Canadian COVID-19 News

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

Is this correct that Canada is only at 0.7% of first dose vaccination?

As of today, 22.3% of Canadians have received at least 1 vaccine dose...
https://covid19tracker.ca/vaccinationtracker.html

[Montanan]

Moderna Inc. informed Justin Trudeau’s vaccine czar that Canada will receive barely half of the Covid-19 shots that were expected to arrive by the end of April.

Procurement Minister Anita Anand said Friday shipments this month will now contain 650,000 doses instead of the planned 1.2 million doses. The manufacturer also warned that as many as 2 million of the 12.3 million shots scheduled for delivery by the end of June will instead be provided at the end of September.

“We are disappointed, and while we understand the challenges facing suppliers in the current global market for vaccines, our government will continue to press Moderna to fulfill its commitments,”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, however, also announced an agreement to purchase 8 million more Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE doses. Four million are expected to arrive in May, with 2 million each in June and July.

News of the Moderna delay come as a third wave of the pandemic rages.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world...?ocid=msedgntp

[Montanan]

'Frustrating and frightening': Ontario COVID-19 modelling data suggests 6-week lockdown as one of the 'only ways to flatten the curve'



https://www.yahoo.com/news/ontario-c...191333296.html

[lonesoldier0408]

Originally Posted by DomPerignon

I think the whole pandemic is fake and I am in support of anyone that share my point of view.

But I can agree to disagree, everyone is entitled to his point of view.

I too, would like to see the tally of deaths caused by the Vaccine for COVID. After the cancer Vaccine failed to sterilize enough minors, they have opened the Cancer Vaccine to older people, of child bearing age. The math is just a coincidence. [emoji848]🧐[emoji35]

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by lonesoldier0408

... After the cancer Vaccine failed to sterilize enough minors, they have opened the Cancer Vaccine to older people, of child bearing age. The math is just a coincidence.

Are you referring to the ‘HPV’ cancer vaccine?

HPV vaccination can prevent more than 90% of HPV cancers, when given at the recommended ages.
The American Cancer Society recommends that boys and girls get the HPV vaccine between the ages of 9 and 12. Teens and young adults, through age 26, who are not already vaccinated, should get the HPV vaccine as soon as possible. Teens who start the series late may need 3 shots instead of 2.
There are no data to suggest that getting the HPV vaccine affects fertility.
In fact, the HPV vaccine can help protect women from future fertility problems, linked to cervical cancer and pre-cancer.

“No Association between HPV Vaccination and Infertility in U.S. Females 18–33 Years Old”~ by Nicholas B. Schmuhl, PhD et al
➥ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7255493/

“Human papilloma virus vaccines and infertility” ~ The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety

“... A systematic review of the literature on HPV vaccines and infertility was conducted, in which 608 articles were identified. After exclusion of duplicates and irrelevant studies, 9 articles were retained for the review, of which 7 addressed HPV vaccination and POI and 2 assessed the association between HPV vaccination and the ability to conceive. The details of the studies were reported to the Committee, which reviewed the evidence in the 9 articles (case reports, passive surveillance and epidemiological studies) and concluded that, although the safety of HPV vaccine has received considerable media attention, the evidence does not suggest a causal relationship between HPV vaccination and infertility ...
... GACVS concluded that the available data do not support an association between HPV vaccination and infertility or POI ...”

➥ https://www.who.int/groups/global-ad...es/infertility

You may have seen this RETRACTED article, or similar:
“A lowered probability of pregnancy in females in the USA aged 25-29 who received a human papillomavirus vaccine injection” ~ by Gayle DeLong
➥ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29889622/
or ➥ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31821111/

"Birth Rate Study Retracted: HPV Vaccine & Infertility"
➥ https://www.vaxbeforecancer.com/birt...ne-infertility

[GordMay]

Revised modelling [1] suggests Ontario could see more than 10,000 cases per day, by the end of May, and 15,000 by late June, with the current measures in place [2], and 100,000 vaccinations per day.

A six-week stay-at-home order, with an average of 100,000 vaccinations per day, "is the only way to flatten the curve," the modelling shows.

Additional public health measures could lower cases to about 2,000 cases per day, but that best-case scenario would require considerably stronger measures, and increasing vaccinations to 300,000 per day.

