TORONTO —
Dozens of COVID-19 vaccine candidates are currently undergoing late-stage testing, with two frontrunners by Pfizer and Moderna showing promising effectiveness.
But if multiple vaccines are eventually approved in Canada, a possibility that researchers believe could happen as soon as next year, experts say there won’t be any added benefit to getting multiple different vaccines.
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Sumon Chakrabarti said there isn’t any medical advantage to taking more than one vaccine.
“They are the same sort of mechanism in terms of how they work, so I think one or the other would be beneficial,” he said.
Dr. Eleanor Fish, an immunology professor at the University of Toronto, agreed. She pointed to the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which both aim to induce an immune response directed at same viral target: the spike protein, which interacts with other proteins on human cells to encourage the virus to replicate.
“Both frontrunner vaccines appear to be more than 90 (per cent) effective, so equally effective,” she told CTVNews.ca on Tuesday.
Epidemiologist and health policy expert Cynthia Carr said a vaccine isn’t “like Tylenol, where you take two if you need more pain control.”
“The vaccine is teaching your immune system to respond to an invading pathogen. If the vaccine has identified the right protein molecule to target, you might need a ‘reminder’ second dose, but that is not the same as taking multiple different vaccines,” she told CTVNews.ca.
Moderna said Monday that its shots appear to be 94.5 per cent effective, according to preliminary data in an ongoing study. The announcement came one week after Pfizer said its vaccine appears to be 90 per cent effective, based on early but incomplete testing.
While Moderna seems to offer slightly more protection, at least from preliminary findings, Chakrabarti said that difference likely wouldn’t be noticeable in a real-world setting.
“Ninety-five per cent versus 90 per cent, it is a difference. But I think on the population level it’s not a big thing,” he said.
Even when multiple vaccines are approved, Fish said Canadians probably won’t be in a position to choose which one they want to take.
“I suspect that choice will not be an issue as the vaccines arrive in Canada. There will be a strategy to roll out vaccination, prioritizing the most vulnerable and front-line workers,” she said.
Unless a person has a medical condition or an allergy, there likely won’t be an option for which vaccine they’ll receive, Carr said, assuming there is a more suitable vaccine available.
Given the global population and number of doses needed, it won’t be up to individuals to decide which vaccine they’ll receive, Carr said. Instead, governments will likely make those decisions based on vaccine availability, effectiveness and how easily the doses can be distributed.
The back-to-back announcements from Pfizer and Moderna sparked optimism among scientists and prompted an immediate reaction on the stock market, with Pfizer’s CEO selling US$5.6 million in stock the day it announced the news and airlines getting a boost.
Both companies have inked deals with the federal government for more than 20 million doses and asked Health Canada to review their products once ready. In total, the federal government has committed to buy more than 100 million doses from several different companies, including Johnson & Johnson and Novavax Inc.
Rather than bet on one company’s success, the federal government has spread around its investments in hopes of securing the first successful COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. However, in order to vaccinate as many Canadians as possible, it will be necessary to have a variety of effective doses available and the ability to make more.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau commented on the strategy Tuesday, saying the plan to secure doses from a range of producers was to “give Canadians assurance that regardless of which vaccines landed first, which companies were more successful in developing an effective vaccine than others, Canadians would have access to tens of millions of doses of vaccines when they become available.”
The government has also pledged $126 million to build a facility capable of producing up to two million doses of any potential vaccine per month.
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch said people will take one vaccine initially once vaccine programs roll out. After that, he said, there are still many unanswered questions about what will happen next.
“It is currently not clear how long immunity will last after vaccination, and, if re-vaccination is required, what vaccinations people will be offered,” he told CTVNews.ca on Tuesday.
Among those unanswered questions is how the vaccines will be transported. The Pfizer vaccine needs to be stored at ultra-low temperatures of -70 C, which could make it challenging to transport, particularly to developing countries in warm climates. Moderna’s vaccine can be stored at -20 C, which the company says could be achieved through a regular freezer and eliminate storage issues.
