Canadian COVID-19 News

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

This is interesting LE because: are specifically exempt from being locked down. Wouldn't that include yacht clubs?

https://www.ontario.ca/page/enhancin...down#section-4

I read "boating clubs" the same a "yacht club" so sounds like we're exempt for now.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by danstanford

Mike, as a journalist you have been at the bleeding edge of the news so I trust your perspective, but my impression was that it was a change in the patent protection for drug makers that prompted the exodus. That along with price protection (protecting perceived price gouging) has led to the exodus of drug companies.

You're probably correct Dan, I'm sure the full explanation is more nuanced than my jaded summary . But it is a fact that Canada was once a world leader in vaccine research and production, and that the last of our facilities were first privatized, then sold off to larger corporate interests that eventually moved everything out of the country. No doubt they were chasing higher profits and better patent protections.

There's quite a bit written about this. Here's just one of dozens of articles that came up in my quick search:

'We took our eye off the ball': How Canada lost its vaccine production capacity

We're now trying to rebuild capacity now. Given the predictions that we should expect pandemics to happen more frequently, it seems an issue of public security that we have our own capacity here.

Canada needs the Connaught model of domestic vaccine production

Originally Posted by pcmm

I read "boating clubs" the same a "yacht club" so sounds like we're exempt for now.

That's how I read it as well, but maybe there's more detail somewhere else in the regs. Definitely worth checking into if your local club or marina is closing.

[TrentePieds]

Connaught is but one example, so what a splendid discussion this could become if we were not constrained from discussing the politics of ANY nation in this 'ere forum :-)!

TP

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

Connaught is but one example, so what a splendid discussion this could become if we were not constrained from discussing the politics of ANY nation in this 'ere forum :-)!

TP

Subtle point taken .

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by pcmm

I read "boating clubs" the same a "yacht club" so sounds like we're exempt for now.

A friend forwarded to me a flash email from Port Credit Yacht Club saying that they believe that they are exempt, and that boat work is carrying on, with precautions in place.

Also, golf is exempt. So we demand equal treatment for all affluent older males!! Who's with me? Raise your canes!

[desodave]

And the latest regarding the border;


https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bor...inty-1.5980670

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by desodave

And the latest regarding the border;


https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bor...inty-1.5980670

Who's He kidding, the border has never really been closed anyway! The only thing you can't do is drive/boat across. Flights in and out of the country are still ongoing.

[GordMay]

“As vaccinations increase, maintaining COVID-curbing behaviour is going to get more complicated” ~ by Brooke Struck · for CBC News Opinion
An interesting, and informative look at how social norms have been key to encouraging public health compliance, for the past year, but vaccines could undermine their effectiveness, moving forward. He offers two straightforward strategies, that health authorities should consider.
Much more ➥ https://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/opin...iour-1.5973372

[Midnight Son]

Originally Posted by GordMay

“As vaccinations increase, maintaining COVID-curbing behaviour is going to get more complicated” ~ by Brooke Struck · for CBC News Opinion
An interesting, and informative look at how social norms have been key to encouraging public health compliance, for the past year, but vaccines could undermine their effectiveness, moving forward. He offers two straightforward strategies, that health authorities should consider.
Much more ➥ https://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/opin...iour-1.5973372

Yes, according to UK NHS, and others, it takes 32 days after the first of the two jabs, before your body gets to max immune system response to the vaccine first shot, and two more weeks after the second jab, before a ~normal persons immune system gets to the best, it is going to be, to fight off the virus.

Due to everyone being different, YMMV. Hopefully not by much.
So please try not to push the envelope, a lot of sailing still to be done.

Best wishes.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by pcmm

Who's He kidding, the border has never really been closed anyway! The only thing you can't do is drive/boat across. Flights in and out of the country are still ongoing.

While it's true the border has never been fully closed, the cross-border numbers have been reduced by something like 90%, so it's pretty tightly restricted.

For some reason that no one has ever explained, Americans have been unable to fly to Canada (for non-essential travel), but recreating Canadians have continued to be allowed into the USA.

Up until now it has largely been Canada that has wanted the border closed, but given the way our respective infection rates are going, our American friends might be wise to keep us out until our vaccination numbers increase.

[Mike OReilly]

I just got my appointments! Going in a few days.

Turns out I live in a provincial "hot spot" in Ottawa, so even though I'm on the younger side, I qualify! Yahoo!!

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I just got my appointments! Going in a few days.

Turns out I live in a provincial "hot spot" in Ottawa, so even though I'm on the younger side, I qualify! Yahoo!!

Good to hear! Our postal code is also hot, and I believe they're now scheduling anyone 18+. And they're finally putting emphasis on the areas of town where there's a concentration of "essential" workers - aka the underpaid, no-benefit, no-paid-sick-days folks doing most of the working and struggling and being at higher risk, while we hunker down and fret about delayed launch dates.

[Montanan]

On Wednesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched a stark warning that even fully vaccinated Americans should avoid travel to Canada. And if they do go for essential purposes, they should be tested three to five days upon return.

Don't see the border reopening anytime soon.

[Montanan]

America may be close to hitting a vaccine wall.

"There are growing signs that parts of the country may be close to meeting demand for the coronavirus vaccine — well before the U.S. has reached herd immunity.

Why it matters: For the last few months, the primary focus of the U.S. has been getting shots to everyone who wants them, as quickly as possible. Soon, that focus will abruptly shift to convincing holdouts to get vaccinated."

. . .

Vaccine hesitancy / unwillingness is going to be a big problem because a sizeable portion of the population will not become immunized hence the disease will continue to linger and spread at significant rates.


But it appears that the USA will soon have supply in excess of demand and likely will be able to export the excess to countries that have populations that are willing and able to be jabbed.

Stay safe, stay healthy.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/america-m...095012220.html

There is the saying: One can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

Good to hear! Our postal code is also hot, and I believe they're now scheduling anyone 18+. And they're finally putting emphasis on the areas of town where there's a concentration of "essential" workers - aka the underpaid, no-benefit, no-paid-sick-days folks doing most of the working and struggling and being at higher risk, while we hunker down and fret about delayed launch dates.

Isn't it great to be living in a danger zone .

And yes, it's about time we focused on all essential workers. Not taking anything away from frontline medical personnel who all deserve medals, but the people who keep our stores open and our packages coming are the real heroes. They've kept the rest of us alive, and our economies from collapsing.

As you say, most do it for minimum wage, with no benefits and little job security. I truly hope this is one of the lessons we take away from this pandemic. It isn't the stockbrokers or lawyers or corporate CEO who we really need. It's the person behind the till, the folks who move our goods and stock our shelves, the people who keep the water and electricity flowing. And yet these are some of the lowest paid people in our economies.