Good evening, here are the coronavirus updates you need to know tonight.
Top headlines:
- New variants have caused public-health officials to rethink what defines a close contact and an exposure – upending what we think we know about the virus
- The PMO felt blindsided by the Public Health Agency’s decisions and announcements during the pandemic, internal government documents reveal
- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris about the COVID-19 pandemic today
In the last 7 days, 30,583 cases were reported, down 19 per cent from the previous 7 days. There were 898 deaths announced, down 20 per cent over the same period. At least 3,459 people are being treated in hospitals and 711,709 others are considered recovered.
About 86 per cent of the 1,124,816 doses of vaccines distributed to provinces have been administered. That’s 2.5 doses for every 100 people in Canada.
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 • Lockdown rules and reopening • Canada’s vaccine distribution plan • Developing/approved vaccines • Pfizer’s vaccine, explained • Essential resources
Photo of the day
Passengers arrive at Toronto's Pearson airport after mandatory coronavirus disease testing took effect for international arrivals today.CARLOS OSORIO/Reuters
Coronavirus in Canada
- Ontario’s Education Minister said the province is still deciding if more schools can reopen to in-person learning next week. Meanwhile, as the province confirmed its first case of the South African variant, here’s a look at how the British variant – behind devastating a outbreak at long-term care home Roberta Place – is upending the conventional wisdom on the spread of coronavirus. And, a rule requiring mandatory COVID-19 tests for international travellers came into effect today at Toronto’s airport, a stopgap measure in the province until a similar federal program begins.
- The former chief executive officer of Great Canadian Gaming Corp., Rod Baker, and his wife, Ekaterina, used an elaborate ruse to acquire a COVID-19 vaccine in a remote community in the Yukon by posing as local motel workers.
- Quebec reported fewer than 1,000 new COVID-19 infections today – the first time since early November.
- Specific students and staff at a British Columbia high school will be tested for COVID-19 after a person at the school had close contact with someone carrying a new variant.
In Ottawa, internal e-mails reveal a sense of frustration among the highest levels of the Prime Minister’s Office with the Public Health Agency of Canada, as political staff were caught off guard by some of the agency’s key announcements early during the pandemic and questioned its decisions.
- A report, titled Lessons Learned, says Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam would often receive information from Public Health that was inaccurate or in the wrong format.
Testing on the elderly: Drug makers are now challenged to find enough elderly volunteers for vaccine trials.
Reopening schools: Parents across the country are watching schools closely after they reopened in January, while in Southern Ontario, some school boards still haven’t returned to in-person learning.
Coronavirus around the world
- U.S. President Joe Biden is meeting with the 10 Republican senators behind the proposed US$618-billion coronavirus aid package.
- South Africa welcomed its first delivery of COVID-19 vaccines – one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Coronavirus and business
Air Canada, Rogers and Suncor are among the companies piloting an experiment with COVID-19 antigen tests that take about 15 minutes to deliver results.
- The hope is that the rapid tests function as a road map for Corporate Canada to reopen.
Also today: Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says new restrictions on travel and flying will apply to everyone — even those who have been vaccinated.
And: Manufacturing activity in the United States cools amid a flare-up of COVID-19.
Globe opinion
- André Picard: With the new travel rules, the government is essentially half-closing the barn door while horses are already galloping away, and promising to round them up eventually.
- The Editorial Board: There may well come a day when the term “let’s Canada this project” will mean to slowly roll out a new measure well after it’s needed.
- Ashley Nunes: In the travel-restriction whirlwind, taxpayers want something too: refunds. As the pandemic cripples economies worldwide, thousands of Canadians remain stuck with tickets in hand and no place to go.
- André Picard: Despite pandemic fatigue, the worst possible thing we can do right now is relax lockdowns too quickly. This is no time to rush to the mall.
More reporting
- Bayer and Rentschler agrees to help CureVac manufacture its COVID-19 vaccine.
- Nova Scotia cancelled the Yarmouth to Maine ferry for the 2021 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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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