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Experts urge vaccination, safe sex as monkeypox cases climb With monkeypox now declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO), Canadian health officials are urging those at risk of contracting the virus to get vaccinated. Bavarian Nordic's Imvamune or MVA-BN vaccine, normally used to protect against smallpox, has been approved in Canada. To date, the federal government has deployed more than 70,000 doses to provinces and territories, out of which 27,000 have been used. "What we need right now is actually those in the highest-risk groups, including gay and bisexual men who've had sex with other men, take up the vaccine in order to protect themselves and others,” Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, said at a news conference on Wednesday. Tam echoed advice from WHO experts this week, saying men who have sex with men should reduce their number of partners to limit the spread of the virus, which primarily transmits through prolonged close contact. Global News reporter Aaron D’Andrea has more on the latest guidance for monkeypox. 
Epidural shortages in Western Canada There are concerns right now in Canada and around the world about a global shortage of epidural kits used to treat pain in childbirth, but also for pain relief during or after various surgical procedures. The shortage is due to a supply chain issue from one component of the epidural catheter kit. Health Canada told Global News "the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and British Columbia are experiencing varying degrees of constrained supplies.” As the situation unfolds, hospitals in Ontario are making plans in case there is a national shortage. "It certainly is something that is on all of our minds and it is a concern," said Dr. Lesley Hawkins, obstetrician and gynecologist at Humber River Hospital. Read the full story by Caryn Lieberman. 
Q: As new COVID-19 variants emerge, are the current rapid tests still effective at detecting infection? Since the emergence of the Omicron variant, rapid antigen tests have become less reliable to rule out early COVID-19 infection, says Dr. Gerald Evans, an infectious disease specialist at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. “These tests are more likely to be falsely negative during the first 48-72 hours of symptomatic infection,” he said. “This results in the need to do serial testing after symptom onset to ensure an accurate result as these tests have their peak reliability typically by day four of symptoms.” While the current rapid tests have held up well so far, it is possible that a future variant could emerge that is not detected, said Dr. Matthew Miller, assistant dean in McMaster University's department of biochemistry and biomedical sciences. “That hasn't happened yet. If it did, those rapid tests could be updated,” he added. | 
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