Coronavirus Update: B.C. residents can now cross into U.S. for fuel without COVID-19 test to return

Good evening, here are the COVID-19 updates you need to know tonight.

Top headlines:

1. As catastrophic flooding cuts off fuel shipments to swathes of the province, B.C. residents can now cross into the U.S. for gas and essential supplies without a COVID-19 test to return
2. Ontario Senator Josée Forest-Niesing has died after battle with COVID-19
3. Nearly two years into the pandemic, experts say public health messaging needs to evolve

COVID-19 data is published Monday through Friday.

Coronavirus explainers: Coronavirus in maps and charts • Tracking vaccine doses • Lockdown rules and reopening

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Coronavirus in Canada

• As flooding in British Columbia cuts off fuel shipments to swathes of the province, and some food supplies are running short, B.C. residents can now cross into the United States to buy fuel and other essential supplies without having to present a negative COVID-19 test to re-enter Canada.
• Ontario is reporting 741 new cases of COVID-19 today and three new deaths attributed to the virus. It marks the fourth straight day the province has surpassed 700 new infections.
• Quebec is reporting 707 new cases of COVID-19 today and three more deaths attributed to the virus.
• Despite the territory having one of the highest vaccination rates in the country, Yukon is grappling with the worst per-capita COVID-19 numbers in Canada.

Nearly two full years in the pandemic, persuasive public health messaging has become increasingly difficult. How do you convince people to remain vigilant this long into a crisis?

• According to “science communicators,” pandemic messaging must be more honest and closely tailored to specific audiences, but also human and empathetic, with a focus on installing hope.
• “Fear is not a really helpful motivator at this point. People are really burned out. Positive reinforcement and reminding people of the progress are key,” says Samantha Yammine, a Toronto science communicator who consults with Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Pediatric vaccines: As Canada prepares to receive its first shipment of the children’s COVID-19 vaccine today, many jurisdictions say they’re awaiting the arrival of supply before opening up appointment slots.

Josée Forest-Niesing: The Ontario senator has died shortly after being hospitalized with COVID-19. She was 56.

Vaccination status in Parliament: Concern over the vaccination status of Conservative MPs is front and centre on the eve of a new session of Parliament after Quebec MP Richard Lehoux tested positive for COVID-19.

Coronavirus around the world

• Amid soaring infections and low inoculation rates, Germany is debating making COVID-19 vaccinations compulsory for citizens.
• Dutch police arrested seven rioters protesting COVID-19 restrictions in The Hague on Saturday night after they set fires in the streets and threw fireworks at the officers.

Coronavirus and business

As the cruise industry struggles to recover from the pandemic, cruise companies are enticing new customers with special package prices and comprehensive COVID-19 protocols.

• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only began allowing ships to sail again in June 2021, and only then with tight health protocols, including mandatory vaccination for passengers and onboard mask protocols.
• But Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is currently fighting a court battle to stop cruise lines from requiring proof of vaccination for passengers travelling from the state’s ports.

Also today: During the pandemic, interest in alternative energy and sustainable finance has reached a peak. Green energy could be key to replacing the oil and gas workers who’ve vanished from Calgary’s core.

And: Disney World puts COVID-19 vaccine mandate on hold.

Globe opinion

• Robyn Urback: Canadians should avoid extreme measures to coerce the unvaccinated
• Doug Saunders: Europe’s preventable outbreak has one cause: politicians pandering to the unvaccinated

Information centre

• Everything you need to know about Canada’s travel restrictions for vaccinated and unvaccinated people
• Waiting for a second dose? We answer your COVID-19 vaccine questions
• What is and isn’t ‘paid sick leave’ in Canada? A short primer
• Got a vaccine ‘hangover’? Here’s why

Sources: Canada data are compiled from government websites, Johns Hopkins University and COVID-19 Canada Open Data Working Group; international data are from Johns Hopkins.

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