Coronavirus – Brandon Sun

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and other Republican senators tell reporters they want the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military to be rescinded under the annual defense bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Senate passes defense bill rescinding COVID vaccine mandate

Kevin Freking, The Associated Press 5 minute read Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to rescind the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military and provide nearly $858 billion for national defense passed the Senate on Thursday and now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

The bill provides for about $45 billion more for defense programs than Biden requested and roughly 10% more than last year’s bill as lawmakers look to account for inflation and boost the nation’s military competitiveness with China and Russia. It includes a 4.6% pay raise for servicemembers and the Defense Department's civilian workforce.

The Senate passed the defense policy bill by a vote of 83-11. The measure also received broad bipartisan support in the House last week.

To win GOP support for the 4,408-page bill, Democrats agreed to Republican demands to scrap the requirement for service members to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill directs Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to rescind his August 2021 memorandum imposing the mandate.

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Six-month COVID-19 vaccine delay would have cost $156B: study

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Six-month COVID-19 vaccine delay would have cost $156B: study

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022

A study from the C.D. Howe Institute estimates Canada would have lost $156 billion in economic activity in 2021 had COVID-19 vaccines been rolled out six months later than they were.

That would have been equivalent to about 12.5 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product.

“The results show that vaccination was highly beneficial to population health and also cost-effective from an economic perspective,” the think tank said in a report released Thursday.

Rosalie Wyonch, a senior policy analyst and author of the report, said vaccines were effective at reducing the number of cases, hospitalizations and deaths. There were also much larger benefits on the broader economy, she added.

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Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022

A person draws out a vaccine in Kingston, Ont., on Sunday Jan. 2, 2022. A study from the C.D. Howe Institute estimates Canada would have lost $156 billion in economic activity in 2021 had COVID-19 vaccines been rolled out six months later than they were. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg

Canada’s chief science adviser releases recommendations to combat long-COVID

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Canada’s chief science adviser releases recommendations to combat long-COVID

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022

OTTAWA - Canada's chief science adviser gave the government a road map on Wednesday to wade through some of the murky and mysterious elements of long-COVID in an effort to offer people better treatment, starting with an admission that the disease even exists.

The recommendations presented by Mona Nemer came from a task force that was establishedin July to respond to post-COVID-19 condition, or long-COVID.

As of August, 14.8 per cent of adults who have had COVID-19 experienced symptoms three months or more after their initial infection, Nemer said.

The symptoms range in severity and include muscle pain, brain fog, trouble breathing, extreme fatigue, gastrointestinal problems and heart palpitations.

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Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022

Chief science advisor Mona Nemer speaks during a news conference, Thursday, April 23, 2020 in Ottawa. Nemer released the recommendations of a taskforce established in the summer to respond to post-COVID condition, or long-COVID, today ahead of the release of her full report. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Churches in Manitoba Court of Appeal to challenge COVID-19 rules

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Churches in Manitoba Court of Appeal to challenge COVID-19 rules

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022

WINNIPEG - Lawyers for seven Manitoba churches made another attempt Tuesday to have some of the province's former COVID-19 restrictions declared invalid.

The churches say public health orders in 2020 and 2021 that temporarily closed in-person religious services, then permitted them with caps on attendance, violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

A Court of Queen’s Bench justice previously rejected that argument, saying the restrictions were both necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and allowable under Section 1 of the Charter.

The churches’ lawyer told the Court of Appeal that the trial judge erred in not fully examining whether less restrictive rules could have achieved the same goal.

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Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022

A gavel sits on a desk before the a meeting of the House Justice and Human Rights Committee in Ottawa, on February 13, 2019. Seven Manitoba churches are in court appealing a ruling that upheld COVID-19 restrictions on religious services. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Health Canada approves first bivalent booster for kids ages 5 to 11

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Health Canada approves first bivalent booster for kids ages 5 to 11

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Friday, Dec. 9, 2022

OTTAWA - Health Canada approved a COVID-19 vaccine booster for children on Friday that targets more recent variants of the coronavirus, along with the original strain.

The Pfizer-BioNTech "bivalent" shot protects against the most prevalent subvariants of Omicron, BA.4 and BA.5, and is the first approved for use in children ages five to 11.

In a press release, Health Canada said that after the thorough review it has found the vaccine is safe and effective and that its benefits outweigh any potential risks when used as a booster dose.

The child-sized dose is about a third of the dose that is approved for people over the age of 12.

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Friday, Dec. 9, 2022

Vials of Pfizer's updated COVID-19 vaccine is seen during production in Kalamazoo, Mich., in an Aug. 2022, handout photo. Health Canada has approved a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster for use in children ages five to 11, which targets the original strain of the coronavirus and more recent variants. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-HO, Pfizer, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

House passes defense bill scrapping COVID vaccine mandate

Kevin Freking, The Associated Press 5 minute read Preview

House passes defense bill scrapping COVID vaccine mandate

Kevin Freking, The Associated Press 5 minute read Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill to rescind the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military and provide nearly $858 billion for national defense passed the House on Thursday as lawmakers scratch off one of the final items on their yearly to-do list.

