When it comes to acquired immunity against COVID-19, also known as natural immunity, scientists agree that people looking for protection against the coronavirus certainly shouldn’t be running out to get intentionally infected.
Yet a number of recent studies — some that suggest prior COVID-19 infection can provide significant immunity and others that suggest vaccination is much more effective — have triggered discussion within the scientific community about the strength of natural immunity.
Many scientists say vaccination is still essential for those who have contracted COVID-19, and that the combination of previous infection and vaccination may actually offer the best level of protection.
Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the University of California, San Francisco’s School of Medicine, is among the experts who believe one dose of vaccine after prior infection offers the best protection. She says the extent of immunity after infection is a very legitimate scientific debate.
“And the problem with this current debate,” she said, “is that to ignore natural immunity and say it isn’t a thing is leading to a lot of distrust of public health officials.”
‘Strongly disagree’ natural immunity better than vaccination
What goes beyond the bounds of legitimate debate, say many scientists, is the idea being suggested by some other scientists that acquired immunity from infection should be considered as effective or better than vaccination.
“I strongly disagree with that assessment,” said Theodora Hatziioannou, a virologist at the Rockefeller University in New York City.
Acquired immunity is the protection that a person develops to a disease after being infected. In Canada and the U.S., a previous infection is not counted as part of an individual’s vaccination status. A person who has had COVID-19 still requires two doses of an approved vaccine to be considered fully vaccinated.
But citizens in many European countries who have had the illness and received a single dose of vaccine are considered fully vaccinated. And in Israel, a person who has recovered from COVID-19 is considered fully vaccinated without having received a shot of vaccine.
In Canada and the U.S., a previous COVID-19 infection is not counted as part of an individual’s vaccination status. But citizens in many European countries who have had the illness and received a single dose of vaccine are considered fully vaccinated. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
From a purely medical perspective, if someone has had a prior infection, they of course should be able to mount an immune response that can protect them for a certain amount of time, said Matthew Miller, an associate professor in the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Diseases at McMaster University in Hamilton.
However, most of the studies that have compared the immunity resulting from infection with that of vaccination have found that two doses of vaccine, especially mRNA vaccines, provide higher levels of antibodies than a prior infection, he said.
Dawn Bowdish, Canada Research Chair in Aging and Immunity and a professor at McMaster University, said she’s been working with people who were hospitalized with COVID-19 and found they “tend to have pretty robust immune responses because they had quite a bit of time with the virus.”
She said immunity from previous infection may be enough for “some of the people, some of the time,” but it’s “quite proportionate to how sick you got, and there’s a lot of variability in people who had low-level infections.”
‘The durability of the response’
For example, Bowdish recently had someone give blood who had previously been infected with COVID-19 but only with very mild symptoms.
“We struggled to find any evidence that she had any immunity whatsoever,” Bowdish said of the test results.
When asked about natural immunity on CNN last month, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the U.S, said he couldn’t provide a firm answer on the subject.
“That’s something that we’re going to have to discuss regarding the durability of the response,” said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
It’s an issue many people opposed to vaccines have seized upon, particularly the comments of some scientists who have gone so far as to advocate natural immunity as equal to or perhaps better than double-dose vaccination.
The problem with that, says Hatziioannou, and what many scientists will point out, is that the level of natural immunity is quite varied between different people, and that protection varies depending on the severity of their prior illness.
As public officials continue to encourage Canadians to get vaccinated against COVID-19, plans are underway in many jurisdictions to expand the rollout of booster shots. (Jean-Claude Taliana/CBC/Radio-Canada)
Based on her own data, she estimates very few of those previously infected with COVID-19, around 10 per cent, mount a “really significantly high neutralizing antibody response.”
The rest, she said, develop a medium to low response, with the majority pretty low.
“It appears the more sick you are, the higher the levels of your antibodies, generally speaking. But overall, the majority of infections are either asymptomatic or very, very mild to moderate. So I would not expect the majority of these people will have really high neutralizing antibodies.”
Impact on variants
As well, the particular coronavirus variant that infected the individual will inevitably have some degree of impact on how well it protects them from infection with a different variant, Miller said, which adds another layer of complexity to the issue.