[1] “Update on COVID-19 Projections” [April 16/21] ~ Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table and Modelling Consensus Table
➥ https://covid19-sciencetable.ca/scie...projections-6/

[2] “Ontario Strengthens Enforcement of Stay-at-Home Order” [April 16/21] ~ Office of the Premier
➥ https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/6...-at-home-order

“6-week stay-at-home order, strict new measures needed to control 3rd COVID-19 wave in Ontario, experts say” ~ CBC News
About ➥ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toron...ling-1.5990518

[deblen]

Second Opinion: Ontario's health-care system is at a breaking point as 3rd wave worsens

[AiniA]

Doug Ford pulls another one. He likes to appear tough when dealing with COVID (and other things) but he is not. An example is that his latest bunch of 'tough' regulations includes giving the police the right to stop people and get their addresses and their reasons for being out on the street. Only problem is that he did not consult with the police about this and a number of police forces will not do this. In one case, a force questioned the constitutionality of such actions. As well as being pretty limited himself I don't think his cabinet is very capable. The Solicitor-General should have done the liaison with police and about the constitutionality.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by AiniA

Doug Ford pulls another one. He likes to appear tough when dealing with COVID (and other things) but he is not. An example is that his latest bunch of 'tough' regulations includes giving the police the right to stop people and get their addresses and their reasons for being out on the street. Only problem is that he did not consult with the police about this and a number of police forces will not do this. In one case, a force questioned the constitutionality of such actions. As well as being pretty limited himself I don't think his cabinet is very capable. The Solicitor-General should have done the liaison with police and about the constitutionality.

I was so pleased to hear the reaction of many police forces which pushed back on this. I support strong public health measures to get things under control, but random pedestrian and vehicular stops is dangerous and unnecessarily too far.

I appreciate the restraint our police are showing. I only wish our politicians would learn from them.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by AiniA

Doug Ford pulls another one. He likes to appear tough when dealing with COVID (and other things) but he is not. An example is that his latest bunch of 'tough' regulations includes giving the police the right to stop people and get their addresses and their reasons for being out on the street. Only problem is that he did not consult with the police about this and a number of police forces will not do this. In one case, a force questioned the constitutionality of such actions. As well as being pretty limited himself I don't think his cabinet is very capable. The Solicitor-General should have done the liaison with police and about the constitutionality.

Oh man, tough times right now.

I've never been part of Ford Nation (though we live in the area). I do grudgingly acknowledge that Doug did a pretty good job initially; many folks have said the same. This time around, it seems the ball was dropped when the provincial government apparently didn't heed the projections which predicted this current surge.

The police thing is uncomfortable for sure. At the same time, maybe we needed more of a threat to motivate the less-concerned. At least now, the mere appearance of a cop car at a crowded park or party will cause most to disperse. Likewise on the highways; before yesterday, the traffic has looked "normal", as if there was no stay-at-home order.

Other Canadian things I'm not entirely pleased with:

• I feel that the whole vaccine thing should have been approached with more energy and force - negotiated harder and sooner, way more effort put into creating our own manufacturing capacity. For our own benefit, and for the world's. Hence we lag most other G20 countries for vaccinations.
• Around Toronto, which is in the center of this tornado, it seems to me there hasn't been sufficient attention (or discussion) put into more precisely where the virus has been hitting hardest - "essential workers?", factory workers, rule-breakers (parties, get-togethers etc), marginalized communities... and then redoubling efforts in those areas.
• I'm irritated that we're over a year into this thing, yet our ICU capacity wasn't pre-emptively increased as a backstop (and/or plans, space and equipment prepared, and staff planning made, for just this eventuality.

So, here we are . We've let you down, Mike. But there's still over 2 months to go to July...

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

• I feel that the whole vaccine thing should have been approached with more energy and force - negotiated harder and sooner, way more effort put into creating our own manufacturing capacity. For our own benefit, and for the world's. Hence we lag most other G20 countries for vaccinations.

Except this isn't really the case. Despite the rhetoric we hear from some politicians and media babblers Canada leads most other countries in vaccination rates. We're something life 5th in the world. We're doing really well ... just not as well as our closest comparators: USA and UK. But they are doing way better than almost everyone.