The bill provides for about $45 billion more for defense programs than President Joe Biden requested, the second consecutive year Congress significantly exceeded his request, as lawmakers seek to boost the nation's military competitiveness with China and Russia.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 350-80. It now goes to the Senate, where it is expected to pass easily, then to the president to be signed into law.

To win bipartisan support for the bill, Democrats agreed to Republican demands to scrap the requirement for service members to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill directs Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to rescind his August 2021 memorandum imposing the mandate. Only days earlier he voiced support for keeping the mandate in effect.

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Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022

A group of Republican senators, from left, Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., tell reporters that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military should be rescinded under the annual defense bill, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

COVID-19 benefits helped economy rebound, but post-payment verification lacking: AG

Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

COVID-19 benefits helped economy rebound, but post-payment verification lacking: AG

Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022

OTTAWA - Canada's auditor general says COVID-19 benefits were delivered quickly and helped mitigate economic suffering, but the federal government hasn’t done enough to recover billions of dollars in overpayments.

In a new report Tuesday, Karen Hogan said federal benefit programs provided relief to workers and employers affected by the pandemic and helped the national economy rebound.

"Overall, we found that the Canada Revenue Agency and Employment and Social Development Canada effectively delivered COVID-19 programs," Hogan said in a news conference.

At the same time, she said the revenue agency and the department have not followed up by verifying those payments.

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Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022

The landing page for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit is seen in Toronto, Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Giordano Ciampini

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Most unused COVID-19 vaccines will expire at the end of the year: auditor general

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Most unused COVID-19 vaccines will expire at the end of the year: auditor general

Laura Osman, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022

OTTAWA - Tens of millions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines are likely about to expire and go to waste because of a failure to manage an oversupply, Canada's auditor general reported Tuesday — a failure with an estimated price tag of about $1 billion.

Karen Hogan has released the results of her office's investigation into the government's efforts to get ahold of COVID-19 vaccine doses in the early days of the pandemic, and track how many people got them.

The auditor gave the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Procurement Department a thumbs up when it came to quickly getting enough doses into the country to meet vaccination goals, but said the government did a much poorer job of managing all that supply.

"We found that the Public Health Agency of Canada was unsuccessful in its efforts to minimize vaccine wastage," Hogan wrote in the report.

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Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022

Workers unload a shipment of the Moderna COVID‑19 vaccine at the FedEx hub at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on May 20, 2021. Canada's auditor general is expected to release two highly anticipated reports on the government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis in 2021, including access to vaccines and pandemic benefits. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

B.C.’s COVID response praised for ‘nimbleness,’ calls to bolster public trust

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

B.C.’s COVID response praised for ‘nimbleness,’ calls to bolster public trust

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Friday, Dec. 2, 2022

VICTORIA - A review of British Columbia's COVID-19 response released Friday says despite being unprepared for the pandemic, the province showed "resilience, balance and nimbleness" during the emergency.

That's despite nearly 75 per cent of the people surveyed as part of the independent review reporting they didn't trust information coming from the government.

However, both the report's authors and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth say the online survey was not representative of the population as a whole and the results showed significantly more dissatisfaction than other public opinion research.

The review, which included meetings with 145 organizations and the survey with 15,000 respondents, made 26 findings including recommendations around better communication, transparency, data collection and improved public trust.

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Friday, Dec. 2, 2022

B.C. Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth speaks during a news conference, in Vancouver, B.C., Monday, April 11, 2022. A review of British Columbia's COVID-19 response says despite being unprepared for the pandemic, the province showed

Court dismisses Saskatchewan restaurant’s case against COVID-19 health orders

The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Court dismisses Saskatchewan restaurant’s case against COVID-19 health orders

The Canadian Press 3 minute read Friday, Nov. 25, 2022

NIPAWIN, Sask. - A Saskatchewan judge has upheld the province’s public health orders that required restaurants to track patrons during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying it did not violate the charter rights of people going to get food at a restaurant linked to a significant outbreak.

Shorebird Investment Ltd, which operates a hotel and restaurant in Tobin Lake, Sask., filed the legal challenge after it was charged for not following health orders in March 2021.

Judge Steven Schiefner said that the public health orders did not impede on diners’ constitutional rights and found Shorebird guilty.

In a written decision Tuesday, Schiefner said that keeping a list of diners was not a significant infringement of the right to privacy and was reasonable considering the state of the pandemic at the time.

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Friday, Nov. 25, 2022

Saskatchewan's provincial flag flies on a flag pole in Ottawa on July 6, 2020. A Saskatchewan judge has upheld the province’s public health order that required restaurants to track patrons during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, saying it did not violate the charter rights of people going to get food.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Emails to Manitoba premier provide a snapshot of public feedback on pandemic rules

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Emails to Manitoba premier provide a snapshot of public feedback on pandemic rules

Steve Lambert, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Monday, Nov. 21, 2022

WINNIPEG - Dictator. Criminal. Greedy.