“I think that the scientific issue of whether symptomatic infection can protect you from a future infection — I think that’s clear,” he said. “Is it clear exactly how well and to what extent and for what period of time? No, it’s not.”
Other scientists, meanwhile, suggest the case is pretty clear that natural immunity may provide more protection than previously thought.
Matthew Memoli, director of NIAID’s Laboratory of Infectious Diseases Clinical Studies Unit, told the BMJ, a U.K.-based peer-reviewed medical journal, that there probably isn’t much difference between natural immunity and vaccination in terms of resistance to the spike protein — a crucial feature on the surface of the coronavirus that allows it to gain access to our cells.
Vaccines, he said, are focused only on that tiny portion of immunity that can be induced by neutralizing the spike, while someone who has had COVID-19 was exposed to the whole virus, “which would likely offer a broader based immunity” that would be more protective against variants.
Experts make case for natural immunity
Jeffrey D. Klausner, a professor of population and public health sciences at the University of Southern California published a study that suggests there is “consistent epidemiological evidence” that prior infection provides “substantial immunity” to repeat infection and provides similar protection when compared to vaccination.
Marty Makary, a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Md., has been very vocal in making his case that policy-makers need to consider natural immunity as equal to or better than vaccination.
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In a Washington Post column last month, Makary, a surgical oncologist, wrote that for far too long, public health officials have dismissed natural immunity as unreliable protection against COVID-19 — “a contention that is being rapidly debunked by science.”
Makary pointed to some recent studies, including one in Israel that found people who were double vaccinated were six times more likely to get infected with the delta variant compared to those who had been previously infected with COVID-19 but not vaccinated.
But Fauci, during his appearance on CNN last month, said the Israeli study did not address the durability of immunity from infection compared to that which results from vaccination.
“So you may be protected, but you may not be protected for an indefinite period of time,” he said.
Meanwhile, other studies have suggested limits to natural immunity. A study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published last month found unvaccinated people previously infected with COVID-19 were twice as likely to be reinfected than those who were fully vaccinated after previously contracting the virus.
When asked about natural immunity on CNN last month, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top infectious disease expert in the U.S, said one of the relatively unknown factors is how long it lasts. (Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)
Still, the efficacy of natural immunity could have potential policy implications, particularly in countries where vaccines are in short supply.
And researchers are finding that the combination of prior COVID-19 infection and vaccination, so-called hybrid immunity, may offer the best protection.
Bowdish said McMaster University is currently conducting a study in long-term care with 60 COVID-19 survivors.
“And we definitely found that after they got their vaccine, they seem to be the ones that are having really robust, long immune responses,” she said.
Hatziioannou agreed that the research suggests people who were previously infected, even if their initial immune responses were not great, that once they get vaccinated, even with just with a single dose, their immunity “became remarkable.”
“It really is really great immunity,” she said. “It makes no sense to say that immunity from infections is sufficient.”
Skinstitut Holiday Gift Kits take the stress out of gifting
Toronto, October 31, 2024 – Beauty gifts are at the top of holiday wish lists this year, and Laser Clinics Canada, a leader in advanced beauty treatments and skincare, is taking the pressure out of seasonal shopping. Today, Laser Clincs Canada announces the arrival of its 2024 Holiday Gift Kits, courtesy of Skinstitut, the exclusive skincare line of Laser Clinics Group.
In time for the busy shopping season, the limited-edition Holiday Gifts Kits are available in Laser Clinics locations in the GTA and Ottawa. Clinics are conveniently located in popular shopping centers, including Hillcrest Mall, Square One, CF Sherway Gardens, Scarborough Town Centre, Rideau Centre, Union Station and CF Markville. These limited-edition Kits are available on a first come, first served basis.
“These kits combine our best-selling products, bundled to address the most relevant skin concerns we’re seeing among our clients,” says Christina Ho, Senior Brand & LAM Manager at Laser Clinics Canada. “With several price points available, the kits offer excellent value and suit a variety of gift-giving needs, from those new to cosmeceuticals to those looking to level up their skincare routine. What’s more, these kits are priced with a savings of up to 33 per cent so gift givers can save during the holiday season.
