Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
The Globe and Mail’s Paul Waldie in England reports today that British researchers have found that the antibody response to COVID-19 remains high for nearly a year after one dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
Scientists at the University of Oxford, which helped develop the vaccine, found that antibody levels waned over time after the first dose but not as quickly as some had feared. As such, they are now questioning the need for booster shots.
The study revealed that after 180 days the antibody levels were still at half the level recorded on Day 28, which was the peak immune response. After 320 days, the levels were 30 per cent as high as the peak.
Andrew Pollard, director of the vaccine group at Oxford, said it makes sense for countries that have sufficient supply to administer two shots as quickly as possible, especially given the rise of the Delta variant, which was first detected in India. However, the study has found that “if you have insufficient supply, even having one dose will have a huge impact on reducing hospitalization and deaths.”
Also Monday, another study suggested that vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna set off a persistent immune reaction in the body that may protect against the coronavirus for years. The findings add to growing evidence that most people immunized with the mRNA vaccines may not need boosters, so long as the virus and its variants do not evolve much beyond their current forms.
Opinion:
- André Picard: Is the COVID-19 pandemic over yet? We can’t say with certainty
- Preventing the next pandemic: Will Canada contribute or stand aside?
Rescuers, families cling to hope of finding survivors in Miami condo collapse
More than four days after a condo building collapsed in the Miami area, rescue workers stressed Monday that they could still find survivors in the rubble, even though no one has been pulled out alive since the first hours after the structure fell.
Another body was recovered overnight, bringing the confirmed death toll to 10. But more than 150 people are still missing in Surfside.
Early Monday, a crane lifted a large slab of concrete from the debris pile, allowing about 30 rescuers to move in and remove smaller pieces of debris. The work was complicated by rain showers, but the fires that hampered the initial search have been extinguished.
Andy Alvarez, a deputy incident commander with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, told ABC’s Good Morning America that rescuers have been able to find some voids inside the wreckage, mostly in the basement and the parking garage.
As the search and rescue continued, The Globe and Mail reported that an investigation into maintenance and construction issues around the Champlain Towers South will likely look at the late Canadian lawyer and businessman Nathan Reiber, for whom the project was a major foray into Florida real estate.
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On today’s Decibel podcast: economics reporter Matt Lundy talks about how supply chain issues are making certain in-demand items – like a bike – really hard to find this summer.
Subscribe to our Olympics newsletter: Going for gold under the cloud of COVID-19 makes the Tokyo Summer Games an Olympics like no other. Tokyo Olympics Update is here to help you make sense of it all, with original stories from Globe reporters in Canada and Tokyo, tracking Team Canada’s medal wins, and past Olympic moments from iconic performances.
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
High temps push Western Canada wildfire risk into uncharted territory: Natural Resources Canada forest ecologist Yan Boulanger says the heat has cranked the wildfire risk up to what he calls “extremely extreme.” However, the current clear, blue skies are working in the forest’s favour, as it’s so hot that electrical storms aren’t gathering to produce lightning.
Queen’s to review hiring policy over accusations some faculty, staff falsely claimed Indigenous identity: The university in Kingston says it will re-evaluate how it assesses Indigenous identity in its hiring practices in the wake of anonymous allegations that say some faculty and others connected to the university have falsely presented themselves as Indigenous.
Toronto expected to rename Dundas Street after city report agrees with critics of namesake’s legacy: City staff have concluded that the namesake of one of the city’s longest and most prominent streets – Henry Dundas – delayed the abolition of the slave trade.
Prince William and Prince Harry to reunite for unveiling of Diana statue in London: Britain’s feuding princes will put their differences aside on Thursday on what would have been their late mother’s 60th birthday. They were close for most of their lives, but relations went south since Harry’s 2018 wedding to his American actress wife Meghan.
MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index lost ground to start a holiday-shortened week as fears about the Delta COVID-19 variant contributed to lowering crude oil prices.
The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 85.01 points to 20,145.25.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 150.57 points at 34,283.27. The S&P 500 index was up 9.91 points to a record 4,290.61, while the Nasdaq composite was up 140.12 points to 14,500.51, also a record close.
The Canadian dollar traded for 81.07 cents US compared with 81.36 cents US on Friday.
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TALKING POINTS
Ottawa should exempt American cottagers from its proposed vacant-home tax for foreigners
“Ottawa’s inattention to this issue is stoking resentment that risks damaging bilateral relations. That’s not an exaggeration. Americans have already made it clear that if they are not exempted from paying the proposed levy, they will urge Congress to impose a retaliatory tax on snowbirds and other Canadians who own property in the United States.” – Rita Trichur
Jason Kenney’s equalization referendum is built on a crucial misinterpretation
“When it comes to constitutional law and politics, we might need to remind politicians that mutual respect, compromise and understanding work far better (like in so much of life) in reconciling our national unity and provincial diversity than ultimatums steeped in the politics of anger, accusation and blame.” – Eric M. Adams
Apple Daily’s closure is a warning to the world
“The forced closure of Apple Daily should be a wake-up call for Canadians who still hold naive, misinformed visions of China as a free, peace-loving nation. It should also shake the notion held by Canadian politicians and academics that engaging China through diplomatic means will benefit both nations.” – Amy Lai
Canada’s governor-general post has been vacant for months, that’s a problem
“The time to announce the new governor-general is now. And so is the time to ensure we never put a chief justice in this difficult situation again.” - John Ibbitson
Canada Day puzzle
Ready for The Globe and Mail’s giant Canada Day crossword puzzle? Test your mental mettle with this brain-twisting assortment of word, logic and number puzzles by Fraser Simpson.
LIVING BETTER
Yam vs. sweet potato: A reference guide to food differences
Your recipe calls for rutabagas but your local grocery store doesn’t have them in stock. Can you substitute turnips? And, if the next item on your list is condensed milk can you just buy evaporated milk instead?
The answers to those and other vexing kitchen-based questions such as jam versus jelly, broth versus stock can all be found in Brette Warshaw’s insightful book, What’s the Difference?: Recreational Culinary Reference for the Curious and Confused.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Rising rents in Montreal threaten the fabric of the city
People take part in a demonstration calling for more social and affordable housing in Montreal, Saturday, April 24, 2021.Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
For decades, it was taken for granted that Montreal offered lower-than-average rental costs compared to the rest of North America. It mostly owed to a combination of factors: the language barrier, a weak economy, and an excess of housing stock.
Just five years ago, you could snap up a two-bedroom apartment in Montreal for $760 a month. A similar rental in Vancouver would set you back about $1,375.
But a series of trends has started to reverse the situation. The rise of Airbnb, a lack of new building in fashionable neighbourhoods, a provincial economic boom and a global trend toward investing in real estate have all contributed.
In 2020, the average rent in Greater Montreal increased by 4.2 per cent, the largest jump in almost 20 years, according to the CMHC
Read Eric Andrew-Gee’s full story here.
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