Canadian COVID-19 News

[desodave]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

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.

And also to Lake Effect



I feel privileged to be retired, to have our boat at a marina close by, in the water, able to work on it, and knowing we will be out in it very soon. Imo the worries of our social isolation pale wrt the worries of those who have to work in daily contact with many people in order to pay the rent and put food on the table.

[Montanan]

Is Canada considering Covid Vaccine Passports, or is it simply too early on in the vaccination process for such discussions??

Today's news south of the border:

The U.S. federal government won’t require COVID-19 vaccine passports, Dr. Anthony Fauci says. But Americans may still need them in some circumstances.

Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said he doubts the federal government would be the “main mover” of vaccine passports but that “individual entities” — such as businesses or schools — could require them.

A political hot potato subject.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Montanan

Is Canada considering Covid Vaccine Passports, or is it simply too early on in the vaccination process for such discussions??

Here are some tea leaves to read:

Trudeau cool to the idea of vaccine 'passports' for the post-pandemic world

COVID-19 vaccine ‘passports’ could be new point of contention at Canada-U.S. border

As usual, our "leaders" are leading by watching the political winds.

My bet is there will be no formal Canadian "vaccine passport," but there will likely be specific requirements by some businesses, institutions and perhaps provincial governments.

[GordMay]

After I got my vaccination, I got an "OFFICIAL RECEIPT", from the Ontario Ministry of Health, indicating all details.
I have no idea who would accept this as proof of vaccination.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by GordMay

After I got my vaccination, I got an "OFFICIAL RECEIPT", from the Ontario Ministry of Health, indicating all details.
I have no idea who would accept this as proof of vaccination.

The passport is that "I got vaccinated!" sticker they gave you. It has a 5G microchip. Hope you didn't pitch it, or stick it on your toolbox...

[GordMay]

“Canada shatters single-day COVID-19 case record with over 9K new infections” by Sean Boynton, Global News
The number of new COVID-19 cases, across Canada, hit a new all-time record Friday, surpassing 9,000 [9,255], for the first time since the pandemic began.
The variants are also sending more people to emergency rooms. As of Friday, 3,008 patients were in hospital, across the country, up by nearly 1,000, compared to a week ago. Of those, 941 are in intensive care, nearing another record.
Much more ➥ https://globalnews.ca/news/7750053/c...-april-9-2021/


“Coronavirus variants are testing the limits of what we once thought was safe in Canada:” ~ by Adam Miller · CBC News - Opinion
Explosion of variant cases elevates risk of COVID-19 exposure in everyday situations, experts say.
More ➥ https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coron...d-19-1.5982323

[danstanford]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

As usual, our "leaders" are leading by watching the political winds.

.

I don't often belly laugh but this one made me do so Mike, thanks.

I am going to add it to another subtle one I heard from a former Canadian diplomat I served on a board with who opined that a Canadian government department we were dealing with were "not very well informed and not curious".

[Montanan]

Canada's COVID-19 battle at a 'critical point': Vaccines aren't going to help us get out of the third wave immediately, Dr. Tam warns

https://www.yahoo.com/news/canada-co...181727050.html

[Montanan]

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now suggesting Americans avoid travelling to Canada due to a high number of COVID-19 cases, even if they’re fully vaccinated.

On a webpage updated on April 2, Canada is indicated as Level Four, the highest possible risk level.

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices...navirus-canada

“Because of the current situation in Canada, even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Canada,” reads the website. “If you must travel to Canada, get fully vaccinated before travel. All travelers should wear a mask, stay 6 feet from others, avoid crowds, and wash their hands.”

Okay, so you can expect very few Montanans attempting to cross over the 49th anytime soon.

Stay safe, stay healthy.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Montanan

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is now suggesting Americans avoid travelling to Canada due to a high number of COVID-19 cases, even if they’re fully vaccinated.

Yes indeed. Like I said, up till recently it's been Canada who has pushed to keep the international border closed. But give the current trends in both countries, it'd be wise for roles to reverse and have the USA insist on its continued closure.

[Montanan]

So if travel into Canada is restricted, how did the P-1 variant become spread at Whistler Ski Resort and B.C.?

"The Whistler Blackcomb ski resort was shut down by provincial authorities at the end of March after they realised that P1, the highly infectious coronavirus variant traced back to Brazil, was spreading rapidly throughout the community.

As provinces across Canada break records for new cases of the virus, experts have grown increasingly troubled by the rapid and covert spread of variants. With 877 confirmed cases of P1, the province of British Columbia is now the centre of the world’s largest sequenced outbreak of the variant outside Brazil – and nearly a quarter of those cases have been linked to Whistler.

P1 is believed to be a highly infectious mutation of the virus that appears to be more fatal among young people and has the ability to reinfect victims."

. . .

"It remains a mystery how the variant arrived: none of the 84 people initially flagged at the beginning of the Whistler outbreak reported any travel outside Canada.


https://www.yahoo.com/news/canada-sk...110033179.html

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Montanan

So if travel into Canada is restricted, how did the P-1 variant become spread at Whistler Ski Resort and B.C.?
. . .
"It remains a mystery how the variant arrived: none of the 84 people initially flagged at the beginning of the Whistler outbreak reported any travel outside Canada.

Damn good question. Unless the exact same mutations happened locally (highly unlikely) they had to come in from elsewhere. Travel has been restricted, but never 100% closed. Essential workers still cross the border. And returning Canadians must be let in.

[desodave]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Damn good question. Unless the exact same mutations happened locally (highly unlikely) they had to come in from elsewhere. Travel has been restricted, but never 100% closed. Essential workers still cross the border. And returning Canadians must be let in.

And the answer is probably in your last sentence. There were selfish people from all over Canada coming to Whistler, obviously in defiance of public health recommendations. And "all over Canada" includes our Lower Mainland - the Vancouver area. With the severely crowded employee accommodations there, and the likely unwise social interactions, it would only take one person to set the match to a fire.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by desodave

And the answer is probably in your last sentence. There were selfish people from all over Canada coming to Whistler, obviously in defiance of public health recommendations. And "all over Canada" includes our Lower Mainland - the Vancouver area. With the severely crowded employee accommodations there, and the likely unwise social interactions, it would only take one person to set the match to a fire.

Yes, although that doesn't explain how the variants first came into the country. This has to be from people coming from outside the country.

Canada instituted mandatory prearrival Covid-19 testing for returning travellers on Feb. 22. This was likely months too late since the first variants showed up in December 2020. I bet that was how things got it, and then the national travellers further spread the wild and variant forms across the country.

[Midnight Son]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Yes, although that doesn't explain how the variants first came into the country. This has to be from people coming from outside the country.

Canada instituted mandatory prearrival Covid-19 testing for returning travellers on Feb. 22. This was likely months too late since the first variants showed up in December 2020. I bet that was how things got it, and then the national travellers further spread the wild and variant forms across the country.

The first variants, started showing, I believe in the UK in late August, early September, with air travel, they where already in Canada. At the time one lady , on another forum, posted to shut down travel to Canada completely. I stated that it was already in Canada, as presently reduced air travel, it had probably been around the world three times, before the pandemic, probably more than ten. The variant arrival in Canada was announced just days later.