Canadian COVID-19 News

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

I am not sure I agree with that logic. It's not exactly my opinion but I can certainly see people going "Well, Canada is 70% vaccinated but the US is only 55%...why should we let them in?" Given the Maritimes' overall response to COVID I could especially see that happening there.

Yes, if that's the final vaccination levels achieved, I'll agree with you. But I don't think even the most pessimistic analysis suggests the USA will settle at such a low rate. More likely 70 to 85% is what I've read. Despite all the noise the anti-vax crowd makes, they really are a small minority. And that goes for the noisy few here.

Originally Posted by Macblaze

On another note I saw the Apple WWDC keynote yesterday and they are introducing an electronic record system into their Health app to share info with the major US healthcare record companies. Which is both encouraging and horrify at the same time.

That's probably a good idea, as long as they can get the verifiableness factor taken care of. In Canada it's easy to know which agency can verify your vaccine status. Unfortunately there are 13 different such provincial/territorial agencies, but that pales in comparison to the challenge faced by our American cousins.

But I guess if there is sufficient market demand for a credible vaccine passport, the market will provide it.

Montanan: You've made the point better than I ever could .

[Midnight Son]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Yes, if that's the final vaccination levels achieved, I'll agree with you. But I don't think even the most pessimistic analysis suggests the USA will settle at such a low rate. More likely 70 to 85% is what I've read. Despite all the noise the anti-vax crowd makes, they really are a small minority. And that goes for the noisy few here.



That's probably a good idea, as long as they can get the verifiableness factor taken care of. In Canada it's easy to know which agency can verify your vaccine status. Unfortunately there are 13 different such provincial/territorial agencies, but that pales in comparison to the challenge faced by our American cousins.

But I guess if there is sufficient market demand for a credible vaccine passport, the market will provide it.

Montanan: You've made the point better than I ever could .

Re: Vaccine Passports.

Please check out:
https://www.techrepublic.com/article...lly-restoring/

[Mike OReilly]

A vaccine passport is quickly becoming a reality for unfettered internal Canadian travel. Various provinces and territories are announcing re-opening plans, and many are including some version of a vaccine passport. Manitoba is the latest.

[Montanan]

A plan is in the works to reopen the United States- Canadian border, that's according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

The CBC reports the plan would open up the northern border in phases starting as early as July.

Sources within the Canadian government said the reopening would start with people who are fully vaccinated being allowed to cross, and if you're fully vaccinated and have a negative covid test you could avoid quarantine.

Those same sources say they doubt the border will reopen June 22 when the non-essential travel ban is set to expire.


https://news.yahoo.com/canadian-reop...151410606.html
Canada on Wednesday took a cautious first step toward easing COVID-19 border restrictions, saying it was prepared to relax quarantine protocols for fully vaccinated citizens returning home starting in early July.
Canada's air and land borders have allowed for only essential travel since March of last year, and people returning home are required to quarantine for 14 days. If they arrive by air, they also must stay in a designated hotel until they receive a negative COVID-19 test.
"The first step ... is to allow fully vaccinated individuals currently permitted to enter Canada to do so without the requirement to stay in government-authorized accommodation," Health Minister Patty Hajdu told reporters on Wednesday.
The easing of restrictions will hinge on COVID-19 case numbers and vaccinations.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Sources within the Canadian government said the reopening would start with [Canadians] who are fully vaccinated being allowed to cross, and if you're fully vaccinated and have a negative covid test you could avoid quarantine.

The report I read was that was for Canadians return only. I guess we will have to wait for clarity...

[Montanan]

Yes, I read it to be repatriation of vaccinated Canadians only and then only after having a negative test that they could have the quarantine period waived.

We Montanans will continue to be shot on sight crossing the 49th. And the shot will not be a jab of vaccine.

The border on the USA side looks to still be closed for entry from up north.

Looking forward to the day of seeing Canadians stocking up at the Costco in Kalispell again to avoid paying VAT on their purchased goods transported by car. No sales tax in Montana, so goods are MUCH cheaper this side of the border.

Let me know when you will be coming across and I'll buy y'all a beer.

Best regards,

Dan

[Montanan]

Canada is planning to start easing border restrictions and scrap mandatory hotel quarantines for fully vaccinated citizens flying into the country in 'early July'.

