Canadian COVID-19 News

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Most spread is either between cohabitants or community spread.

But a virus has to become in contact with cohabitants or a community to initiate the continuance of spread.

Indeed, it happened back in March 2020. It damn near leaps out of the graph I posted. After that, travel becomes nearly inconsequential as far as spread goes.

A hard closure in February, and barring people from leaving the country, would have been the best thing to do to contain the virus. But we didn't, and as I say (and IMHO), I'm not sure we could do it. Canada is not Australia, nor even Newfoundland. Regardless... we didn't do it. And so we have to deal with reality as it is.

Originally Posted by Montanan

Of keen issue is the nature of mutations which can originate anywhere but which could be isolated if a country closes itself from entry.

Yes, theoretically possible. Practically, very difficult.

BTW, mutations aren't necessarily bad. It's as likely the mutation will be benign or less virulent. In the latter case we might want to import it.

Originally Posted by Montanan

Please do not leave your community and please do not comeback if you had opted to be elsewhere other than your community. Your community is where you chose to make it and that could be elsewhere from where you perceive to be your primary place of residence. That is why there are restrictions imposed at provincial boundaries and international boundaries.

Good advice.

Originally Posted by Montanan

The statistic that 60,000 international passengers arrive in Ontario's airport each week proves to me that what characterizes as "essential travel" is a very low bar in Canada. I would think that perhaps 6 or 60 at most would be truly life or death dependent travel because the entry of a more hazardous mutation of the virus is a life or death matter.

According to Toronto Pearson's stats, domestic arrivals are down 80.34% and transborder traffic is down 94.26%. I guess that leaves 6.74%, which translates into the 60,000 international passengers still arriving.

Is 6.74% too high? I don't feel equipped to answer that without knowing who these people are, and why they are traveling. Apparently they fit within the current definition of essential travel. Either that, or they are returning Canadian citizens (which as discussed, cannot be barred from reentry).

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

... The research indicates that lockdowns are only effective at the early stages, and only if they're done fully. Newfoundland, and to a lesser extend the rest of the Maritimes, is a great example. But they have all the tick marks that make it possible (much like Australia and New Zealand). We didn't do that in the rest of Canada, and maybe we couldn't ... I'm far from sure ...

Might not the end of each wave (when some level of control is achieved), be (somewhat) analogous to the beginning of the pandemic (early stages), and (if so) travel restrictions, issued early (in 2ND, 3RD etc waves), and hard (fully), be just as effective, as they might have, in the very beginning?
Sorry, for that sentence.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by GordMay

Might not the end of each wave (when some level of control is achieved), be (somewhat) analogous to the beginning of the pandemic (early stages), and (if so) travel restrictions, issued early (in 2ND, 3RD etc waves), and hard (fully), be just as effective, as they might have, in the very beginning?
Sorry, for that sentence.

That's a beautiful, artistic, nay-I-say, poetic line of prose (can prose be poetic ?)

I haven't thought about this ... it makes sense though. If various regions or countries are coming out of the tunnel at different times, you'd want to keep those still neck-deep in the Covid quagmire from reinfecting others.

If that's the case, Canada might be a bit of a laggard when it comes to getting everyone vaccinated -- at least for the developed world. We might have to lock our borders, for the safety of others.

[Mike OReilly]

Airlines suspending certain flights, Ottawa introducing quarantine hotel stays to discourage travel

Canada's main airlines have agreed to cancel service to the Caribbean and Mexico and the federal government is introducing new mandatory quarantine rules as they try to discourage international travel.
...
The prime minister said as soon as possible the government will be introducing mandatory PCR testing at the airport for people returning to Canada, on top of the pre-boarding test already required.

Travellers will then have to wait up to three days at an approved hotel for their test results, at their own expense, which Trudeau said is expected to be more than $2,000.

Those with a negative test will then be able to finish their 14-day quarantine at home, with increased surveillance.

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Airlines suspending certain flights, Ottawa introducing quarantine hotel stays to discourage travel

"Those with negative test results will then be able to quarantine at home under significantly increased surveillance and enforcement.”

