until vaccine is ready
The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), has identified key populations that also include health care workers, caregivers in long-term care facilities and all essential front-line responders essential in managing the COVID-19 response, according to preliminary recommendations.
People who are unable to work remotely and are at risk of exposure, like police, firefighters and grocery story staff, are also among the key groups in NACI’s recommendations.
Other essential workers will be defined by the provinces and territories with the federal government, but the final decision will depend on the data and vaccine efficacy, Dr. Caroline Quach-Thanh, NACI chair, told Global News.
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“If, for instance, we decided ahead of time that the elderly population should come first, but we see looking at the trials results that population does not have a great efficacy, but it could be more efficacious in another population like younger, healthy individuals, it’s very possible that at that point in time, things switch,” she said.
Raymond Tellier, a microbiologist and infectious diseases expert at McGill University, told Global News that people working in transportation services and the food industry should be prioritized before a mass rollout to the general population.
“You also want to vaccinate essential workers who were involved during confinement or a lockdown – people that need to continue their work in order to make sure that the basic services are maintained,” he said.
“If you want to interrupt the transmission of the virus most efficiently, you want to vaccinate people that are in contact with a lot of people.”
5:06 The Travel Lady: Will proof of a COVID-19 vaccination become necessary for travel?
The Travel Lady: Will proof of a COVID-19 vaccination become necessary for travel?
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government was developing a plan to make sure that vulnerable Canadians get these vaccines on a priority basis.
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“We are busy establishing different logistical approaches for the range of vaccines that will be hopefully arriving in Canada in the coming months,” he said during a press conference.
Logistical challenges
Given the “significant logistical challenge” of transportation and distribution, the government may seek assistance from the military, Trudeau said.
During the same press conference, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said provinces are currently working on their individual plans to identify where the vaccines will be deployed and sufficient freezers are being purchased to help with the storage.
Both Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines need to be kept in cold storage and have specific temperature requirements.
Pfizer’s vaccine must be shipped and stored at -70 C. It can be stored for up to five days at standard refrigerator temperatures, or for up to 15 days in a thermal shipping box.
3:10 Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine appears to be 94.5% effective
Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine appears to be 94.5% effective
Moderna expects the vaccine to be stable at normal fridge temperatures of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius (36 to 48 degrees F) for 30 days and it can be stored for up to six months at -20 C.
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If the vaccines are approved by Health Canada following the review of the clinical trials, the country is expecting to receive its first shipment early next year.
But the doses will arrive in different batches, Dr. Howard Njoo, Canada’s deputy chief public health officer, said on Tuesday.
And when can the general public expect to receive the vaccine?
Njoo said: “Certainly, we’re looking at hopefully covering the vast majority of the population by the end of next year.”
— With files from Carolyn Jarvis, Global News and Reuters.
Most job search advice is cookie-cutter. The advice you’re following is almost certainly the same advice other job seekers follow, making you just another candidate following the same script.
In today’s hyper-competitive job market, standing out is critical, a challenge most job seekers struggle with. Instead of relying on generic questions recommended by self-proclaimed career coaches, which often lead to a forgettable interview, ask unique, thought-provoking questions that’ll spark engaging conversations and leave a lasting impression.
Your level of interest in the company and the role.
Contributing to your employer’s success is essential.
You desire a cultural fit.
Here are the top four questions experts recommend candidates ask; hence, they’ve become cliché questions you should avoid asking:
“What are the key responsibilities of this position?”
Most likely, the job description answers this question. Therefore, asking this question indicates you didn’t read the job description. If you require clarification, ask, “How many outbound calls will I be required to make daily?” “What will be my monthly revenue target?”
“What does a typical day look like?”
Although it’s important to understand day-to-day expectations, this question tends to elicit vague responses and rarely leads to a deeper conversation. Don’t focus on what your day will look like; instead, focus on being clear on the results you need to deliver. Nobody I know has ever been fired for not following a “typical day.” However, I know several people who were fired for failing to meet expectations. Before accepting a job offer, ensure you’re capable of meeting the employer’s expectations.
“How would you describe the company culture?”
