Re: Saskatchewan Government invested $15 mllion into the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO-InterVac) at the University of Saskatchewan
Focus on viruses
The COVID-19 virus has focused public attention on viruses. The general public is learning what the medical profession, farmers, ranchers, hog producers and agriculture folks have known for centuries — vruses are dangerous, deadly and economically devastating.
Consider the cost of the coronavirus to the Saskatchewan Health Authority
For example, the cost per day, per patient of hospital care in Saskatchewan is $1,100.00. The daily cost for an average of 200 hospital patients is $220,000 or $1,540,000 per week — about $80 million a year.
The 2020 Contingency Fund was spent on COVID. As of March 1, 2021, $76.6 million of the current contingency fund is going to “… Saskatchewan Health Authority for pressures related to its COVID response.” That’s a lot of money to fight a virus. (Wear a mask — save health care dollars).
Consider the dollar cost for small businesses and folks laid-off because of a virus!
What is a virus?
The Saskatchewan Science Centre writes, “Viruses are the most abundant pathogen on Earth.” Viruses are microscopic, between 0.02 and 0.25 microns (0.001 mm) and can only reproduce inside a living cell. When the virus get into a living cell it reproduces like crazy.
Viruses infect humans, animals, plants and agricultural crops
Viruses have ‘plagued’ human kind since the end of hunter-gatherer era and the emergence of farming and the domestication of animals. Viruses have killed millions of humans, animals, birds and destroyed crops.
One, the barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), is spread by aphids and affects cereals. Other viruses cause various “mosaic” diseases in crops. In fact, the first discovery of what turned out to be a virus was 1893 research into the cause of ‘Tobacco Mosaic’.
Hog producers know the dangers of viruses
Hog Producers know the dangers of virus infection. A serous outbreak of a viral disease among hogs usually leads to the eradication of all hogs.
The latest fear for hog producers is African Swine Fever (ASF). It has not hit North American and every effort is being made to keep it out. The Government of Canada writes that ASF, “… can spread rapidly though both direct and indirect contact with infected pigs or pig products, as well as contaminated farm equipment, feed and clothing.” Highly contagious!
Hogs and current research on African Swine Fever by VIDO-InterVac
On January 8, 2020 (last year), The Canadian Government announced, “the University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac) will work with African swine fever.”
Without Saskatchewan and the federal government making wise investments in preventing the spread of viruses, Saskatchewan and Canadian agriculture will suffer. We’ve seen COVID get out of hand and cause severe financial hardship. The need to be ahead of the next dangerous virus is now.
Science needs to prepare for future virus calamities, whether human, animal or crops (plants). The Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO-InterVac) at the University of Saskatchewan can find answers.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