" The prime minister said those with positive tests will be immediately required to quarantine in designated government facilities...."
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...el-coronavirus

[davil]

we are in deep doopy here


from
https://www.bloomberg.com/prognosis

==========================================


Three’s a crowd

It was only a matter of time.
Variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that are believed to spread more rapidly have now been officially confirmed in the U.S.
First, the U.K. strain known as B.1.1.7 was found in Colorado in late December. Then the Brazil P.1 variant was identified in Minnesota on Monday. And most recently, the South Africa variant B.1.351 was detected in two South Carolina patients on Thursday.
All viruses mutate as a matter of course as they spread—changes that aren’t necessarily significant but carry the risk of allowing the virus to evade vaccines or existing immunity. That’s why we get reformulated flu shots every year.

Healthcare workers incubate a patient in a Covid-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at a hospital in Salinas, California on Jan. 26.
Photographer: Nic Coury/Bloomberg

What makes the South Africa variant worrisome is that it contains multiple mutations in the spike protein that the virus uses to infect human cells. One of those mutations, called E484K, is of particular concern and may help the pathogen resist vaccines and antibody treatments.
It raises the possibility that the virus could continue to mutate in a way that makes vaccines less effective over time, and that drugmakers will have to quickly and repeatedly develop booster shots to deal with these new mutations.
Both Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech, as well as Moderna have said their own results indicate their existing messenger RNA vaccines should still work against the South Africa strain, despite findings of reduced potency. Novavax’s trial results released Thursday indicated that its vaccine was far less effective against the South Africa variant than those circulating in the U.K.
Moderna said earlier this week it plans to develop and test a third-shot booster and test a third-shot booster against the South Africa variant, and Pfizer’s CEO also said his company is starting the development of a booster against the new mutations.
The finding of the South Africa variant in the U.S. comes as the federal government is facing an uphill struggle in gearing up to monitor SARS-Cov-2 variants.
While the Biden administration is promising to boost the country’s sequencing efforts, it won’t be easy. The U.S. system now in place includes a scattered constellation of academic, commercial and public health labs that typically are both underfunded and under-resourced.

While there’s been much optimism—rightly so—about rollout of the highly efficacious Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in record time, the arrival of the three more infectious variants in the U.S. remains a cause for concern.—Emma Court
================================================== ===
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and yet as I went to pick up some stuff noticed all restaurant and bars open with customers!!!!!
hard not to be discouraged.

=========================================

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by davil

First, the U.K. strain known as B.1.1.7 was found in Colorado in late December. Then the Brazil P.1 variant was identified in Minnesota on Monday. And most recently, the South Africa variant B.1.351

Gives a entirely new meaning to getting a Brazilian.

Always time for a meme.

[Montanan]

Minister Justin Trudeau announced a slew of new travel restrictions aimed at blocking dangerous COVID-19 variants from spreading in Canada. The new travel restrictions include:

Ban on flights to Mexico and the Caribbean: Effective Sunday, January 31, Canada’s major airlines will be suspending flights to Mexico and the Caribbean — favourite sun destinations for Canadians looking to escape the winter. This measure will remain in place until April 30.

Mandatory COVID-19 test for all international air arrivals: All passengers arriving on international flights into Canada will be subject to a mandatory PCR test in the airport. This test requirement is in addition to the mandatory negative COVID-19 test results required prior to boarding a flight to Canada. The only airports to accept international flights will be Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal.

Mandatory hotel stay for international air arrivals — at their own expense: While waiting for results from the new mandatory PCR test for air arrivals, travellers must stay at a designated hotel for up to three days at their own expense which is expected to cost more than $2,000. If test results come back negative, travellers will be able to leave the hotel to complete their mandatory 14-day quarantine period at home. If test results come back positive, travellers will be moved to a government facility.

COVID-19 testing requirements for the Canada-U.S. land border: Although details were limited, Prime Minister Trudeau stated, “We will also, in the coming weeks, be requiring non-essential travellers to show a negative test before entry at the land border with the U.S. and we’re looking to stand up additional testing requirements for land travel.”

This last part confuses me I thought there has long been a complete prohibition against ALL NON-ESSENTIAL travel across the land border of Canada and the USA. Huh????

All other travel restrictions and requirements remain in effect.

Canada extends ban on all international travel until at least Feb 21: Canada has extended its border closure and travel restrictions with all countries, including the United States, until at least February 21, 2021 (Source: Public Safety Minister). The border closure is renegotiated on a monthly basis.

