Canadian COVID-19 News

[desodave]

https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/server-t...ylaw-1.5214695


I used to run a residential-type, weeklong school for adults (usually adult behaviour) and we had a basic saying, " Instant a..hole , add alcohol". This seems to fall into that category, and it can be universally applied in any country imo. It's also one part of why public health authorities across our country have closed alcohol service at earlier hours - alcohol accentuates belligerence.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Jason Flare

Yes. Pretty much it isn’t a good idea to assault someone in the US.

One of the many reasons I prefer to live where I live. But live and let live.

Anyway, the point is that the whole covid thing is widening cracks at an alarming rate. If I was stupid enough to go hang out in a pub, I would be over there right now spending my money to help support small business owners who are just trying to follow rules and keep the idiots at bay.

Hmmm, I wonder if I can get my pint to go?

[Jason Flare]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

Anyway, the point is that the whole covid thing is widening cracks at an alarming rate. If I was stupid enough to go hang out in a pub, ...

You don’t have to do this but I like to look at both sides of the coin.

I ask myself, “Does it follow that the pub owners are stupid for opening and allowing people in?”

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Jason Flare

You don’t have to do this but I like to look at both sides of the coin.

I ask myself, “Does it follow that the pub owners are stupid for opening and allowing people in?”

If you've ever wondered what a troll looks like.

• someone who applies devil's advocate logic despite it clearly being nonsensical
• someone commenting globally on a situation that they have no specific knowledge about, just because they can
• someone who pursues doggedly a specific point to the exclusion of the larger point
• someone who glories in having irritated other posters
• someone who's posts in a sailing forum are 80+% political
• someone who is now on my ignore list

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

If you've ever wondered what a troll looks like.

• someone who applies devil's advocate logic despite it clearly being nonsensical
• someone commenting globally on a situation that they have no specific knowledge about, just because they can
• someone who pursues doggedly a specific point to the exclusion of the larger point
• someone who glories in having irritated other posters
• someone who's posts in a sailing forum are 80+% political
• someone who is now on my ignore list

[GordMay]

Thunder Bay region moving to orange-restrict level on Monday as COVID-19 cases climb
The change comes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Monday, and will result in several new measures being enacted to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Those measures will affect bars and restaurants, sports and recreational facilities, indoor and outdoor public gatherings, retail stores, personal care services (closed or restricted), and casinos.
Orange - Restrict ➥ https://www.ontario.ca/page/covid-19...nd-open#orange
TBDHU ➥ https://www.tbdhu.com/

As of Friday, there were 112 active COVID-19 cases in the Thunder Bay Health Unit's service area; more than 50 of those cases are staff and residents at the Southbridge Roseview long-term care home.

One person has died, 15 new COVID-19 cases and one new outbreak reported in Thunder Bay district on Dec. 4
More ➥ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thund...-bay-1.5828503

[GordMay]

Initial Vaccine Rollout Priorities

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) said the initial, limited quantity (±6 million doses ÷ 2 ea = 3 million people) of vaccine doses should be reserved for people who are most at risk of contracting the virus and developing severe symptoms, including health-care workers, seniors over 70, and adults in Indigenous communities.

"All adults of advanced age should be prioritized for initial doses of authorized COVID-19 vaccines, beginning with adults 80 years of age and older, then decreasing the age limit in 5-year increments to age 70 years as supply becomes available," the final directive reads.

These four groups, long-term care residents and staff, the elderly, front line health care workers and some Indigenous adults, are expected to consume all of the six million doses to be delivered in the first three months of 2021. The process is expected to use all of the initial allotment, and be finished by the end of March 2021.

Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the military commander leading the Public Health Agency of Canada's national operations centre on vaccine logistics, said it's likely the provinces will have access to vaccines in early January, to start inoculating phase one groups.

The vaccine advisory committee said first responders, such as police officers, firefighters, and health care workers, not included in the initial rollout, should be next in line in this second phase, which could begin in April 2021.

“Guidance on key populations for early COVID-19 immunization” ~ NACI [2020-12-04]
➥ https://www.canada.ca/en/public-heal...-vaccines.html


No testing has been done on babies, adolescents, nor teens (planned for next year), so I wouldn't expect children to be routinely vaccinated until (perhaps) sometime in 2022.

