Health Canada approves Pfizer anti-viral pill for treatment of COVID-19 - National Post | Canada News Media
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Health Canada approves Pfizer anti-viral pill for treatment of COVID-19 – National Post

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Provinces will receive shipments on a per-capita basis and will decide who gets priority for the pills while in short supply

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OTTAWA – Health Canada has approved Pfizer’s drug Paxlovid as the first take-home treatment for COVID-19.

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The drug, which is a treatment involving a total of six pills taken daily for five days, has been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization by almost 90 per cent. The course of treatment includes two pills of nirmatrelvir taken twice a day and one pill of ​​ritonavir taken twice a day.

The drug prevents the virus from replicating, which helps people recover faster. It can’t be taken by people under 18 years of age. There are also several drugs that can’t be taken alongside Paxlovid, including drugs for cancer, high blood pressure and some anti-anxiety and depression medications.

To be effective, the drug requires people to start treatment within five days of having symptoms and while they can take it at home, it must be prescribed to them and they must have a positive COVID-19 test to begin treatment.

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As the Omicron wave has driven cases skyrocketing, testing centres have been overwhelmed and most provinces now limit who can get a PCR test. Even people who can receive tests are often waiting several days for results.

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said in the interim, physicians can use rapid antigen tests to prescribe the pills.

She admitted in the short term it will have a limited benefit, but said it will help some people and could be an important tool in the future.

“For the Omicron wave itself, it may contribute, but it won’t be a key contributor to the current wave,” she said. “We think everybody really just needs to give it a good try because it will be, I think, an important tool going forward.”

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Provinces will receive shipments on a per-capita basis and will be the ultimate arbitrators of who gets the medication while it is in short supply.

The public health agency is recommending immunocompromised people are the top priority for the medication, followed by unvaccinated or partially vaccinated people over 80 years old, people in their 60s and people in rural and remote communities where access to hospital care could be difficult.

Tam said the unvaccinated are high on the priority list, because they are more likely to end up in hospital with severe illness.

“As health-care providers, you don’t pick and choose which patients you have coming into the hospital and getting treated. And so I think this approach ensures that we are prioritizing treatments to those most in need,” she said.

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She stressed however the treatments are no substitute for vaccination.

“This is another tool in the toolkit to fight the pandemic. It is important that everyone gets fully vaccinated and receive a booster, as soon as they are eligible.”

Alexandra Hilkene, a spokesperson for Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott, said the province is expecting it will get 10,000 courses of the drugs in January and has worked out plans to distribute them.

“We have worked with our hospital partners and are prepared for distribution of antivirals at 15 sites across the province as soon we receive them. Courses will initially be prioritized for adults with the highest risk of severe outcomes including immunocompromised patients, and could help keep thousands of people out of our hospitals,” she said in an email.

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Hilkene said the pills could help the province return to normal and ease restrictions.

“The arrival of these pills gives us increased confidence as we continue to review key indicators and data to determine when we can begin safely and gradually lifting public health measures.”

A first shipment of the pills arrived in Canada over the weekend, with just over 30,000 courses of treatment arriving.

Procurement Minister Filomena Tassi, said Canada expects another 120,000 courses to arrive before the end of February as part of the initial order for a million treatments, with more to come after that.

The government also has an option for 500,000 more courses of treatment after that. The U.S. government bought 10 million courses for US$5.29 billion, a cost of roughly US$529 per course of treatment.

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Tassi would not say what Canada paid for the pills, but said the government was committed to doing whatever is necessary to help Canadians dealing with the virus.

“In order to protect the commercially sensitive pricing information, we can’t disclose those details,” she said. “The health and safety of Canadians has been our top priority from a procurement perspective whether it’s vaccines, PPE, medical supplies. We’ve done everything that we can possibly do with the priority of keeping Canadians safe.”

The government has also refused to disclose on a per dose basis what it paid for COVID-19 vaccines.

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Email: rtumilty@postmedia.com

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Stop Asking Your Interviewer Cliché Questions

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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.

English philosopher Francis Bacon once said, “A prudent question is one half of wisdom.”

The questions you ask convey the following:

  • 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 moreto 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.

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Canadian Natural Resources reports $2.27-billion third-quarter profit

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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.

Companies in this story: (TSX:CNQ)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Cenovus Energy reports $820M Q3 profit, down from $1.86B a year ago

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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.

Companies in this story: (TSX:CVE)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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