Asking this question screams, “I read somewhere to ask this question.” There are much better ways to research a company’s culture, such as speaking to current and former employees, reading online reviews and news articles. Furthermore, since your interviewer works for the company, they’re presumably comfortable with the culture. Do you expect your interviewer to give you the brutal truth? “Be careful of Craig; get on his bad side, and he’ll make your life miserable.” “Bob is close to retirement. I give him lots of slack, which the rest of the team needs to pick up.”
Truism: No matter how much due diligence you do, only when you start working for the employer will you experience and, therefore, know their culture firsthand.
“What opportunities are there for professional development?”
When asked this question, I immediately think the candidate cares more about gaining than contributing, a showstopper. Managing your career is your responsibility, not your employer’s.
Cliché questions don’t impress hiring managers, nor will they differentiate you from your competition. To transform your interaction with your interviewer from a Q&A session into a dynamic discussion, ask unique, insightful questions.
Here are my four go-to questions—I have many more—to accomplish this:
“Describe your management style. How will you manage me?”
This question gives your interviewer the opportunity to talk about themselves, which we all love doing. As well, being in sync with my boss is extremely important to me. The management style of who’ll be my boss is a determining factor in whether or not I’ll accept the job.
“What is the one thing I should never do that’ll piss you off and possibly damage our working relationship beyond repair?”
This question also allows me to determine whether I and my to-be boss would be in sync. Sometimes I ask, “What are your pet peeves?”
“When I join the team, what would be the most important contribution you’d want to see from me in the first six months?”
Setting myself up for failure is the last thing I want. As I mentioned, focus on the results you need to produce and timelines. How realistic are the expectations? It’s never about the question; it’s about what you want to know. It’s important to know whether you’ll be able to meet or even exceed your new boss’s expectations.
“If I wanted to sell you on an idea or suggestion, what do you need to know?”
Years ago, a candidate asked me this question. I was impressed he wasn’t looking just to put in time; he was looking for how he could be a contributing employee. Every time I ask this question, it leads to an in-depth discussion.
Other questions I’ve asked:
“What keeps you up at night?”
“If you were to leave this company, who would follow?”
“How do you handle an employee making a mistake?”
“If you were to give a Ted Talk, what topic would you talk about?”
“What are three highly valued skills at [company] that I should master to advance?”
“What are the informal expectations of the role?”
“What is one misconception people have about you [or the company]?”
Your questions reveal a great deal about your motivations, drive to make a meaningful impact on the business, and a chance to morph the questioning into a conversation. Cliché questions don’t lead to meaningful discussions, whereas unique, thought-provoking questions do and, in turn, make you memorable.
Nick Kossovan, a well-seasoned veteran of the corporate landscape, offers “unsweetened” job search advice. You can send Nick your questions to artoffindingwork@gmail.com.
CALGARY – Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. reported a third-quarter profit of $2.27 billion, down from $2.34 billion in the same quarter last year.
The company says the profit amounted to $1.06 per diluted share for the quarter that ended Sept. 30 compared with $1.06 per diluted share a year earlier.
Product sales totalled $10.40 billion, down from $11.76 billion in the same quarter last year.
Daily production for the quarter averaged 1,363,086 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 1,393,614 a year ago.
On an adjusted basis, Canadian Natural says it earned 97 cents per diluted share for the quarter, down from an adjusted profit of $1.30 per diluted share in the same quarter last year.
The average analyst estimate had been for a profit of 90 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
CALGARY – Cenovus Energy Inc. reported its third-quarter profit fell compared with a year as its revenue edged lower.
The company says it earned $820 million or 42 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Sept. 30, down from $1.86 billion or 97 cents per diluted share a year earlier.
Revenue for the quarter totalled $14.25 billion, down from $14.58 billion in the same quarter last year.
Total upstream production in the quarter amounted to 771,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day, down from 797,000 a year earlier.
Total downstream throughput was 642,900 barrels per day compared with 664,300 in the same quarter last year.
On an adjusted basis, Cenovus says its funds flow amounted to $1.05 per diluted share in its latest quarter, down from adjusted funds flow of $1.81 per diluted share a year earlier.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 31, 2024.