[GordMay]

Born in Vancouver in 1916, Fred Ko becomes one of the pandemic's oldest victims (died on Nov. 28 @ 104 Y/O)
➥ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...tims-1.5828015

[desodave]

There has been controversy regarding the inclusion of religious services (or not) in the covid restrictions in many provinces. This is an interesting development from interior BC;
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...ures-1.5826065

[Montanan]

Dr. Yasuhiro Suzuki, who served as the highest-ranking doctor in the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare's medical corps until he retired in August, told The Wall Street Journal he believes there's a "strong" theory that East Asian countries like South Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore have all dealt with fewer COVID-19 infections and deaths than the United States and Europe because of prior exposure to similar pathogens.

Although he acknowledged there are no studies to back up the idea, Suzuki suggested it's worth following up. "There's a theory, and I think it's quite a strong one, that in East Asia a cold similar to the novel coronavirus spread widely and a large number of people caught it," he told the Journal. "As a result of having immunity to a similar virus — although it isn't bulletproof immunity — they either don't develop it or don't get seriously ill if they do."

Dr. Tatsuhiko Kodama, who is studying coronavirus antibodies at the University of Tokyo, said that similar viruses have probably spread repeatedly in the region, and he's confident that exposure is related to the COVID-19 immune response.

But not everyone is so sure sure that a previous virus could be behind the regional discrepancies. Prof. Tetsuya Mizutani, a virologist at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, told the Journal that the theorized pathogens would have traveled around the world just as quickly as the novel coronavirus has over the last several months. His much simpler explanation for the differences in severity? People in East Asian countries wear masks and wash their hands more consistently.

[Montanan]

Brian Pallister, the prime minister of Manitoba, said: "I will do what I believe is right and right now we need to save lives. If you don’t think Covid’s real right now you’re an idiot.

"You need to understand that we are all in this together, you cannot fail to understand this. Stay apart."

"So I’m the guy that has to tell you to stay apart at Christmas and in the holiday season you celebrate, with your faith or without your faith, that you celebrate normally with friends and family, where you share memories and build memories, I’m that guy.”

With his voice breaking, Mr Pallister added he was the “guy stealing Christmas to keep you safe.”

“You need to do this now… because next year we’ll have lots to celebrate."

“Stay safe, protect each other, love each other… but don’t get together this Christmas," he added.

Manitoba has faced targeted restrictions since October to try and keep Covid-19 rates under control after fears that infection numbers were starting to climb.

Currently residents are expected to wear masks in public and there are restrictions on meeting people from other households.

[Mike OReilly]

Winnipeg's Springs Church drive-in service not exempt from public health orders, court rules

Unable to prove attending church virtually causes irreparable harm to congregants

A Manitoba court has ruled that a Winnipeg church will not be exempt from public health orders and is not permitted to hold drive-in worship services.

Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench Chief Justice Glenn Joyal denied Springs Church's application to hold services in the parking lot of its Lagimodiere Boulevard location and its request for an interim stay of the province's current public health order that prohibits in-person religious gatherings.

"These orders necessarily restrict rights ... in order to prevent death, illness and the overwhelming of the public health system in Manitoba," Joyal said in a rare Saturday court hearing.

[Mike OReilly]

I'm not one of the brethren, and have no need for spiritual gatherings, but I appreciate that some people find great benefit from these events. Given this, I wonder why allowance can't be made for these drive in services.

If people remain in their vehicles, surely there is little risk of transmission. It's certainly less than going to the grocery store.

[Montanan]

It is disheartening to consider that Dr. Fauci felt the need to say this regarding the lack of willingness of some to follow the most basic of Covid prevention protocols and their apparent lack of disregard for the well being of others.

Stay safe, stay healthy.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Brian Pallister, the prime minister of Manitoba, said:

As one of those d@mn furriners you can't really understand how weird it sounds to call a Premier a Prime Minister

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I'm not one of the brethren, and have no need for spiritual gatherings, but I appreciate that some people find great benefit from these events. Given this, I wonder why allowance can't be made for these drive in services.

If people remain in their vehicles, surely there is little risk of transmission. It's certainly less than going to the grocery store.

I think it falls under the category of "if you give people an inch..."