Good evening, here are the COVID-19 updates you need to know tonight.
Top headlines:
- Ontario judge grants 10-day injunction on honking in downtown Ottawa
- Federal government urges Ottawa police to take control of convoy protest, proposes cross-jurisdictional meetings
- Companies face pressure to improve employee benefits as demand soars for mental-health services
In the past seven days, 84,956 cases were reported, down 22 per cent from the previous seven days. There were 974 deaths announced, up 11 per cent over the same period. At least 8,245 people are being treated in hospitals.
Canada’s inoculation rate is 13th among 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
Photo of the day
A person walks by trucks blocking roads in downtown Ottawa as truckers and their supporters continue to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates, on Feb. 7, 2022.PATRICK DOYLE/Reuters
Coronavirus in Canada
- Ontario is reporting 2,155 people in hospital with COVID-19, and 486 people in the ICU. That’s down from a week ago, when hospitals had 2,983 COVID-19 patients and 555 in the ICU. Ontario is also reporting 11 deaths from the virus, and almost half of the province’s long-term care homes have an outbreak. Meanwhile, in Ottawa, the trucker convoy protests are forcing national museums and other arts institutions to extend closures and cancel shows.
- Quebec is seeing the first increase in hospitalizations since Jan. 23, with 2,425 in hospital and 178 in the ICU. The province is also reporting 20 deaths, as places of worship and entertainment and sports venues are allowed to reopen today, with capacity limits, for the first time since being shut down in December. And promoters of Quebec’s most popular festivals fear restrictions are affecting the city’s international reputation.
- The number of hospital admissions related to COVID-19 in Manitoba has dropped 19 per cent from the previous week, with the impact on the the health care system “showing signs of slowing,” said Dr. David Matear, one of the leads of Manitoba’s COVID-19 response team.
- In Alberta, NDP Opposition leader Rachel Notley says Premier Jason Kenney and his United Conservative Party are pandering to COVID-19 blockaders.
- In Manitoba, police have arrested a man after he allegedly drove into “freedom convoy” protesters in Winnipeg.
The federal government has proposed cross-jurisdictional meetings to respond to the trucker protests while urging Ottawa police to take control of the occupation of the downtown core, which encompasses the Parliament buildings.
- Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair said in a news conference today that a “trilateral table” will be set up with the Ontario government and the City of Ottawa to co-ordinate actions to help re-establish order.
- Mr. Blair, a former Toronto police chief, said Ottawa police have the resources to manage the siege, noting the RCMP and the Ontario Provincial Police have provided extra officers and money.
Ban on honking: An Ontario Superior Court Justice granted a 10-day injunction Monday to prevent truckers parked in downtown Ottawa from blaring their horns during protests.
Coronavirus around the world
- Cases have spiked across Asia following the widely-celebrated Lunar New Year. Everywhere from Japan to Indonesia to South Korea is seeing a rise in cases, including Hong Kong, which has aligned itself with China’s “zero-COVID” policy. Singapore has reported over 100,000 cases spanning the last month, although over 99 per cent of the cases are mild or asymptomatic.
- Australia will fully reopen its borders to all vaccinated visa holders from Feb. 21, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday, after nearly two years since he shut it to non-citizens to mitigate the threat of the new coronavirus.
- Canada’s men’s figure skating champion Keegan Messing has finally arrived in China, less than 24 hours before he’ll skate in the men’s short program tonight. Messing was detained in Vancouver for more than a week after testing positive for COVID-19. For the latest news on the Winter Games, subscribe to The Globe’s daily Olympics newsletter.
Coronavirus and business
The pandemic has prompted many people to seek out the mental-health resources offered by their employers that they’d never investigated before. But what many have found is that the coverage is sorely lacking.
- While more than 130,000 Canadian employers offer group benefits plans that list mental health benefits, the median average coverage for counselling through an employer is just $750 a year – a benefit that can be exhausted with less than a handful of appointments.
- Even when they invest more, one of the biggest hurdles companies face is proper education for employees on how to access their benefits.
Also today: Interest in living off the grid has spiked during the pandemic, an appealing prospect for people who are seeking less-expensive properties and a unique way of life. But as more people move into remote areas, “the more the [regional government] puts their nose in things,” says one B.C. resident.
And: Air Canada and WestJet Airlines continue to slash their schedules and demand that Ottawa roll back COVID-19 travel restrictions – though experts see glimmers of hope on the horizon.
Globe opinion
- André Picard: Nobody wants pandemic restrictions. The challenge is dispensing with them responsibly
- Mark Carney: It’s time to end the ‘freedom convoy’ in Ottawa by enforcing the law and following the money
- John Ibbitson: Pierre Poilievre riding the populist wave that began as a protest against vaccine mandates
- Chidi Oguamanam: We need improved policies – not platitudes – for front-line workers
- Tracy Vaillancourt and Suniya S. Luthar: Stop assuming most kids will be resilient in the face of COVID-19. When we believe this, we fail to protect them as we must
Information centre
- Everything you need to know about Canada’s travel restrictions for vaccinated and unvaccinated people
- Where do I book a COVID-19 booster or a vaccine appointment for my kids? Latest rules by province
- 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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