The country's Health Minister Patty Hajdu announced the phased changes on Wednesday but did not give specific dates for when the new policies would come into effect.

When asked for an exact date that the pandemic border measures will be lifted, Hajdu said: 'The general ball park is the first week of July'.

The changes mean Canadians who fly into the country who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer have to stay in a hotel for a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/new...?ocid=msedgntp

[Montanan]

Why Canada Won’t Open Its Doors Soon.

Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appears in no hurry to end the shutdown. The current limits are due to expire on June 21, but he has said that before he begins to loosen the rules, he wants at least 75 percent of Canadians to receive a first shot and 20 percent to be fully vaccinated. Although Canada long lagged behind the United States in vaccinations, it has caught up recently, at least in first doses. At the end of May, nearly 68 percent of the adult population had gotten one shot—a higher percentage than in the United States. But just 7 percent had gotten the entire regimen. (Canada is following the U.K. model of delaying second doses to partially inoculate its population at a faster rate.)

. . .

Fifteen months after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S.-Canada border remains closed to all but essential travel, cutting off families, would-be tourists, and billions of dollars in commerce. Travel from the U.S. to Canada is down more than 80 percent since before the pandemic. Both countries have imposed strict limits on who can cross the border, but Canada’s restrictions are tighter, and its enforcement is far more severe. Travelers who fly into Canada must land at one of four airports and then pay to spend the first three nights of a 14-day mandatory quarantine at a designated “stopover” hotel, at a cost the U.S. government says could exceed $1,600. There are no exceptions, even for fully vaccinated people or Canadian citizens.

. . .

a gaping loophole in the Canadian restrictions: Travelers crossing the border by land, rather than by air, must still quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, but they don’t have to stay in a designated hotel for part of that time.

Canadian officials say the different policies for drivers and fliers are so that truckers shipping goods like food and medicine—who conduct most of the land crossings—don’t have to quarantine in a hotel every time they make a trip.

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

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Why Canada Won’t Open Its Doors Soon.

Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appears in no hurry to end the shutdown. The current limits are due to expire on June 21, but he has said that before he begins to loosen the rules, he wants at least 75 percent of Canadians to receive a first shot and 20 percent to be fully vaccinated. Although Canada long lagged behind the United States in vaccinations, it has caught up recently, at least in first doses. At the end of May, nearly 68 percent of the adult population had gotten one shot—a higher percentage than in the United States. But just 7 percent had gotten the entire regimen. (Canada is following the U.K. model of delaying second doses to partially inoculate its population at a faster rate.)

. . .

Fifteen months after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S.-Canada border remains closed to all but essential travel, cutting off families, would-be tourists, and billions of dollars in commerce. Travel from the U.S. to Canada is down more than 80 percent since before the pandemic. Both countries have imposed strict limits on who can cross the border, but Canada’s restrictions are tighter, and its enforcement is far more severe. Travelers who fly into Canada must land at one of four airports and then pay to spend the first three nights of a 14-day mandatory quarantine at a designated “stopover” hotel, at a cost the U.S. government says could exceed $1,600. There are no exceptions, even for fully vaccinated people or Canadian citizens.

. . .

a gaping loophole in the Canadian restrictions: Travelers crossing the border by land, rather than by air, must still quarantine for 14 days upon arrival, but they don’t have to stay in a designated hotel for part of that time.

Canadian officials say the different policies for drivers and fliers are so that truckers shipping goods like food and medicine—who conduct most of the land crossings—don’t have to quarantine in a hotel every time they make a trip.

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

There was also another loophole in that until recently the fine for not complying with the hotel quarantine was LESS than the cost to comply with the hotel quarantine.

[Montanan]

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Sunday that he and President Biden hadn't reached a deal about lifting coronavirus border restrictions after discussing the matter.

Trudeau said Canada needs more of its citizens to be vaccinated before border restrictions are lifted, adding that he will work closely with the Biden administration to be on the right path. "We will continue to work closely together on moving forward in the right way but each of us always will put at the forefront the interests and the safety of our own citizens,"

Canada announced last week that it will relax quarantine protocols for fully vaccinated citizens starting in July.

