27 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,O ctober 7,2021 insidehalton.com CELEBRATING ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS YMCAOFOAKVILLE.ORG Ask for John www.jmcconcrete.ca905-878-8595 J.M.CJ.M.C Concrete Interlocking LTD • stamped concrete • interlocking • exposed aggregate • flagstone • french curbs • retainingwalls • garage floors • free estimates October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which makes it an ideal opportunity to learn more about one of the most common cancers among Canadian women. Since about one in eight women will develop breast cancer at some point in her life, here are some ways you can lower your risk. 1. Maintain a healthy body weight. Being obese inc- reases your risk of breast cancer. Eat well and exercise regularly to help you manage your weight. 2. Be physically active. Research shows that regular exercise can lower your risk of breast cancer. Aim to do at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week. 3. Limit your alcohol intake. Since drinking alcohol can increase your risk of breast cancer, you should limit yourself to less than one drink per day. 4. Don't smoke. Get the help you need to quit smoking, or avoid developing the habit altogether. You should also steer clear of second-hand smoke. 5. Follow screening guidelines. While a mammography won't prevent cancer, it can catch the disease early, giving you more treatment options and a better pro- gnosis. For more information about breast cancer prevention and treatment, visit cancer.ca. 5 ways to reduce your risk of breast cancer 476 Kerr Street (just south of Speers Road) 905-845-2933 www.oakvilleappliance.com Breast CanCer AWARENESS MONTH It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, but get used to saying "co- mirnaty." When pronounced cor- rectly, it should sound like the way Homer Simpson would say "com- munity" while stumbling out of Moe's Tavern at 4 a.m., and it's the new brand name for Pfizer's CO- VID-19 vaccine. Health Canada adopted the new brand names for the Pfizer- BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZe- neca COVID-19 vaccines Sept. 16, the same day it issued full approv- al under the Food and Drug Regu- lations for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. While the AstraZeneca jab's new moniker was also approved that day, the vaccine remains under interim or- der approval, pending review for its transition to the Food and Drug Regulations. The names have already been in use in the United States and Eu- rope for several months, and Health Canada was careful to state that only the drugs' names have changed, not their ingredients. The vaccines themselves remain the same. Here are the new names. PFIZER-BIONTECH COMIRNATY In a media release issued last December, Pfizer stated the name Comirnaty is meant to represent "a combination of the terms CO- VID-19, mRNA, community, and immunity." MODERNA SPIKEVAX This name simply refers to "spike protein," an important product of the interaction between the vaccine and our own cells, which helps us generate immunity to SARS-CoV-2, and the word "vac- cine." ASTRAZENECA VAXZEVRIA This brand name for the Astra- Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which is available in Canada, does not ap- ply to the Covishield version of the vaccine licensed and produced in India. Health Canada states Cov- ishield, which is identical to the AstraZeneca vaccine produced outside of India, was supplied to Canada temporarily, while the ver- sion of the AstraZeneca vaccine now known as Vaxzevria is still available to Canadians. Some provinces no longer offer first or second doses of the Astra- Zeneca vaccine due to reports of rare blood clots associated with the vaccine. NEWS NEW BRAND NAMES FOR COVID-19 VACCINES THE BRAND NAMES HAVE BEEN IN USE OUTSIDE OF CANADA FOR MONTHS MEGAN DELAIRE mdelaire@toronto.com Canada has adopted brand names for the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines. Barry Gray photoSIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT INSIDEHALTON.COM