With thousands of new cases reported every day in Canada, a safe and effective vaccine has long been one of public health officials’ top goals. Kelly Grindrod, an associate professor at the University of Waterloo’s school of pharmacy, said the hope is that Canada could begin administering vaccines to frontline healthcare workers in early 2021.
“The push right now is to have a broad definition of ‘front line’ to make sure we include doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, but also those in low paid healthcare positions who have high infection rates, such as personal support workers, nursing aids, and hospital cleaning staff,” she said in a statement.
“By having a broad definition of ‘healthcare worker,’ the early vaccines would reach the hardest hit communities first.”
But even if Canada approves and distributes millions of vaccines, experts have long warned that a vaccine won’t immediately end the pandemic. World Health Organization spokesperson Margaret Harris pointed out that vaccines don’t eliminate diseases outright.
“We’ve got lots of great vaccines for other diseases, but we still have the diseases,” Harris told CTV’s Your Morning on Tuesday.
“So people need to understand it’s a great tool and used widely and wisely, if it gets to all the people, that need to get it at the same time, it’s going to make a difference. But we also have to do all the public health measures that do work.”
Until a vaccine or vaccines are available, health experts are advising Canadians to follow the same rules: wear a mask, practice social distancing and wash your hands often. As of Tuesday morning, more than 302,000 people in Canada have contracted COVID-19 and more than 11,000 have died.
It’s common knowledge that companies don’t hire the most qualified candidates. Employers hire the person they believe will deliver the best value in exchange for their payroll cost.
Since most job seekers know the above, I’m surprised that so few mention their Employee Value Proposition (EVP). Most job seekers list their education, skills, and experience without substantiating them and expect employers to determine whether they can benefit their company; hence, most resumes and LinkedIn profiles are just a list of opinions—borderline platitudes—that are meaningless and, therefore, have no value. Job seekers need to better explain, along with providing evidence, how they’ll contribute to an employer’s success.
Employers don’t hire opinions (read: talk is cheap); they hire results.
You’re not offering anything tangible when you claim:
I’m a great communicator.
I’m detail oriented.
I’m a team player.
Tangible:
“At Global Dynamics, I held quarterly town hall meetings with my 22 sales reps, highlighting our accomplishments, identifying opportunity areas, and recognizing outstanding performers.”
“For eight years, I managed Vandelay Industries IT department, overseeing a staff of 18 and a 12-million-dollar budget while coordinating cross-specialty projects. My strong attention to detail is why I never exceeded budget.”
“While working at Cyberdyne Systems, I was part of the customer service team, consisting of nine of us, striving to improve our response time. Through collaboration and sharing of best practices, we reduced our average response time from 48 to 12 business hours, resulting in a 35% improvement in customer feedback ratings.”
These examples of tangible answers provide employers with what they most want to hear from candidates but rarely do; what value the candidate will bring to the company. Typically, job seekers present their skills, experience, and unsubstantiated opinions and expect recruiters and employers to figure out their value, which is a lazy practice.
Getting hired isn’t based on “I have an MBA in Marketing and Sales,” “I’ve been a web designer for over 15 years,” “I’m young, beautiful and energetic,” blah, blah, blah. Likewise, being rejected isn’t based on “I’m overqualified,” “I’m too old,” “I don’t have enough education,” blah, blah, blah. Getting hired depends entirely on showing employers that you can add value and substance to their company; that you’ll serve a purpose.
When you articulate a solid value offer, the “blah, blah, blah” doesn’t matter. Job seekers focus too much on the “blah, blah, blah,” and when not hired, they say, “It’s not me, it’s…” The biggest mistake I see job seekers make is focusing on the “blah, blah, blah”—their experience and education—believing this is what interests employers. Hiring managers are more interested in whether you can solve the problems the position exists to solve than in your education and experience.
Not impressive: Education
Impressive: A track record of achieving tangible results.
You aren’t who you say you are; you are what you do.
If you want to be somebody who works hard, you have to actually work hard. If you want to be somebody who goes to the gym, you actually have to go to the gym. If you want to be a good friend, spouse, or colleague, you have to actually be a good friend, spouse, or colleague. Actions build reputations, not words.
