Dr. Eileen De Villa, Toronto’s chief public health officer, rarely if ever errs on the side of incaution. So it was interesting this week to see her suggest lightening up a bit. She said the city should remain in “lockdown,” as the province calls the package of restrictions currently in effect in Toronto and several other Ontario jurisdictions. But she recommended some tweaks to the “lockdown” rules. Outdoor activities such as patio dining and group exercise might be fine, she averred.
Scientists in Europe have reportedly found a link between the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine and extremely rare but potentially fatal blood clots, but Canadian public health officials have so far provided no update on guidance for the shot.
Happy anniversary everyone!
It’s been exactly 2 years and a trillion dollars without a budget. pic.twitter.com/ZvImpAYubj— pierrepoilievre (@PierrePoilievre) March 20, 2021
Protesters clashed with police in Germany and Croatia on Saturday as new lockdowns were introduced in France, Poland and Ukraine to battle a third wave of coronavirus.
Ontario is reporting 1,829 cases of #COVID19 and nearly 52,100 tests completed. Locally, there are 593 new cases in Toronto, 287 in Peel 157 in York Region, 124 in Hamilton and 101 in Ottawa.
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) March 20, 2021
Over 200 diners at Oakville restaurant may have been exposed to COVID-19 variant
Over 200 people who dined at a restaurant in Oakville throughout last week may have been exposed to a COVID-19 variant of concern, Halton Region Public Health (HRPH) says.
The health unit alerted the public on Friday to a possible COVID-19 exposure at Oliver’s Steakhouse at 141 Lake Shore Road East. An outbreak has been declared at the restaurant.
Patrons who ate at the establishment between March 8 and March 13 are being advised to self-isolate and get a COVID-19 test.
My personal Quarantine has ended! Free at Last!
Trudeau’s staff detailed potential changes to the Emergencies Act last year to force price caps on manufacturers and “expand” the authority of the procurement minister, Anita Anand, while the prime minister publicly rejected the need for such amendments.
Dr. Spot, a dog-like mobile robot programmed to triage hospital patients, is the newest front-line health-care worker to join the fight against COVID-19.
Grandma is going to freak out.
“There’s a lot of folks who think that, due to climate change and due to the globalization in general, it is inevitable that we’ll deal with more and more viruses like this,” Dr. Fauci told Meet the Press.
Allegations that the New York governor, Andrew Cuomo, improperly used the power of his office to shield political donors from Covid-19 lawsuits have reportedly become the subject of an FBI investigation.
Federal investigators are said to be looking into how a provision granting immunity to hospital and nursing home executives became a late addition to the state’s budget before it was passed last spring.
Ontario is reporting 1,745 cases of #COVID19 and over 56,100 tests completed. Locally, there are 478 new cases in Toronto, 344 in Peel, 174 in York Region and 116 in Hamilton.
As of 8:00 p.m. yesterday, 1,420,599 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) March 19, 2021
FUREY: Here’s what happened when one Toronto school had a new variant case
There’s no reason why anyone would think Earl Beatty Junior and Senior Public School, located in Toronto’s east end Danforth neighbourhood, was the site of any recent pandemic woes.
There are no recent media stories about the school. There’s very little social media chatter. And the school for some reason doesn’t even appear on the Ontario government’s listing of schools that have had reported COVID-19 cases during the past two weeks. (Although it is listed on the TDSB’s page of schools with active cases.)
Ontario is reporting 1,553 cases of #COVID19 and nearly 58,600 tests completed. Locally, there are 404 new cases in Toronto, 294 in Peel and 176 in York Region.
As of 8:00 p.m. yesterday, 1,359,453 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered.
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) March 18, 2021
Strict three-week lockdown needed to stop explosive COVID-19 variant growth, Ontario science table says
TORONTO — A three-week lockdown in certain regions of the province is necessary to blunt the explosive growth of the variants of concern, Ontario’s COVID-19 scientific advisory table says.
Dr. Peter Juni, the scientific director of the advisory table, believes Ontario could see between 2,500 to 5,000 new cases of COVID-19 per day in a few weeks, if the current trends continue.
It never ends.
Every mask law in Canada has a list of exemptions. These exemptions are not technicalities or loopholes — they’re an essential part of the law and any store that refuses to comply with them is breaking the law.
But Biden and administration officials have said the U.S. will not share its vaccines until after it has enough for its own people, leaving timing for any exports unclear.
If Patti out in Niagara Falls can get her sign in the ground, so can you!
Join Patti and the 10,000s of Ontarians who have already proudly planted their sign telling @fordnation and @JustinTrudeau #NoMoreLockdowns!
Request a sign: https://t.co/jLEa4iTeon pic.twitter.com/9Ld9pdLK7L
— No More Lockdowns Canada (@NML_Canada) March 17, 2021
A three-week lockdown in certain regions of the province is necessary to blunt the explosive growth of the variants of concern, Ontario’s COVID-19 scientific advisory table says.
Dr. Peter Juni, the scientific director of the advisory table, believes Ontario could see between 2,500 to 5,000 new cases of COVID-19 per day in a few weeks, if the current trends continue.
Ontario recorded more than 1,500 cases on Wednesday, the highest single-day total since early February, owing in large part to the variants of concern which account for more than half of the new cases.
“What we’re talking about here predominantly is the Golden Horseshoe, the Golden Horseshoe has a major problem, and we need to tackle this,” Juni told CTV News Toronto.