As far as creating local manufacturing capacity, a big YES! Of course, we used to have this. Canada was once a world leader in vaccine development and production, but this was back in the Connaught days. And as we know, we handed our fate over to the free market, and the market decided Canada doesn't need its own production .

We're now rebuilding capacity, but it will take time. Hopefully by the time we're into sars-cov-2 boosters we'll have our own national supply.

I too have been generally impressed with the way Ford has managed the pandemic, but it seems pretty clear old Dougie fumbled the ball with this third wave. My guess is he was really banking on the vaccines to save us so he didn't have to continue the harsher public health measures -- measures most experts were telling him were still necessary. He took a calculated risk, and now we're all paying the price.

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

So, here we are . We've let you down, Mike. But there's still over 2 months to go to July...

No worries. I've been planning for the worst, while still hoping for the best. I've always thought this coming season would likely be another bust for me. So be it... Newfoundland isn't going anywhere.

I do think I'll at least be able to see my boat this summer, and hopefully do some necessary maintenance. It's just life .

[hpeer]

Sooooooo...
After 6 years they finally finished the ferry connection from Newfoundland to St. Pierre. The first car crossed, but was only allowed in the wharf. Covid.

St. Pierre has asked to he included in the Atlantic bubble but was denied by federal officials.

St. Pierre is covid free.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I too have been generally impressed with the way Ford has managed the pandemic, but it seems pretty clear old Dougie fumbled the ball with this third wave. My guess is he was really banking on the vaccines to save us so he didn't have to continue the harsher public health measures -- measures most experts were telling him were still necessary. He took a calculated risk, and now we're all paying the price.

It's not just Doug though. BC is hedging its bets (https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...pril-1.5991727) hoping there is a "plateau" in sight and well Alberta, as always, is overly optimistic and putting its faith in the hands of "personal responsibility" so we'd better hope the vaccine does its job or we will be right up there with Ontario.

The police thing is interesting. My "news" feeds have been full of people demanding the government do something about all the scofflaws and now they have suddenly done a 180 and are all about not giving the police free rein. Who do they think is going to do the enforcement? Hopefully if they end up extending police powers it will be as Lake-Effect posited and the existence of the law will be enough to make people behave. It's too bad we here in AB are living proof that "personal responsibility" is just not a thing you can count on...

Meanwhile my May trip to BC and my boat are officially cancelled. I hope someone else gets to enjoy that brand new Highfield I just bought :

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

UBIs have been trialled an a few places, and in most, this wasn't shown to be a problem; the numbers of people who couldn't or wouldn't work stayed roughly the same. Most able people enjoy doing meaningful work (and getting more income, and then paying tax), when it's available. Many do volunteer work when they can't find a job or they retire.

And the lazy find loopholes even now, without UBIs.

So the remaining big difference is that UBIs are much more efficient and have much lower overhead.

Exactly right. Very astute and accurate observations.

UBI is really the future.

At the moment UBI has a very small group of proponents -- mainly right-wing Scandinavians. But it's absolutely going to catch on, because it is simply a superior way to do the social safety net.

Much lower overhead, MUCH more efficient, and perhaps most importantly, elimination of perverse incentives inherent to other social safety net measures.

Can be administered without any added bureaucracy at all -- just make it part of the tax system -- negative income tax. A slightly different idea but with the same effect. Popularized by the great economicist Milton Friedman. See: https://www.niskanencenter.org/unive...-leaky-bucket/

Read also: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-...-tax-explained

So UBI also started out in the U.S. as a right-wing idea, from the early 60's. I guess it died in the U.S. because American right-wingers generally think that the poor need to take care of themselves, so are not interested in such programs, and the left are economically illiterate. Therefore, a compassionate yet economically literate idea like UBI/negative income tax doesn't get traction. It's a tragedy. We really need something like this -- it would transform our society.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

At the moment UBI has a very small group of proponents -- mainly right-wing Scandinavians. But it's absolutely going to catch on, because it is simply a superior way to do the social safety net.

Well, I thought universal single-payer healthcare is a no-brainer too, but the US has proved me wrong.