Good evening, here are the coronavirus updates you need to know tonight.
Top headlines:
- A Canadian-led research team has found inspiration for its immunity test in a novel place: the enzyme that enables fireflies to glow
- Ontario Health Minister Christine Elliott says she will take an Oxford-AstraZeneca shot on camera in an attempt to quell hesitancy over the vaccine
- Last March, The Globe talked to people whose jobs had been upended. One year later, we checked in with them to follow up
In the last 7 days, 25,663 cases were reported, up 15 per cent from the previous 7 days. There were 221 deaths announced, up 1 per cent over the same period. At least 2,117 people are being treated in hospitals and 880,162 others are considered recovered.
About 86 per cent of the 4,773,170 doses of vaccine distributed to provinces have been administered. Canada’s inoculation rate is 36th among 84 countries with a population of one million or more people.
Sources: Canada data is compiled from government websites, Johns Hopkins and COVID-19 Canada Open Data Working Group; international data is from Johns Hopkins University.
Coronavirus explainers: Coronavirus in maps and charts • Tracking vaccine doses • Lockdown rules and reopening • Vaccine distribution plan • Four vaccines approved in Canada • Essential resources
Photo of the day
A woman takes a photo at the Old Town Square in Prague, on March 22, 2021, where thousands of crosses have been drawn onto the pavement to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of the first Czech COVID-19 patient. Church bells rang out across the Czech Republic on March 22 to mark one year since the first COVID-19 fatality in the country with the highest per capita death rate in the world.AFP Contributor#AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Coronavirus in Canada
- Alberta’s health minister said the province won’t further ease COVID-19 health restrictions for now – and blamed Ottawa. Meanwhile, the pastor charged with violating health rules can be released from jail immediately but has to pay a $1,500 fine.
- Ontario’s Health Minister Christine Elliott says she will take an Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine on camera to encourage others to get it. And, small-business groups say they would like to see more long-term commitments in the province’s budget to support sectors hit hardest by the pandemic.
- Quebec lowered the vaccine eligibility age in Montreal to those 60 and older, while maintaining the age limit of 65 in the rest of the province.
- Saskatchewan is sending 100,000 COVID-19 rapid tests to schools.
In Ottawa, Canada’s vaccination drive is poised to accelerate as the largest number of COVID-19 doses yet are set to arrive this week.
- Nearly 1.2 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are set to arrive this week, alongside 846,000 shots of the product developed by Moderna.
- Last week, Ottawa said it was finalizing an agreement with the United States for 1.5 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine before the end of the month.
- Also today, several provinces – Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick – expanded eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines.
COVID-19 health measures: A constitutional rights advocacy group has lost its bid for an injunction against the federal government’s quarantine hotel policy.
Pandemic inequalities: Canadians with disabilities – an estimated 20 per cent of Canadians – continue to face high financial barriers to afford basic needs during a pandemic that experts say has left them doubly disadvantaged.
Coronavirus around the world
- The European Commission has renewed threats to block exports of AstraZeneca vaccines – intensifying the vaccine war between Britain and the European Union.
- The AstraZeneca vaccine was 79 per cent effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and, crucially, posed no increased risk of blood clots, in major late-stage trials in Chile, Peru and the United States.
- India is reporting its highest number of COVID-19 cases and deaths in months.
Coronavirus and business
The federal government has extended the deadline for small businesses to apply for a Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loan, although it is keeping the eligibility criteria and funding amounts the same.
- CEBA, launched early in the pandemic, provides loans to small businesses of up to $60,000.
- Loan applications were originally due March 31 through participating banks, but the government announced Monday that businesses now have until June 30 to apply.
- The government says more than 850,000 businesses have been approved for the loans, for a total of nearly $45-million.
Also today: “Will it ever go back to what it was?” The pandemic has decimated Canada’s regional airline routes.
And: There are no home inspections and no conditional offers – and bids are routinely well over asking. Typical big-city real estate tactics are now spilling over into small towns.
Also see: Automakers in Canada, including Cadillac and Nissan, have pivoted to virtual showrooms – and are seeing success.
Globe opinion
- André Picard: We’ve finally started to get a handle on coronavirus classic, but the variants of concern are poised for a “hold my beer” moment.
- Victor Dodig: Just as we continue to take measures to prevent the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, we need to consider measures to prevent a financial pandemic down the road.
- Robert Rotberg: One of the best ways to help the Global South is to empower them with the ability to make their own supply of vaccines. Doing so would get everyone closer to our shared goal of putting the pandemic behind us.
More reporting
- COVID-19 created the radio star: How a Tofino station brought a community together
- First Person: The pandemic changed our wedding for the better
- Ask the Experts: My employees have really embraced working from home. Should we downsize the corporate offices?
- Canada’s top doctor says there have been 5,154 confirmed COVID-19 cases involving more transmissible variants, with the highest numbers in Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec
- The federal Liberals outlined broad plans in November for $70-billion to $100-billion in stimulus spending over the next three years. But more may not always be better
Information centre
- How well do vaccines work? Here’s what you need to know.
- Rob Carrick’s 10-point checklist of things you should have done by now to protect or improve your money situation. Tips for minimizing damage to your credit score; how to manage retirement anxiety during difficult times; and things to think about if you’re considering home delivery.
- Here are the expectations for self-isolation; tips for managing anxiety and protecting your mental health; and what to do if you think you have the virus. Wash your hands. How to break a bad habit (like touching your face). Is flying safe?
- The best foods to eat to maintain an immune system-friendly diet; and how to keep a healthy diet while working from home; four eating tips when working from home; and five mistakes that might cause you to gain unwanted weight. Here are the essentials to stock up on and how to shop safely for groceries; the best pantry staples and how to stop stress-eating.
- Find answers to your coronavirus and employment questions.
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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