[Mike OReilly]

I bet Florida receives more Canadian visitors via air than Mexico and the Caribbean. No attempt to cut flights there. Wonder why?

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by Montanan

COVID-19 testing requirements for the Canada-U.S. land border: Although details were limited, Prime Minister Trudeau stated, “We will also, in the coming weeks, be requiring non-essential travellers to show a negative test before entry at the land border with the U.S. and we’re looking to stand up additional testing requirements for land travel.”

This last part confuses me I thought there has long been a complete prohibition against ALL NON-ESSENTIAL travel across the land border of Canada and the USA. Huh????

Canadians and Cdn permanent residents (and more recently, their relatives) have never been banned from returning to Canada. But a 14-day "quarantine" was/is required. (Same thing for US citizens entering USA, though without quarantine, until recently at least.)

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

The Australian government DID charter planes and work hard to bring home its citizens last Spring. A simple search confirms this.

It's clear the Oz government has taken a much harder line that we ever did. But that still doesn't amount to them barring their citizens from re-entry. That is a step we should all be wary of.

I too did a search and found nothing indicating repatriation flights to Australia before the fourth quarter of 2020. Everybody else was doing it last spring. NOW Australia has a big push on, it seems due to the uproar caused by international tennis stars being able to get in to play in the Australian Open while citizens are STILL struggling to get home.

I still maintain that the Australian government, until recently, was quite happy to leave their citizens stranded overseas rather than take the increased Covid risk caused by them coming home.

[Scorpius]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Minister Justin Trudeau announced a slew of new travel restrictions aimed at blocking dangerous COVID-19 variants from spreading in Canada. The new travel restrictions include:

Ban on flights to Mexico and the Caribbean: Effective Sunday, January 31, Canada’s major airlines will be suspending flights to Mexico and the Caribbean — favourite sun destinations for Canadians looking to escape the winter. This measure will remain in place until April 30.

Mandatory COVID-19 test for all international air arrivals: All passengers arriving on international flights into Canada will be subject to a mandatory PCR test in the airport. This test requirement is in addition to the mandatory negative COVID-19 test results required prior to boarding a flight to Canada. The only airports to accept international flights will be Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal.

Mandatory hotel stay for international air arrivals — at their own expense: While waiting for results from the new mandatory PCR test for air arrivals, travellers must stay at a designated hotel for up to three days at their own expense which is expected to cost more than $2,000. If test results come back negative, travellers will be able to leave the hotel to complete their mandatory 14-day quarantine period at home. If test results come back positive, travellers will be moved to a government facility.

COVID-19 testing requirements for the Canada-U.S. land border: Although details were limited, Prime Minister Trudeau stated, “We will also, in the coming weeks, be requiring non-essential travellers to show a negative test before entry at the land border with the U.S. and we’re looking to stand up additional testing requirements for land travel.”

Wow! and I only suggested this a couple of days ago! I've never seen a government move so fast!

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Minister Justin Trudeau announced a slew of new travel restrictions aimed at blocking dangerous COVID-19 variants from spreading in Canada...

Air Transat [1] said Friday it is temporarily suspending ALL operations until the end of April, as it and other Canadian airlines adjust to new pandemic measures introduced by the federal government to curb international travel.
Air Canada [2], WestJet, Sunwing and Air Transat had agreed to suspend service to the Caribbean and Mexico from Sunday until April 30.
Starting at 11:59 p.m. ET on Feb. 3, all international passenger, private and charter flights, including from the U.S., will land at the Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary and Montreal airports. Cargo-only flights will remain exempt.
[1] ➥ https://www.transat.com/en-CA/corpor...eleases/124358
[2] ➥ https://aircanada.mediaroom.com/2021...gation-Efforts

[Midnight Son]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I bet Florida receives more Canadian visitors via air than Mexico and the Caribbean. No attempt to cut flights there. Wonder why?

Would it possibly be that they can get vaccinated there, and stay till late spring, early summer.
Best wishes all, stay safe.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Midnight Son

Would it possibly be that they can get vaccinated there, and stay till late spring, early summer.
Best wishes all, stay safe.

And I thought I was a cynic .