COVID got us closer to a cure for the common cold

Plus, six top scholars from a single school and preconstruction buyer stress [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on the spinoff benefits of COVID research, Toronto graduates with perfect averages and the hurting preconstruction home market. DON’T MISS Tero Vesalainen / Dreamstime/TNS health [How COVID lockdowns got us closer to a cure for the common cold]( While the pandemic ravaged the planet, Canada, like many other countries, funnelled millions of dollars into COVID-19 research. Ultimately, it paid off — the coronavirus went from being an international catastrophe to a manageable burden for most of the world, Steve McKinley writes. Among the researchers dedicated to finding solutions was Microbiologist Yossef Av-Gay, whose background studying tuberculosis helped him discover new treatment possibilities for a host of virus- and bacteria- related diseases, including many strains of COVID-19 and the common cold. [These are the benefits of his pandemic-era research beyond COVID](. - By the numbers: The World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Research Database has 875,102 COVID-19 studies presented between March 2020 and June 2023. - Context: Av-Gay found that what worked in his research on the bacteria that caused tuberculosis could be adapted to work on the virus that caused COVID. Instead of attacking the invader — and having to send a different attack for each invader — he looked at making the target more difficult to invade. Toronto Star education [Six graduates from the same Toronto high school earned 100% grades. What’s in the water at Father John Redmond?]( Of approximately 6,000 Grade 12 students in the Toronto Catholic District School Board, only eight graduated with perfect averages, Janet Hurley reports. Six of those students attended Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School and Regional Arts Centre. The school had the most 100 per cent scholars — possibly ever — in one graduating TCDSB class. So how did they do it? [Here’s what we know about the top students, the school culture and the coursework](. - Context: Whether it’s due to empathetic teachers during tough times or changing assessment philosophies, grades have climbed over the past two decades and even more recently — [and the topic has become contentious](. - More: Five students who spoke to the Star got perfect grades in a wide variety of subjects, including humanities, business, maths and sciences. All took AP courses, and three were drawn to the school for its arts program. R.J. Johnston/The Star real estate [Toronto’s preconstruction housing market is starting to see more distressed buyers]( Since the Bank of Canada raised interest rates in June and July, some realtors have reported a rise in assignment sales — legal transactions transferring the original buyer’s rights and obligations to another — among preconstruction homebuyers. One expert said cases of distressed buyers are low, but increasing in certain areas of the market. Moreover, the industry overall is hurting — sales are down more than 50 per cent below the 10-year average, Clarrie Feinstein reports. [Industry experts warn this could be just the beginning](. - By the numbers: “We’ve seen a massive uptick in assignment listings and actual sales,” said Simeon Papailias, managing partner of Royal LePage’s REC Canada. “Typically around 10 to 15 per cent of our clients want to assign or flip the property, now 30 per cent want to. That’s the most I’ve seen in my 18-year history of doing this work.” - Wait, what? Presale homebuyers pay a percentage of the sale price as a deposit, but don’t get a mortgage to cover the remaining cost or an appraisal of the home’s value until construction is complete. - David Olive’s take: The Trudeau government has the land, money and power to fix Canada’s housing crisis. [What are they waiting for?]( WHAT ELSE Justin Trudeau isn’t the only target [Pierre Poilievre has in his sights](. This is what happens when Trudeau [neglects issues that really matter to Canadians](. “You can’t sustain that level of anger.” [One of Doug Ford’s tormentors is reinventing himself](. Here’s what we know about the racist shooting that [killed three Black people in Jacksonville, Florida](. “Allah doesn’t make mistakes.” [These LGBTQ Muslims are opening up about faith, family — and fallout](. The LGBTQ+ community is applauding the city’s [expansion of Hanlan’s Point clothing-optional beach](. Take it from an ex-supermarket worker: [The Metro strike is a reminder of what we’ve lost](. The sad demise of the Scarborough RT is the [perfect end for a Toronto transit tale](. Sally makes $82K a year but has $10K in credit and student loan debt. [Is home ownership possible?]( Is your high interest rate private mortgage coming due? [Here are your options](. I was in my 20s when “Degrassi Junior High” debuted. [Here’s why it was my must-see TV, Denis Grignon writes](. Too white, too old, too well-to-do: [Toronto theatre companies need to appeal to broader audiences](. GET THIS Andres Plana/The Star [What are Toronto’s greenest neighbourhoods? Check our interactive map.]( CLOSE-UP Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore MARYLAND: Mr. Trash Wheel has scooped up nearly 1,725 tonnes of garbage from the Baltimore Harbour, including more than 1.1 million plastic bottles and 535,000 plastic bags. [Here’s how the machine keeps plastic out of the ocean](. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_196818). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. If you're not enjoying these emails, please tell us how we can make them better by emailing newsletterfeedback@thestar.ca. Or, if you'd prefer, you can unsubscribe from this newsletter by clicking the first link below. [Unsubscribe From This Newsletter]( [Sign Up for More Newsletters and Email Alerts]( [View in Browser]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. 416-367-2000 [PRIVACY POLICY](