Those are some of the descriptors fired in writing at former Manitoba premier Brian Pallister by members of the general public in May 2020 as the government was facing the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The correspondence to the premier's office over a two-day period — May 11 and 12 of that year — was obtained by The Canadian Press under a freedom-of-information request that took more than a year to fulfil. It provides a small snapshot of the feedback the government faced as it maintained limits on business openings and public gatherings.

"Your office is bordering on criminal. You have the whole province shut down for what, 30 cases?" reads one email from a person who wanted public health orders lifted. The names of all senders were withheld under privacy provisions.

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Monday, Nov. 21, 2022

Manitoba Premier Brian Pallister makes an announcement in front of the Dome Building in Brandon, Man., Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski

Transport minister encourages masks on planes, Ontario says illnesses slowing down

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Transport minister encourages masks on planes, Ontario says illnesses slowing down

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022

Canada's transport minister says the federal government strongly encourages people to wear masks on planes and trains as regions across the country report increasing pressure on the health-care system, but he stopped short of making it a requirement.

Omar Alghabra said the advice follows a briefing Thursday with Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer.

"I continue to wear my mask when I’m travelling on a plane," Alghabra told a news conference.

"Given the pressure that our hospitals are dealing with and our health-care system, I think it’s the kind thing to do to protect others around us."

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Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022

Montreal COVID response had negative ‘collateral impacts’ on population, report finds

Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Montreal COVID response had negative ‘collateral impacts’ on population, report finds

Morgan Lowrie, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022

MONTREAL - The COVID-19 pandemic and the health measures brought in to limit it caused widespread collateral impacts that disproportionately harmed the most vulnerable, Montreal's public health director said Tuesday.

Mylène Drouin presented a report on the city's COVID-19 management that includes 11 recommendations to help it respond to future health crises more efficiently and equitably.

One of her key recommendations is to develop a surveillance system to monitor the collateral impacts of health measures and find ways to reduce them, especially on the most vulnerable. "We’re not all equal when faced with health emergencies," she told reporters via video conference.

"People’s exposure to risk is different, their capacity to put in place protective measures, and their capacity to recover is determined by their vulnerability," she added.

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Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022

Montreal Public Health Director Dr. Mylene Drouin gives an update on the Coronavirus situation in the city during a news conference in Montreal on February 24, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Saskatchewan’s top doctor not recommending mask as respiratory virus rates rise

Mickey Djuric, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Saskatchewan’s top doctor not recommending mask as respiratory virus rates rise

Mickey Djuric, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022

REGINA - Saskatchewan’s chief medical health officer is not recommending masks as the province deals with a trifecta of respiratory viruses.

Dr. Saqib Shahab said coughs and colds are returning after a two-year hiatus, and that people can expect to get sick two to four times a year.

"Ultimately, it's your personal choice to wear a mask," Shahab said Tuesday.

Instead of recommending everyone wear masks in public settings, Shahab said people need to do their own risk assessment and stay home when sick.

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Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022

Saqib Shahab, chief medical health officer, speaks at a COVID-19 news update at the Legislative Building in Regina on March 18, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michael Bell

New Democrats call for independent review of government’s COVID-19 response

Laura Osman and Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

New Democrats call for independent review of government’s COVID-19 response

Laura Osman and Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Monday, Nov. 14, 2022

OTTAWA - It's time for Canadians to find out how well the federal government handled COVID-19 with a public inquiry into Canada's pandemic response, the NDP says.

With the final federal public-health restrictions having been lifted in September, NDP health critic Don Davies said the government needs to look back at whether appropriate actions were taken to manage the crisis.

"It's time to have a proper, comprehensive, full examination of the federal preparedness and response. And the only way to do that is by calling an official inquiry," he said in an interview.

Davies said it was clear at the onset of the pandemic that Canada was not well-equipped to handle the strain caused by COVID-19. He said a public inquiry can answer questions about everything from the early detection of the virus to personal protective equipment shortages and domestic vaccine production capabilities.

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Monday, Nov. 14, 2022

Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam speaks during a news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic in Ottawa on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Tam warns of flu upswing, new COVID-19 variants as viral triple threat continues

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Tam warns of flu upswing, new COVID-19 variants as viral triple threat continues

The Canadian Press 4 minute read Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022

OTTAWA - Canada’s top doctor is warning of "increased growth" in new COVID-19 variants and an upswing in seasonal influenza cases, just as a surge of respiratory syncytial virus inundates hospitals.

Chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said Thursday in a virtual update that the triple threat of all three viruses is posing a challenge for the health system in several parts of the country and points to the need for "stepped up precautions."

"Although public health measures, including our individual prevention practices kept COVID-19 and seasonal respiratory viruses at bay for the past two-plus years, this third winter of COVID-19 comes with some cautions," said Tam, stopping short of a call for mask mandates but recommended people wear them indoors.

"I know we're all tired and we know only too well the long list of good habits that can help keep us and others healthier."

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Thursday, Nov. 10, 2022

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