The biggest challenge job seekers face today is differentiating themselves. To stand out and be memorable, don’t be like most job seekers, someone who’s all talk and no action. Any recruiter or hiring manager will tell you that the job market is heavily populated with job seekers who talk themselves up, talk a “good game” about everything they can “supposedly” do, drop names, etc., but have nothing to show for it.
More than ever, employers want to hear candidates offer a value proposition summarizing what value they bring. If you’re looking for a low-hanging fruit method to differentiate yourself, do what job seekers hardly ever do and make a hard-to-ignore value proposition.
Increase sales: “Based on my experience managing Regina and Saskatoon for PharmaKorp, I’m confident that I can increase BioGen’s sales by no less than 25% in Winnipeg and the surrounding area by the end of 2025.”
Reduce cost: “During my 12 years as Taco Town’s head of purchasing, I renegotiated contracts with key suppliers, resulting in 15% cost savings, saving the company over $450,000 annually. I know I can do the same for The Pasta House.”
Increase customer satisfaction:“During my time at Globex Corporation, I established a systematic feedback mechanism that enabled customers to share their experiences. This led to targeted improvements, increasing our Net Promoter Score by 15 points. I can increase Dunder Mifflin’s net promoter score.”
Save time: “As Zap Delivery’s dispatcher, I implemented advanced routing software that analyzed traffic patterns, reducing average delivery times by 20%. My implementation of this software at Froggy’s Delivery can reduce your delivery times by at least 20%, if not more.”
If you want to achieve job search success as soon as possible, structure your job search with a single thread that’s evident and consistent throughout your résumé, LinkedIn profile, cover letters and especially during interviews; clearly convey what difference you’ll make to the employer.
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.
Netflix on Thursday reported that its subscriber growth slowed dramatically during the summer, a sign the huge gains from the video-streaming service’s crackdown on freeloading viewers is tapering off.
The 5.1 million subscribers that Netflix added during the July-September period represented a 42% decline from the total gained during the same time last year. Even so, the company’s revenue and profit rose at a faster pace than analysts had projected, according to FactSet Research.
Netflix ended September with 282.7 million worldwide subscribers — far more than any other streaming service.
The Los Gatos, California, company earned $2.36 billion, or $5.40 per share, a 41% increase from the same time last year. Revenue climbed 15% from a year ago to $9.82 billion. Netflix management predicted the company’s revenue will rise at the same 15% year-over-year pace during the October-December period, slightly than better than analysts have been expecting.
The strong financial performance in the past quarter coupled with the upbeat forecast eclipsed any worries about slowing subscriber growth. Netflix’s stock price surged nearly 4% in extended trading after the numbers came out, building upon a more than 40% increase in the company’s shares so far this year.
The past quarter’s subscriber gains were the lowest posted in any three-month period since the beginning of last year. That drop-off indicates Netflix is shifting to a new phase after reaping the benefits from a ban on the once-rampant practice of sharing account passwords that enabled an estimated 100 million people watch its popular service without paying for it.
The crackdown, triggered by a rare loss of subscribers coming out of the pandemic in 2022, helped Netflix add 57 million subscribers from June 2022 through this June — an average of more than 7 million per quarter, while many of its industry rivals have been struggling as households curbed their discretionary spending.
Netflix’s gains also were propelled by a low-priced version of its service that included commercials for the first time in its history. The company still is only getting a small fraction of its revenue from the 2-year-old advertising push, but Netflix is intensifying its focus on that segment of its business to help boost its profits.
In a letter to shareholder, Netflix reiterated previous cautionary notes about its expansion into advertising, though the low-priced option including commercials has become its fastest growing segment.
“We have much more work to do improving our offering for advertisers, which will be a priority over the next few years,” Netflix management wrote in the letter.
As part of its evolution, Netflix has been increasingly supplementing its lineup of scripted TV series and movies with live programming, such as a Labor Day spectacle featuring renowned glutton Joey Chestnut setting a world record for gorging on hot dogs in a showdown with his longtime nemesis Takeru Kobayashi.
Netflix will be trying to attract more viewer during the current quarter with a Nov. 15 fight pitting former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson against Jake Paul, a YouTube sensation turned boxer, and two National Football League games on Christmas Day.
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