HALIFAX -- Three Nova Scotia health research leaders have been appointed to Canada’s COVID-19 Immunity Task Force Leadership Group.
Dr. Gail Tomblin Murphy, vice-president of research and innovation of the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA), Dr. Susan Kirkland, chief of community health and epidemiology at the NSHA and Dalhousie University, and Dr. Scott Halperin, director of the Canadian Center for Vaccinology, a partnership of Dalhousie, IWK Health Centre and NSHA have all been named to the task force leadership group.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the establishment of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force Leadership Group on April 23 as part of a broader announcement of new federal investments in research and innovation.
“Joining this task force is a privilege and opportunity to bring forward the voice of Nova Scotia health care research and innovation to this critical discussion,” said Dr. Tomblin Murphy in a news release. “Building on the wealth of experience, knowledge and resources from across health care, government, and academic leadership teams, we are able to leverage our collective expertise for a Canadian solution. This coordinated approach will ensure that we have the agility and insight to respond quickly with research-informed results for federal, provincial and territorial decision-makers.”
The primary mission of the task force is to harness the power of COVID-19 antibody blood tests to identify and map those who have had previous infection/exposure to the virus and therefore potential immunity. The population-based evidence will inform critical decision-making and policy development as the governments guide Canadians through a safe reopening strategy and later an immunization matrix to prioritize groups at risk.
“It is this leadership and expertise that positions our Nova Scotia research community as vital contributors who will help inform COVID-19 national research in order to achieve the best health outcomes for all Canadians,” said Dr. Brendan Carr, CEO of NSHA.
