With B.C.’s announcement last week that it would be phasing out mask and vaccine mandates, all 10 provinces have now set an effective end-date to their treatment of COVID-19 as a public health emergency. By April 27 — the date when Ontario’s pandemic restrictions become the last to expire — mask, vaccine and physical distancing mandates will effectively cease to exist in Canadian daily life.
Except according to Ottawa.
Ont. reports no new virus-related deaths today as mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies end in long-term care homes, hospitals
There are 228 people in ICU with COVID-19.
There are 1,116 new cases of COVID-19.
Hospitalization data is currently unavailable.
Today’s numbers will be available at 10:30 a.m. at https://t.co/ypmgZbVRvn.
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) March 14, 2022
Highlights from Statistics Canada’s two-year update on COVID-19 pandemic’s impact
OTTAWA — The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up many aspects of Canadian life. As the pandemic’s second anniversary arrives, Statistics Canada reviewed the social and economic impacts of COVID-19 across the country. Here are the highlights…
Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policies in Ontario hospitals, LTC homes, schools end today
Dr. Jill (Glasspool-Malone) keeps noodling me to write a piece describing my feelings on this topic. Personally, I dislike focusing on the psychology of how these last two years have impacted on me (and us). Much as I am very wary of the “cult of personality” aspect of my newfound fame. I have not spoken out because I sought attention, I have done this because it was the right thing to do, and I seemed to have a unique widow of opportunity to speak for those whose voices were so actively suppressed. But I certainly have had to take hits for it. The slander, defamation, gaslighting, and globally coordinated character assassination have been non-stop. But as time has gone by, and more and more has been revealed about the hidden hands that seek to manage what we are allowed to hear, see, and think, I have been transformed.
Barack Obama tests positive for COVID-19 https://t.co/6kjtLAItKJ
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) March 13, 2022
Ont. reports 9 more virus-related deaths; 228 COVID-19 patients now in ICU
Ontario is reporting nine more virus-related deaths as the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care continues a slow but steady decline.
Provincial health officials did not disclose today how many COVID-19 patients are currently receiving treatment in Ontario hospitals but the province said there are now 228 COVID-19 patients in intensive care in the province, down from 247 seven days ago.
There are 228 people in ICU with COVID-19.
There are 1,631 new cases of COVID-19.
Hospitalization data is currently unavailable.
Today’s numbers will be available at 10:30 a.m. at https://t.co/ypmgZbVRvn.
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) March 13, 2022
Friction over the return to work is settling on a hated aspect of office life: getting there
When Michele Finney thinks about her life before the pandemic, she doesn’t know how she got everything done. The Oshawa mother has a lot on her plate. In addition to her administrative job at a Big Five bank, she has a three-year old son and two dogs that keep her busy.
For the past two years, juggling everything has been a little easier because she’s been working from home. She can use her lunch break to pick up groceries or put a load of laundry in the machine. Getting dinner ready on time isn’t a problem, and she has time after work to be with her son. “The quality of life is so much better,” she said.
When state public health officials publish Monday’s report about the latest COVID-19 impacts on Massachusetts, the cumulative death toll through two years of the pandemic will suddenly stand about 15% lower.
This is an important post. This may be one of the most important posts I’ve made so far.
It shows that the tide is turning our way: a former advocate of the vaccine, trusted by millions of people, has now realized he’s been deceived and he’s not happy about it at all.
Ontario reports 20 more COVID-19 deaths, 722 people in hospital
Ontario reported 20 net new COVID-19 deaths on Saturday along with 722 people hospitalized with the virus.
The Ministry of Health says 16 of the deaths reported today occurred in the last month and four deaths occurred more than one month ago.
On Friday, the ministry began a new method of reporting COVID-19 deaths by providing the “fatality type” including whether COVID was the underlying cause of death, contributed to the death, or if the cause of death is unknown or missing from provincial data.
232 people are in ICU with #COVID19. 77% of patients admitted to the ICU were admitted for COVID-19 and 23% were admitted for other reasons but have tested positive for COVID-19.
There are 2,015 new cases of COVID-19.
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) March 12, 2022
‘They aren’t medical experts:’ Premier Ford warns boards not to maintain mask mandate in schools
Premier Doug Ford is discouraging school boards from seeking extensions to the lifting of the mask mandate later this month, telling reporters that trustees “aren’t medical experts” and should simply follow the advice of Ontario’s top health official.
Trustees with both the Toronto District School Board and the Toronto Catholic District School Board have formally asked that the scheduled lifting of the mandate in schools on March 21 be put on hold for an indeterminate period of time amid concerns about the potential spread of COVID-19 as students return from March Break.
Despite the mildness of the dominant omicron variant and the evidence that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine hasn’t stopped infection or transmission of SARS-CoV-2 while posing serious health risks, the company’s CEO is asking the FDA to grant emergency use authorization for a second booster, a fourth shot.
As the federal government was promising to tackle harmful false claims about the pandemic spreading online, it was giving thousands of dollars to a magazine spreading vaccine misinformation — including unsubstantiated claims that COVID-19 vaccines could cause cancer in children.
238 people are in ICU with #COVID19. 76% of patients admitted to the ICU were admitted for COVID-19 and 24% were admitted for other reasons but have tested positive for COVID-19.
There are 2,130 new cases of COVID-19.
— Christine Elliott (@celliottability) March 11, 2022
W.H.O. Scolds Pandemic Disbelievers: ‘We Warned You‘ About Coronavirus
The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) lashed out Thursday at what it claims was the slow response to its warnings of the threat posed by coronavirus, rejecting criticism of its work while urging pandemic disbelievers to heed the “corrected narrative” of events.
Two years of living through the COVID-19 pandemic has left Canadians in a dour mood, with the majority saying the ordeal has significantly disrupted their lives, pulled Canadians further apart, brought out the worst in people and weakened their compassion for one another.
Premier Doug Ford is defending his government’s decision to lift the mask mandate in most settings in less than two weeks, even as one GTA mayor questions the timing of the move.
At a briefing on Thursday, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie told reporters she thinks it is a “bit too soon” to lift the mask mandate in most settings as of March 21 given that proof of vaccination requirements were only recently removed.
But at a subsequent news conference to unveil a new transportation infrastructure plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, Ford stood by the decision while acknowledging that he will continue to wear a mask when he visits his mother-in-law in her long-term care home. He also said that he would choose to wear a mask whenever he is inside a hospital, even after the requirement for that setting is lifted in April.
Ontario reports 20 net new COVID-19 deaths on Thursday; 489 ‘incidental’ deaths from tally removed
Ontario reported 20 net new deaths from COVID-19 on Thursday, as hospitalizations appeared to hit a downward plateau and a new investigation effort found 489 of the province’s total COVID-19 deaths were likely not caused by the viral infection.
The Ministry of Health said 14 of the new deaths occurred in the past 30 days, while six others occurred prior to that period.
COVID-19 pandemic has brought out the worst in people, pulled Canadians further apart, survey suggests
Two years of living through the COVID-19 pandemic has left Canadians in a dour mood, with the majority saying the ordeal has significantly disrupted their lives, pulled Canadians further apart, brought out the worst in people and weakened their compassion for one another.
These are the findings of a new survey, carried out by the Angus Reid Institute, in partnership with CBC, which coincide with the two-year anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring the worldwide outbreaks of COVID-19 a pandemic.
Most doctors don’t publicly question COVID vaccines and the pandemic response, but their private exchanges on social media suggest there may be a growing but silent minority of physicians who disagree with official policy yet are unwilling to speak out for fear of retribution.