[GordMay]

Statement from the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada on June 14, 2021
“... The latest national-level data show a continued downward trend in disease activity with an average of 1,548 cases reported daily during the latest 7 day period (June 4-10), down 34% compared to the week prior. For the week of May 30-June 5, there were on average of 72,692 tests completed daily across Canada, of which 2.8% were positive for COVID-19, compared to 3.8% the week prior...
... Provincial and territorial data indicate that an average of 1,839 people with COVID-19 were being treated in Canadian hospitals each day during the most recent 7-day period (June 4-10), which is 21% fewer than last week. This includes, on average 795 people who were being treated in intensive care units (ICU), 21% fewer than last week. Likewise, the latest 7-day average of 31 deaths reported daily (June 4-10) is continuing to decline, showing a 7% decrease compared to the week prior...
... Overall, variants of concern (VOCs) represent the majority of recently reported COVID-19 cases across the country. Four VOCs (B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), P.1 (Gamma), and B.1.617, which includes B.1.617.2 (Delta)) have been detected in most provinces and territories. While the Alpha variant continues to account for the majority of genetically sequenced variants in Canada, we are observing an increase in the Delta variant in some parts of Canada...”
More ➥ https://www.canada.ca/en/public-heal...e-14-2021.html

Canada tops world in vaccinated population as new COVID-19 cases fall below 1,000
➥ https://globalnews.ca/news/7949797/c...-june-14-2021/

[GordMay]

A little perspective, on the sensational title of the, previously linked, Global News article:

According to online research publication, Our World in Data, Canada has just nudged out Israel, to top the global pack, having doled out at least one dose, to more than 64 per cent of its citizens. Israel, now trailing Canada, has given first doses to 63 per cent of its citizens.

However, Canada's rise has mostly happened due to its strategy of betting on vaccinating as many people as possible with a first dose, and delaying the second dose, leaving Canada with one of the lowest ratio, of first to second doses, in the world.

“Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations” ~ Our World in Data
➥ https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by GordMay

A little perspective, on the sensational title of the, previously linked, Global News article:

According to online research publication, Our World in Data, Canada has just nudged out Israel, to top the global pack, having doled out at least one dose, to more than 64 per cent of its citizens. Israel, now trailing Canada, has given first doses to 63 per cent of its citizens.

However, Canada's rise has mostly happened due to its strategy of betting on vaccinating as many people as possible with a first dose, and delaying the second dose, leaving Canada with one of the lowest ratio, of first to second doses, in the world.

“Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations” ~ Our World in Data
➥ https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

Seychelles is still higher 1st dose vaccinated than Canada.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by GordMay

A little perspective, on the sensational title of the, previously linked, Global News article:

According to online research publication, Our World in Data, Canada has just nudged out Israel, to top the global pack, having doled out at least one dose, to more than 64 per cent of its citizens. Israel, now trailing Canada, has given first doses to 63 per cent of its citizens.

However, Canada's rise has mostly happened due to its strategy of betting on vaccinating as many people as possible with a first dose, and delaying the second dose, leaving Canada with one of the lowest ratio, of first to second doses, in the world.

“Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations” ~ Our World in Data
➥ https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

That strategy is starting to bite us in Canada in the a$$. Initially we’re all getting vaccinated under the slogan “ the first shot you can get is the best shot” meaning some of us have moderna, some Pfizer, some AZ. Now we’re finding that getting a second dose of our first dose is becoming a challenge. In my region no Moderna is available for second doses, same for AZ. I have to go to Toronto to get a second AZ ( which is most annoying because we were told AZ recipients would have a choice, and right now we in reality don’t) we’re being asked to mix 2 different types of vaccines

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by pcmm

That strategy is starting to bite us in Canada in the a$$. Initially we’re all getting vaccinated under the slogan “ the first shot you can get is the best shot” meaning some of us have moderna, some Pfizer, some AZ. Now we’re finding that getting a second dose of our first dose is becoming a challenge. In my region no Moderna is available for second doses, same for AZ. I have to go to Toronto to get a second AZ ( which is most annoying because we were told AZ recipients would have a choice, and right now we in reality don’t) we’re being asked to mix 2 different types of vaccines

Which has been shown to produce a better response in multiple studies
https://gulfnews.com/special-reports....1622803816712