There are two kits to select from, each designed to address key skin concerns and each with a unique theme — Brightening Basics and Hydration Heroes.
Brightening Basics is a mix of everyday essentials for glowing skin for all skin types. The bundle comes in a sleek pink, reusable case and includes three full-sized products: 200ml gentle cleanser, 50ml Moisture Defence (normal skin) and 30ml1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum. The Brightening Basics kit is available at $129, a saving of 33 per cent.
Hydration Heroes is a mix of hydration essentials and active heroes that cater to a wide variety of clients. A perfect stocking stuffer, this bundle includes four deluxe products: Moisture 15 15 ml Defence for normal skin, 10 ml 1% Hyaluronic Complex Serum, 10 ml Retinol Serum and 50 ml Expert Squalane Cleansing Oil. The kit retails at $59.
In addition to the 2024 Holiday Gifts Kits, gift givers can easily add a Laser Clinic Canada gift card to the mix. Offering flexibility, recipients can choose from a wide range of treatments offered by Laser Clinics Canada, or they can expand their collection of exclusive Skinstitut products.
Brightening Basics 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut, available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.
Hydration Heroes 2024 Holiday Gift Kit by Skinstitut – available exclusively at Laser Clincs Canada clinics and online at skinstitut.ca.
LONDON (AP) — Most people have accumulated a pile of data — selfies, emails, videos and more — on their social media and digital accounts over their lifetimes. What happens to it when we die?
It’s wise to draft a will spelling out who inherits your physical assets after you’re gone, but don’t forget to take care of your digital estate too. Friends and family might treasure files and posts you’ve left behind, but they could get lost in digital purgatory after you pass away unless you take some simple steps.
Here’s how you can prepare your digital life for your survivors:
Apple
The iPhone maker lets you nominate a “ legacy contact ” who can access your Apple account’s data after you die. The company says it’s a secure way to give trusted people access to photos, files and messages. To set it up you’ll need an Apple device with a fairly recent operating system — iPhones and iPads need iOS or iPadOS 15.2 and MacBooks needs macOS Monterey 12.1.
For iPhones, go to settings, tap Sign-in & Security and then Legacy Contact. You can name one or more people, and they don’t need an Apple ID or device.
You’ll have to share an access key with your contact. It can be a digital version sent electronically, or you can print a copy or save it as a screenshot or PDF.
Take note that there are some types of files you won’t be able to pass on — including digital rights-protected music, movies and passwords stored in Apple’s password manager. Legacy contacts can only access a deceased user’s account for three years before Apple deletes the account.
Google
Google takes a different approach with its Inactive Account Manager, which allows you to share your data with someone if it notices that you’ve stopped using your account.
When setting it up, you need to decide how long Google should wait — from three to 18 months — before considering your account inactive. Once that time is up, Google can notify up to 10 people.
You can write a message informing them you’ve stopped using the account, and, optionally, include a link to download your data. You can choose what types of data they can access — including emails, photos, calendar entries and YouTube videos.
There’s also an option to automatically delete your account after three months of inactivity, so your contacts will have to download any data before that deadline.
Facebook and Instagram
Some social media platforms can preserve accounts for people who have died so that friends and family can honor their memories.
When users of Facebook or Instagram die, parent company Meta says it can memorialize the account if it gets a “valid request” from a friend or family member. Requests can be submitted through an online form.
The social media company strongly recommends Facebook users add a legacy contact to look after their memorial accounts. Legacy contacts can do things like respond to new friend requests and update pinned posts, but they can’t read private messages or remove or alter previous posts. You can only choose one person, who also has to have a Facebook account.
You can also ask Facebook or Instagram to delete a deceased user’s account if you’re a close family member or an executor. You’ll need to send in documents like a death certificate.
TikTok
The video-sharing platform says that if a user has died, people can submit a request to memorialize the account through the settings menu. Go to the Report a Problem section, then Account and profile, then Manage account, where you can report a deceased user.
Once an account has been memorialized, it will be labeled “Remembering.” No one will be able to log into the account, which prevents anyone from editing the profile or using the account to post new content or send messages.
