American bumblebee is facing extinction from Canada

Photographer: Alexandr Baranets

Photographer: Alexandr Baranets

 

“A team of researchers at York University has warned that the American bumblebee is facing imminent extinction from Canada, and this could lead to “cascading impacts” throughout the country,” wrote Desmond Brown for CBC News on April 22, 2019.

Brown continued, “The imminent extinction classification is considered the highest and most at-risk classification before extinction.

About 42 of the more than 850 species of bees in Canada are bumblebees — important pollinators needed to grow crops, including apples, tomatoes, blueberries and legumes, as well as trees, shrubs and wildflowers.”

Read the full article here. 

Vaccination booster for adults

Photographer: Mali Maeder

Photographer: Mali Maeder

 

“Vaccinations are commonly considered a childhood health issue, but if adults think they’re protected, doctors say that’s not always the case. Some adults may need a vaccination booster for highly contagious infectious diseases like measles,” wrote Amina Zafar for CBC News on April 12, 2019.

Zafar continued, “Amid travel-related measles cases in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, New York City, New Jersey, California, Michigan, Washington state as well as outbreaks in Europe, Asia, and South America, some doctors are raising awareness about adults who may be inadvertently undervaccinated.

Many people are unaware that their immunity can wear off over time. People born in Canada between 1970 and 1996 may also need an extra dose of the vaccine to protect themselves — particularly if they are planning travel abroad.

This week’s news of an Ottawa cancer patient who contracted measles despite being vaccinated drew attention to the issue. In her case, she’d been vaccinated against measles, but local public health officials told her some people with weakened immune systems can still be vulnerable to the virus.”

Read the full article here. 

Warning of recession

“Has it ever been so hard to know our economic future?

Probably, yes. But in an era when economic commentators offer contradictory views, it certainly feels as if there is no one to trust on the important issue of whether the world is going to hell in a handbasket,” wrote Don Pittis for CBC News on April 1, 2019.

Pittis continued, “Perhaps it is one more reason why people are no longer satisfied with accepting the views of experts. They want to examine the evidence themselves.

That certainly seems the case with recent predictions that the world is heading for recession.”

Read the full article here. 

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