Science
'Like déjà vu': New COVID-19 self-study on superspreader curling event highlights concerns over indoor gatherings, new variants – CTV Edmonton
EDMONTON —
An Alberta doctor who was one of dozens of healthcare workers to contract COVID-19 at a curling bonspiel in Edmonton last March has co-authored an observational study about the experience.
Dr. Kelly Burak, a professor of medicine at the University of Calgary, says the study published Tuesday shows how infectious the disease is and how transmittable it can be in indoor settings.
“We had 73 curlers and overall we had an attack rate of 74 per cent, which included confirmed cases by swab and probable cases that tested negative or didn’t have access to testing,” Burak told CTV News Edmonton.
In total, 40 of the curlers tested positive for the disease while an additional 16 developed symptoms.
All 73 curlers who participated in the bonspiel – 55 of whom were active healthcare workers – were interviewed for the study.
The standardized interviews took place between April 17 and May 5 of last year.
“We realized that there was something to be learned from the experience,” said Burak. “This was a long time ago, but the takeaways are COVID is very infectious.”
Burak points out that at the time of last year’s superspreader event there were very few known cases in the community.
“Now we’re in a situation where we have the variants, which are more infectious, that are starting to transmit in our community. So it does feel a lot to me like déjà vu.”
The U of C professor also notes that some of the confirmed case subjects never developed antibodies, while others lost antibodies.
“That’s telling you that it’s still important to get the vaccine, if you’ve had COVID,” said Burak.
He says another takeaway from the study is how risky it can be for people to gather indoors while not wearing masks.
“Talking loudly, speaking to other people, sharing food and drink,” said Burak. “This is risky behaviour for catching COVID-19 and so I think there is a word of caution as we start to open restaurants and bars right now.”
Looking back to that March bonspiel, Burak says in some ways it was fortunate that his group was made up of so many healthcare professionals.
“When I got my first test back and it was negative I was like, ‘I don’t believe that, that’s gotta be a false negative test,’ and pushed for repeat testing,” he said. “Six out of our confirmed 40 cases were negative on their first swab.”
This year’s bonspiel has been cancelled. Burak says the group is looking forward to curling again in Regina in 2023.
NEW YORK, February 19. /TASS/. The US Perseverance Rover has successfully touched down on Mars and sent two pictures back to Earth almost immediately, NASA reported Thursday.
“Touchdown confirmed,” the broadcast commentator said. The space agency clarified that it had already received two images from the planet.
The landing took almost “seven minutes of terror” as NASA calls it in an automatic regime due to a delay in command transmission.
“I’m safe on Mars. Perseverance will get you anywhere,” the rover ‘tweeted’ after the touchdown.
The landing was planned to take place near the Jezero Crater. A full check of Perseverance’s systems and equipment is expected shortly after.
NASA specialists seek to use the rover to detect traces of life on Mars from long ago. Perseverance will also gather rock and ground samples in 40 special containers, while most of them will be collected by another rover in 2026. NASA expects that the samples will be eventually delivered to Earth in the 2030s.
Science
'A small part, but it was an important part': Manitoba company helped ensure Perseverance Rover landed safely on Mars – CTV News Winnipeg
WINNIPEG —
A Manitoba company helped ensure that a recent mission to Mars landed successfully.
Canadian Photonic Labs, based in Minnedosa, supplied their Mega Speed high-speed cameras to help NASA as it was preparing to launch and land the Perseverance Rover, which successfully touched down on the Red Planet last week.
The company, which launched in 1995, creates high-speed cameras that are used to capture clear images from objects travelling at high rates of speed.
“We played a small part, but it was an important part, because you have to get the data,” said Mark Wahoski, president and founder of Canadian Photonic Labs. “It’s happening so fast that the human eye can’t see it. So, you need to slow time down.”
More than 20 of the cameras are in use at SuperSonic Navel Ordinance Research Track in China Lake, California. The track, which includes a sled that can launch items at speeds past the sound barrier, is used to test advanced products from organizations such as NASA and Lockheed Martin.
(Image submitted by Mark Wahoski)
“When you’re testing these items that are so expensive, and are so complicated to do, people pay attention on what equipment is actually working,” Wahoski said.
Wahoski said the cameras were used to help NASA test its decelerator and parachute, which were used to land Perseverance safely on Mars, in the years prior to the launch.
(Image submitted by Mark Wahoski)
“When you’re going to Mars, there’s a lot of complex things that need to work out besides even just getting there,” he said, noting that approximately half of all missions to Mars fail because of an incorrect landing or missing the planet altogether.
Perseverance was launched on July 30, 2020, and safely landed on Mars on Feb. 18. According to NASA, the rover is the most sophisticated rover to land on Mars, and is looking for signs of ancient life on the planet.
Wahoski said seeing Perseverance landing successfully was incredible to watch, and he is proud of his staff and the NASA engineers.
“We tend to forget about it, but when you think back on it, it’s just super, super cool,” he said. “You get super stoked.
“Where it really hits you is (that) we’ve had a lot of friends comment on it. When they wish you well, that’s when your heart goes out.”
Canadian Photonic Labs already has a new mission with NASA lined up. Wahoski said the company is providing equipment for a project involving a large vacuum chamber.
Report Cards: William Nylander solves Rittich, Toronto Maple Leafs triumph in overtime over Flames – Maple Leafs Hot Stove
Galaxy A32, Galaxy A52, and Galaxy A72 could land in India soon – SamMobile
NASA’s Perseverance Rover successfully lands on Mars – TASS
-
Tech19 hours agoPlayStation 5 to be in short supply till second half of 2021 due to chip shortage
-
Health3 hours ago
Computer programmer shares workaround to Alberta COVID-19 vaccine booking issues – Global News
-
Media20 hours ago
Global Media Markets, 2015-2020, 2020-2025F, 2030F – TV and Radio Broadcasting, Film and Music, Information Services, Web Content, Search Portals And Social Media, Print Media, & Cable – GlobeNewswire
-
Economy4 hours ago
Forecasts for Canada’s TSX hiked as analysts eye global recovery: Reuters poll
-
Tech21 hours ago
New Sony State of Play set for Thursday, includes new game announcements – Eurogamer.net
-
Business4 hours ago
J&J's single-shot COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, says FDA – Yahoo Canada Finance
-
Sports2 hours ago
Why no one should count out a Tiger Woods comeback after car crash
-
Health21 hours ago
BC reports 559 new cases of COVID-19, one death – Arrow Lakes News – Arrow Lakes News