X
It’s not possible to nominate a legacy contact on Elon Musk’s social media site. But family members or an authorized person can submit a request to deactivate a deceased user’s account.
Passwords
Besides the major online services, you’ll probably have dozens if not hundreds of other digital accounts that your survivors might need to access. You could just write all your login credentials down in a notebook and put it somewhere safe. But making a physical copy presents its own vulnerabilities. What if you lose track of it? What if someone finds it?
Instead, consider a password manager that has an emergency access feature. Password managers are digital vaults that you can use to store all your credentials. Some, like Keeper,Bitwarden and NordPass, allow users to nominate one or more trusted contacts who can access their keys in case of an emergency such as a death.
But there are a few catches: Those contacts also need to use the same password manager and you might have to pay for the service.
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Is there a tech challenge you need help figuring out? Write to us at onetechtip@ap.org with your questions.
The Canadian Paediatric Society says doctors should regularly screen children for reading difficulties and dyslexia, calling low literacy a “serious public health concern” that can increase the risk of other problems including anxiety, low self-esteem and behavioural issues, with lifelong consequences.
New guidance issued Wednesday says family doctors, nurses, pediatricians and other medical professionals who care for school-aged kids are in a unique position to help struggling readers access educational and specialty supports, noting that identifying problems early couldhelp kids sooner — when it’s more effective — as well as reveal other possible learning or developmental issues.
The 10 recommendations include regular screening for kids aged four to seven, especially if they belong to groups at higher risk of low literacy, including newcomers to Canada, racialized Canadians and Indigenous Peoples. The society says this can be done in a two-to-three-minute office-based assessment.
Other tips encourage doctors to look for conditions often seen among poor readers such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; to advocate for early literacy training for pediatric and family medicine residents; to liaise with schools on behalf of families seeking help; and to push provincial and territorial education ministries to integrate evidence-based phonics instruction into curriculums, starting in kindergarten.
Dr. Scott McLeod, one of the authors and chair of the society’s mental health and developmental disabilities committee, said a key goal is to catch kids who may be falling through the cracks and to better connect families to resources, including quicker targeted help from schools.
“Collaboration in this area is so key because we need to move away from the silos of: everything educational must exist within the educational portfolio,” McLeod said in an interview from Calgary, where he is a developmental pediatrician at Alberta Children’s Hospital.
“Reading, yes, it’s education, but it’s also health because we know that literacy impacts health. So I think that a statement like this opens the window to say: Yes, parents can come to their health-care provider to get advice, get recommendations, hopefully start a collaboration with school teachers.”
McLeod noted that pediatricians already look for signs of low literacy in young children by way of a commonly used tool known as the Rourke Baby Record, which offers a checklist of key topics, such as nutrition and developmental benchmarks, to cover in a well-child appointment.
But he said questions about reading could be “a standing item” in checkups and he hoped the society’s statement to medical professionals who care for children “enhances their confidence in being a strong advocate for the child” while spurring partnerships with others involved in a child’s life such as teachers and psychologists.
The guidance said pediatricians also play a key role in detecting and monitoring conditions that often coexist with difficulty reading such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, but McLeod noted that getting such specific diagnoses typically involves a referral to a specialist, during which time a child continues to struggle.
He also acknowledged that some schools can be slow to act without a specific diagnosis from a specialist, and even then a child may end up on a wait list for school interventions.
“Evidence-based reading instruction shouldn’t have to wait for some of that access to specialized assessments to occur,” he said.
“My hope is that (by) having an existing statement or document written by the Canadian Paediatric Society … we’re able to skip a few steps or have some of the early interventions present,” he said.
McLeod added that obtaining specific assessments from medical specialists is “definitely beneficial and advantageous” to know where a child is at, “but having that sort of clear, thorough assessment shouldn’t be a barrier to intervention starting.”
McLeod said the society was partly spurred to act by 2022’s “Right to Read Inquiry Report” from the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which made 157 recommendations to address inequities related to reading instruction in that province.
He called the new guidelines “a big reminder” to pediatric providers, family doctors, school teachers and psychologists of the importance of literacy.
“Early identification of reading difficulty can truly change the trajectory of a child’s life.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2024.
